The Gambia Athletics Association (GAA) through its German partners has awarded an Advanced Diploma coaching course in track and field scholarship to Babun Fatty, a seasoned sports administrator and Physical Education teacher at Kinderdorf Bottrop Technical Upper Basic and Senior Secondary School.

Fatty left the Banjul International Airport Tuesday for the 14-month course at the University of Johns Gutenberg in Germany. He is regarded as one of the best developmental coaches in athletics and other related fields in sports in The Gambia and has won many national events and produced many national athletes who are now employed in various areas.

Fatty’s achievements include winning the Inter-Secondary School Sports in2006 and 2007 for his school. He also led the West Coast Region to victory in the 2007 coveted National Youth Conference and Festival (NaYCONF) athletic sports in Brikama and in Farafenni in 2009. He is currently the chairman of the Kombo Central District Sports Committee. The course will commence from the 8th of June 2012 to 31st July 2013.

In a Skype interview with the Observer Sports on Saturday, Fatty said the course will cover intensively German language, in theory practice of track and field, sports management and administration, sports injuries, as well as facility management and physiology. He said the course will offer him the opportunity to learn the necessary skills and techniques in athletics coaching which will in return help him improve the standard of athletics in The Gambia.

When asked what his focus will be after completing the course, Fatty revealed that he will draw a countrywide programme of activity in basic athletic skills for both upper and senior schools and regions. “This will be forwarded to the Athletic Federation for onward submission to the relevant authorities such as the Ministry of Basic and Secondary Education, Ministry of Youth and Sports and the GNOC. This has to be at least a three-year programme and at the end of the programme, Gambia should produce athletes that will win medals in international competition,” he said.

He used the opportunity to thank the Gambia Athletics Association, particularly its president Dodu Capi Joof for availing him the opportunity. He also commended the government of Germany and the school administration ofKinderdorf Bottrop and family for supporting him.