Ahead of the launch of the Let’s Move Malta Summer Programme, coaches taking part in the initiative attended a seminar yesterday titled âCoach, You Matter!â, organised in collaboration with the Malta Sport Coaches Association. The session, held under the theme Unify â Empower â Elevate, brought together coaches for an afternoon of reflection, practical guidance and shared planning ahead of the programmeâs start.
The seminar opened with remarks from SportMalta Chief Executive Officer Mark Cutajar, Director Corporate Services Rose Marie Mercieca, and MSCA Founding Board Member Ruben Baldacchino, each reinforcing a shared message: coming together to empower coaches and elevate the qualities they bring to their work.
Coach, You Matter!
The seminarâs central presentation, delivered by Dr Renzo Kerr-Cumbo, invited coaches to reflect on their own values and the influence they carry, drawing on personal accounts of teachers, mentors and family members who shaped participants through simple acts of care. The presentation connected these reflections to established psychological principles, among them the fundamental human needs for safety, belonging and recognition, and the concepts of autonomy, competence and relatedness. Coaches were also introduced to the notion of professional love and its role in early years care and education and encouraged to consider how small gestures of encouragement can carry lasting significance for the children in their care.
Coaching Matters
A second section addressed the practical side of coaching, covering positive group management, from welcoming children and setting clear expectations to structuring activity time and maintaining an active, engaged coaching presence. A framework for managing behaviour, built around redirecting, reinforcing and resetting, was presented as a means of maintaining a calm and constructive environment without resorting to public correction.
Shaping a Coaching Charter
The seminar concluded with a workshop in which coaches, working in groups, contributed toward a Coaching Charter, addressing themes such as preparation, communication, professional behaviour, safety and long-term growth. Organisers described the exercise as an opportunity for coaches to define, in their own words, the standards they wish to uphold.
Looking Ahead
The seminar comes as the Let’s Move Malta Summer Programme prepares to commence, equipping coaches with both the reflective grounding and practical tools to support children across the programmeâs various strands throughout the summer months.
