Cotonou: Organisers of the first International Francophone Youth Skateboarding Championship have completed a series of training programmes aimed at strengthening coaching and officiating standards across the Francophone skateboarding community. The championship, organised by the Francophone Union of Roller, Skateboard and Scooter (Francophonie Skate), featured capacity-building sessions for coaches, judges, and competition managers.
According to Ghana News Agency, Francophonie Skate said the initiative was designed to support the development of the sport by enhancing technical, teaching, and organisational skills within the community. The training curriculum was delivered in three components. The first focused on coaching roles and responsibilities, including training frameworks, skill levels, and modern teaching methods.
The second part of the training addressed judging, combining theoretical sessions with practical exercises such as scoring-grid use and video-based evaluations to help standardise officiating. The final part covered competition preparation, offering modules on human-resource management, role assignment, and event logistics.
Francophonie Skate said the programmes provided professional development opportunities for officials and formed part of broader preparations for upcoming international events, including the Dakar 2026 Youth Olympic Games. The organisation noted that the training sessions were intended to build local expertise and support the emergence of young Francophone athletes capable of competing at the elite level.