By Matt Williams
WITH sport on the brink of returning full-time to USW’s Sport Park; Sports Coaching and Development course rep Sam Friend believes its return could benefit the mental health of players and coaches.
(Credit- Facebook)
Friend said, “Hopefully it will increase mental health a bit. A lot of players and coaches have been suffering recently.”
“Luckily, it hasn’t been in silence, a lot of organisations out there have been trying to help them.”
Friend says he has struggled mentally and physically coping with sport being away for so long.
“It’s been hard.”
“I’m on a coaching qualification today and you can see it’s effecting us in terms of our ability, it’s gone down a bit so just hoping to get back out there really.”
Friend puts the return of certain sports to USW mainly down to two factors.
“Obviously, a lot of hand sanitising and social distancing.”
“Not every sport has come back yet, rugby is still struggling with their regulations, but football has done pretty well.”
Questioned on whether he has noticed a mental or physical difference between staff and players due to the long absence of sport, Friend said, “Yeah definitely, especially with staff. I think a few of the tutors especially have been struggling a bit with online learning.”
He continued, “For most of the coaches it’s very difficult to pick up that knowledge you need through a screen. Most of the coaches learn visually through doing it themselves.”
Asked whether he believes specific training programmes will be needed for players after so long off, Friend believes the main thing is just getting sport back.
“I think it’s just about getting it back, not just professional but grassroots too.”
“Just get everything back that we can at the minute.”
