Coaches complete Module 2 of B Coaching Diploma Course

The Northern Mariana Islands Football Association completed Module 2 of the NMIFA’s first ever B Coaching Diploma Course at the NMI Soccer Training Center in Koblerville yesterday.

The course which started Module 1 of the four-part course from last July 6 to 11, resumed last Aug. 8 and ended yesterday. The next two modules are from Dec. 6 to 12, 2023; and from Jan. 15 to 21, 2024.

All modules will have coaches attend classroom discussions and practical sessions on the pitch. 

Originally, there were 10 coaches from both the CNMI and Guam, but are now down to nine due to one coaches’ schedule conflicts.

Russ Zapanta, Ronel Ocanada, Jireh Yobech, Mikky Vargas, Davy Laxa, Chris Aninzo, and Martin Jambor are the coaches from the CNMI.

NMIFA technical director and head coach Michiteru Mita is the course’s main instructor and said the continuation of the course is going well.

He said with the course contents, they try to provide more reality-based learning—like what usually happens on the pitch during training.

He added, “Before, the course was only one day, but now, it’s divided into modules so that coaches gain a lot more knowledge, experience, and are able to exchange ideas with other coaches—and are able to develop their competency as a better coach”.

At the time of the interview last Thursday, they were in a class session with NMIFA coach Mae Ito and afterwards went out to the pitch for a practical session.

In the first module, Asian Football Confederation and Japan Football Association’s Takeshi Ono and Yasuhiko Kimura assisted Mita with the course.

Once the B Coaching License is obtained, the next level is the A Coaching License and then the Pro Diploma. In all of NMIFA, only Mita holds the pro diploma, while Irish Pagarao has the A license.