‘Phenomenal’ ITF World Coaches Conference proves a hit in Bogota
Over 500 coaches from 84 nations took part in the first ITF World Coaches Conference in South America in 16 years at the turn of the month.
The event, held in Bogota, Colombia on 31 October – 2 November saw 58 keynote and workshop speakers impart their knowledge and experience to 587 registered attendees in the first in-person event of its kind since 2019.
The conference was themed around the concept of player-centred coaching – a crucial approach in nurturing the next generation of players in placing the player at the forefront of the coaching process, adapting and tailoring instruction to meet their individual needs, aspirations, and unique journey in the world of tennis.
In a positive step forward for the event, 33 per cent of the speakers at the 2023 ITF World Coaches Conference were female – including the likes of Brazilian Billie Jean King Cup captain Roberta Burzagli. The ITF is committed to further building on this in the years to come.
The biennial conference has been held on 23 occasions since its inaugural staging in Florida in 1982 and continues to provides huge value to participants from across the globe.
For one, Irina Kuzmina-Rimsa, the Latvian Tennis Development Director, took plenty of learnings from the event that will assist her role - and her coordination of ITF Junior Tennis Initiatives - in future.
“It’s a very, very nice event,” she said. “I like that the ITF gave me this opportunity. I saw a lot of different examples of how it works in different countries. It was very nice to have that knowledge.
“Now I know exactly what I want to introduce in my country.”
The LTA’s Stuart Twigg and Isla Smith, who presented a session on ‘building the competitor by layering the drill’, said the Conference had been hugely valuable.
"It really has been phenomenal. We feel really honoured to be here, we’ve had the most incredible time"
“There were a lot of incredible speakers here,” said Twigg. “It was an unbelievable opportunity to come and present. On top of that to be here and listen to what they’ve got to educate us with… just incredible.”
“Absolutely loved it,” added Smith. “It’s a stunning venue. Everybody wanted to get involved. We couldn’t have asked for better participation. They made us feel like celebrities. It really has been phenomenal. We feel really honoured to be here, we’ve had the most incredible time.
“It’s great for us to share what we do in the UK, but equally amazing to be able to learn from other coaches.”
Miguel Crespo, the ITF’s Head of Participation and Education could reflect on a hugely positive event.
"The ITF World Coaches Conference was a great success,” said Crespo. “The event provided an optimal environment for a memorable interaction between all attendees.
"After the COVID pandemic, it was observed that the coaches wanted to physically see each other face to face again and share their experiences and knowledge after a period of great challenges. The feedback we have received to date has been extremely positive as the event has helped inspire and motivate coaches to continue providing the best tennis experience for all their players."
“Bringing this event to our country enables coaches from around the world to discuss their contributions to global tennis," added David Samudio, President of the Colombian Tennis Federation. "It's a platform to understand the initiatives of other national associations, as tennis is a collaborative effort that involves everyone.”