As part of the partnership between Arsenal and Visit Rwanda, the English superclub’s coaches and four players of its first women team conducted a two-day Coaching Clinic for 25 Rwandan women football coaches from across the country this week. Held from Tuesday to Wednesday in Kigali, the football development camp was organized together with the Rwandan Football Federation (Ferwafa) and Ministry of Sports. Arsenal Football Development Lead Coach, Simon McManus, U21 Arsenal Women Head Coach, Elliot Alum, and Arsenal Women first team players – Caitlin Foord, Jordan Nobbs, Jen Beatie, and Katie McCabe – shared theoretical and practical sessions with the Rwandan coaches who got to learn about Arsenal’s coaching philosophy and signature skills. Speaking at the closing session on Wednesday, McManus noted: “It is great to come here and support the development of football in Rwanda. Same as with the previous coaching clinics we held here, our goal is to always support the development of a Rwandan style of football that can be played all round.” Arsenal has regularly sent coaches and their legends to train with and lead coaching clinics to local coaches since the club became Rwanda’s tourism partner four years ago. Speaking to Times Sport, center-back Jen Beatie noted that she sees ‘a big future’ of women football in Rwanda. These girls are really amazing, theyre very ambitious and have great talent. Surely Rwandan women football has a big future. The former Manchester City defender also revealed that she enjoyed her time in Rwanda, and the warmth of Rwandan people in general. I really loved the people of Rwanda, they are very friendly and the country is beautiful. This is a lifetime experience, I will never forget it. Hadidja Kayishakire, the Ferwafa Commissioner in charge of women football, lauded the Arsenal delegation for the coaching clinic, underlining that such opportunities help and empower Rwandan women in football. “We are very optimistic that the 25 Rwandan coaches have gained immense knowledge that they will impart onto our young and upcoming women footballers,” she said. “This partnership with Arsenal to support football development in Rwanda through organizing such coaching clinics will go a long way in promoting the growth of football talents.” Edithe Umurisa, who is among the 25 local participants, acknowledged that they learned a lot from the two-day training. She said: For example, I started playing football at 15, but from this clinic we learned that at 17, a player can compete at elite level. We were urged to focus more on young talents, aged 7 and below. The Arsenal Women players also visited some of Rwanda’s tourist attractions, including the mountain gorillas in the Volcanoes National Park.
