Bvifa Launches Historic CONCACAF B Licence Coaching
The British Virgin Islands Football Association has officially launched its six-month CONCACAF B Licence Coaching Course, making the BVI only the fifth territory or country in the Caribbean to host the programme locally. Fourteen local coaches are participating in the initiative, which aims to raise regional coaching standards and expand football development across the territory.
The British Virgin Islands Football Association (BVIFA) has officially launched its CONCACAF B Licence Coaching Course, marking a major milestone in regional sports development by becoming only the fifth territory or country in the Caribbean to deliver its own B Licence under the CONCACAF Coaching Convention.
Organized by the BVIFA, the intensive six-month programme brings together a cohort of 14 local coaches looking to advance their technical knowledge, leadership qualities, and player development skills at both the club and national levels. Throughout the course, participants will complete a comprehensive curriculum combining practical field instruction, theoretical study, and continuous assessments.
BVIFA President Avanell Morton officially welcomed the participants and highlighted the association's ongoing progress in coach education. Morton encouraged the coaches to apply the knowledge gained to uplift their clubs and the broader community, urging them to be firm, fair, and unbiased in their duties as contributors to the game.
BVIFA Technical Director Paul Decle noted that the initiative developed from discussions with CONCACAF that began more than a year ago. Once local demand for an advanced coaching pathway was identified, the association acted quickly to establish a direct local route to certification.
Decle described the programme as a vital investment in local human capital, emphasizing that developing better coaches directly enhances the sporting environment across the British Virgin Islands. He framed the course not just as a certification exercise, but as the beginning of a sustained journey of personal and professional development.
CONCACAF Head of Coaching Education Andre Waugh also addressed the cohort, urging participants to approach their training with discipline, humility, and an open mind. Waugh stressed that formalized qualifications are essential for coaches to gain the recognition and professional respect they deserve as key contributors to national development.
Waugh outlined CONCACAF's strategic vision to raise coaching standards across the confederation by 2030, which will eventually require senior national team and professional club coaches to hold a CONCACAF Pro Licence while setting minimum standards for youth and amateur coaches. He reminded participants that educators are there to guide them, but coaches must take personal responsibility for applying their training on the field.
The launch forms part of the BVIFA's broader effort to create a sustainable coach development pathway, positioning the Virgin Islands to keep pace with evolving international standards and nurture the next generation of football talent.
Primary source: VINO