My GRS Story As The Coach Without My PCV
It has really been an awesome journey!! In one of the good days, in February, one GRS coach from nearby made me aware of the refresher training workshop and without hesitation I wrote the letter of interest. I was like, this is the opportunity I have been waiting for. I had stopped the interventions in 2018 while still with my Karina. The only reason was the reporting which as counterparts were not trained on reporting without PCVs. So, when the opportunity popped, I wouldn’t wait any minute.
It has really been an awesome journey!! In one of the good days, in February, one GRS coach from nearby made me aware of the refresher training workshop and without hesitation I wrote the letter of interest. I was like, this is the opportunity I have been waiting for. I had stopped the interventions in 2018 while still with my Karina. The only reason was the reporting which as counterparts were not trained on reporting without PCVs. So, when the opportunity popped, I wouldn’t wait any minute.
The training magnitude was out of this world and made me realize that GRS was GRS with or without PCVs. It was epic! We left the training centre energetic, motivated, and driven to go relaunch the Grassroot Soccer practices just like it has always been in those times when we had our lovely PVCs.
Back home I visited all the classes giving feedback of my absence in the past week and what I brought home from that absence. The green light to relaunch the GRS interventions*. I asked the students to register if they had interest in taking part. To my surprise the response came in numbers I did not anticipate, unfortunately the size of the participants was very limited due to Covid 19. It was first come first served!
My ice breakers were from the Grade 11 classes, and I loved it most. They were already my target group as they leave school and I believed they needed the life skills to go face the world outside the school uniform. It has been successful. One can feel it during the interventions, the language used outside the interventions within the GRS members. The connection between the participants and the coach! The greeting moved from good morning, madam to AYOBA coach! The greeting before they left for their school trips moved to reminding one another of the GRS practices; Go well but always remember you are a GRS participant, (GO FOR GOAL, ABSTAIN, BUT IF YOU DECIDE OTHERWISE ALWAYS USE A CONDOM, YOUR BODY IS YOURS) and many others. We have become so united, a family with a save space for everyone.
I am about to finish with the second group though the challenges have increased as we have come to the end of the year and time is the most serious challenge. However, as the GRS coach I am flexible and always work with possible options. We had to move from the after-school schedule to the lunch hour suggested by the participants. They just can’t let me slip it. And I AM JUST LOVING IT. THEIR ENTHUSIAM, THE URGE, THE MOTIVATION. Thank you PEACECORP LESOTHO, Thank you GRS trainer coaches!