European trainers want sport qualifications in EQF
On 18 and 19 December over 80 experts from 24 EU-member states gathered for the European Day of the Trainer. The chief conclusion was that Sport should no longer be left out of the common European qualifications framework EQF.
European trainers and sport experts spent two days exchanging information and knowledge on three topics:
1. sport policy in function of a common European qualification framework (known as the European Qualifications Framework or EQF);
2. elite sport and dual career;
3. youth sport and early specialisation.
European Qualifications Framework
The common European qualification framework EQF ensures that sport qualifications are easier to compare with each other. That makes it easier for trainers to work in different member states.
European experts in sport shared experiences on the best ways to implement this in practice. They arrived at the following conclusions:
• Sport qualifications must be included in the national qualification framework so that they can be entered into the qualification databases in a consistent form.
• The EQF as reference framework will guarantee the mobility of European sport qualifications and will contribute to the free movement of people and services within the European Union.
The EQF was also one of the priority topics of the Belgian EU-presidency. Flemish minister Philippe Muyters called on the European ministers for Sport to better harmonise all sport diplomas by 2012. In Flanders and a number of European countries, the EQF competency framework is already being applied.
Top sport and dual career
The “dual career” is the follow-up career that athletes are able to build after their sport career. The participants shared experiences and good practices.
They arrived at the following conclusions:
• Both small and large elite sport countries need to be aware of the importance of professional support.
• Professional support has a positive impact on performance.
• The EU must follow through on its engagement to establish a European network for career guidance.
Youth sport
The experts in youth sport considered the question of how trainers of young athletes can get the best out of their talent.
The main conclusions on youth sport were:
• Caution should be exercised to ensure that children do not specialise too early in a single sport. The earlier they begin to specialise, the sooner children are likely to give it up.
• If children are instructed in a range of sports at a young age, it is beneficial for long-term success.
Further collaboration
The conclusions and recommendations of the European Day of the Trainer will be presented to the Ministers for Sport of all EU-member states and to the European Commission. Thanks to this meeting, the European trainers were able to have a say in the development of future EU-collaboration in the area of sport.
The European Day of the Trainer is an organisation of Flemish minister for Sport Philippe Muyters and Bloso. The European Day of the Trainer took place on the sidelines of the biennial Day of the Trainer, which drew 2000 participants.
