Ghana Rugby successfully completed two Rugby First Aid courses for 16 coaches and development officers at the Ghana Rugby Secretariat in Osu, Accra on Sunday, 5th March 2017.
The first aid courses form part of the Training & Education Plan of the Ghana Rugby Football Union (GRFU) and were the first in a series of courses planned for 2017. The course was presented by Mr Hermann Bolou, a qualified World Rugby Trainer.
According to Mr. Herbert Mensah, President of Ghana Rugby, the training and education of coaches and development officers is an essential building block of the overall development plan of the Union.
“Our mission is to take the Ghana Rugby Eagles, the national Ghana Rugby squads, to the world stage and that can only happen if we have educated and enthusiastic player coaches,” Mensah said.
World Rugby places a premium on player welfare and offers various courses such as Concussion Management, Match Day Medical Staff, First Aid in Rugby and Immediate Care in Rugby to its members.
The course included various aspects of first aid including a general assessment of an injured player, breathing, choking, circulation, bleeding, shock, CPR, head injury and spinal injury treatment on the field.
Mr Mensah said that research has shown that Rugby is in fact a more safe sport than many other contact sports such as football but that it is essential that match officials, coaches and development officers are equipped to attend to injuries immediately and professionally.
In a comment on Ghana Rugby’s Facebook Group, Mr Charles Yapo, Africa Rugby Development Officer for Ghana, congratulated the GRFU as he remarked, “Congratulations to the federation of Ghana by putting a premium on the well-being and health of the player through this training, from World Rugby and Rugby Africa.”
The 16 trainees who attended the course were also highly impressed with their new found knowledge and skills and rated the course highly. One commented and said, “I feel like a doctor now.”
The trainees had to do an online World Rugby Course as qualifier to attend the course. One of the trainees, Kenneth Otchere, commented as part of his evaluation, “The theory aspect online was valuable, but the practical has helped enormously to broaden my understanding and insight of first aid.”
Sixteen coaches, match officials and Get Into Rugby (GIR) development officers attended the course and included delegates from Ghana Rugby Clubs in Accra (Lovemore Kuzorera,
Amuzuloh Salim, Rashid Umar) and CentWest (Clement Dennis, Charles Eghan, Ebenezer Elijah Eshun). Other trainees included Ishmael Tettey Adamah, a referee, and GIR development officers Kenneth Othchere, Emmanuel Kalos, Philip Asomani, Sani Alhassan and Theophilus A. Opai.
Women’s Rugby was also represented with the inclusion of Rafatu Inusah, Kadija Adams, Sandra Siawaa Odame and Anita Atieku.
Mr Steve Noi, GRFU Director and Tournament Commissioner, who oversaw the courses said that this has been a great moment in the history of Ghana Rugby.
“I was with them and observed the enthusiasm and the urge to learn. The instructor took them through the practical sessions with care and precision and was the part enjoyed by all participants. In an interview, they expressed the desire for more,” he said.
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