The International Coaching Enrichment Certification Program honored its Class of 2017 in a ceremony, held May 5 at the Association of National Olympic Committees headquarters in Lausanne, Switzerland.

The ninth edition of the ICECP – an intensive coaching education program developed by the University of Delaware, the United States Olympic Committee, and the International Olympic Committee – included 30 coaches representing five continents, 30 nations and 15 sports.

The following coaches graduated with honors distinction from the ICECP program: Evelina Burneo from Ecuador, Francisco Antonio Castellanos Garcia from Guatemala, Rachel Davis from Zimbabwe, Boikie Gama from South Africa, Romina Giraldo from Peru, Jadulla Hassan from Maldives, Mohammad Ziaul Hoque from Bangladesh, Odbayar Khasbaatar from Mongolia, Florian Muca from Albania, Peter Simon Mugisha from Uganda, Wisam Seder from Palestine, Valeriu Tomescu from Romania and Alva Grisel Torres Gomez from Aruba.

The ICECP is conducted in partnership with Olympic Solidarity, an IOC program that provides financial assistance to National Olympic Committees around the world. The ICECP has reached nearly 300 participants from 23 sports and 104 countries over the nine-year history of the program.

“Congratulations to the most recent ICECP graduates,” said USOC CEO Scott Blackmun. “The USOC is proud to be included in a program that has significant, positive impacts on the development of sport worldwide. The ICECP places a priority on quality coaching, and we appreciate the work each coach does to advance the Olympic and Paralympic movements around the world.”

The world-class coaching education program is offered to NOCs and consists of lectures, participant presentations, group work and field trips spread over four modules. The 2017 program began Sept. 19 at the University of Delaware and traveled to various locations, including the U.S. Olympic Training Center in Colorado Springs, Colorado, and apprenticeship sites around the U.S., before culminating at the ANOC headquarters.

"We are very proud of the work of all of the participants in the course, as well as the impact they have had on the sport infrastructures in their countries,” said Matthew Robinson, ICECP director and professor of sport management at the University of Delaware. "The ICECP is a great example of cooperation and sharing, and I am proud of the efforts of the United States sport community in regards to its contribution.”

Robinson added, “We look forward to year ten and to building on the success of our past participants who have impacted sport at both the grassroots and elite levels in their countries. It continues to be an honor to work with the USOC to make this contribution to the Olympic Movement around the globe while also fulfilling the mission of the University of making an impact globally.”

In the final module, participants presented projects they completed over the course of the program – which focused on improving coaching infrastructure in their home countries – to the ICECP academic board, and took part in a formal graduation ceremony featuring a keynote address by IOC member Octavian Morariu, and official remarks by Blackmun.

“I have gained great knowledge of coaching and how to manage a club, and I appreciate the value of sport science and sport management,” said Seder, a 2017 graduate. “The time spent at the USOC and University of Delaware was incredible in terms of the wealth of knowledge. I will go back and share the information I have received to impact sport in my country and the youth of my country.”

“ICECP has been really important for it has contributed to the growth of synchronized swimming in my country,” said Giraldo, a 2017 graduate. “ICECP has impacted me in a personal way, so I can use sport to help others. I have gained confidence and now I know what I want to accomplish.”

The 2017 graduating class included coaches from Albania, Aruba, Bangladesh, Barbados, Belize, Bolivia, Botswana, Brazil, Colombia, Ecuador, Egypt, Fiji, Guatemala, Israel, Latvia, Macedonia, Madagascar, Maldives, Moldova, Mongolia, Palestine, Peru, Romania, Sierra Leone, Solomon Islands, South Africa, St. Vincent and the Grenadines, Sudan, Suriname, Trinidad and Tobago, Uganda and Zimbabwe.

About ICECP

A program of the U.S. Olympic Committee, the University of Delaware and the International Olympic Committee, the International Coaching Enrichment Certification Program aims at assisting national-level coaches in developing proficiency in the areas of sport sciences, talent identification, athlete development, safe sport, coaching education, coaching management and grass-roots sport development. The intended outcome is for ICECP participants to return to their countries and serve as coaches within their respective sports, while becoming foundation builders for future coaches and athletes, and spreading Olympic spirit. For more information, visit the website.