One of the biggest challenges facing the ISF Football Programme has been the development of our football coaching staff. On 19 August 2013 all that changed with the arrival of Brian Suskiewicz, Emily Lambert and Helana Bassett from Coaches Across Continents to run a 2 week football programme.

The first week was focused on 35 ISF coaches and youths (in the 14-18 years of age bracket). The second week the number swelled to approximately 70 when coaches and interested persons from Non Government Organisations and communities associated with the ISF Football Programme arrived in Phnom Penh. There were people from Siem Reap, Battambong, Sihanoukville, Kompot, Kompong, Kandal and Prey Vang and 6 people from the Deaf Development Programme.

The CAC programme not only focuses on football skills, it also covers social issues such as HIV, gender equality and the environment, through football training sessions. CAC, by the laughter and smiles barometer were a big hit!

CAC went to watch a training session with intellectually challenged children and young adults, at The Rabbit School. Brian explained to the ISF coaches that these children and young adults could do the same drills as were being taught by the ISF coaches; the key is patience. By the time we left Rabbit, 2 of the players were using the inside and outside of their foot to dribble the football.

CAC have now physically departed Cambodia; however they have a unique online mentoring system to ensure continuous improvement of the ISF football coaches over the next 12 months.

ISF look forward to welcoming the CAC coaches back to Cambodia in August 2014.

Check out the CAC website www.coachesacrosscontinents.org