On the 24^th September, during the second coach education summit, the International Council for Coach Education was established at the Wingate Institute, Israel.

At the inaugural summit in Leeds, organised by The National Coaching Foundation of Great Britain, in July 1995 and at the 1994 meeting to mark the 20^th Anniversary of the Trainerakademie in Cologne, Germany, the guidelines and aims for this new organisation were laid down.

The aims and purpose of the ICCE are as follows:

• To promote the process of establishing sports coaching as a profession
• To promote and utilise research in the field of training and competition
• To exchange and disseminate information about curricula, qualification standards and other such issues amongst its members
• To promote ethical coaching by educating coaches to regard athletes’ health and well being as the over-riding consideration in their activity
• To work towards improving the relationships between the coach, management and athlete

During the next millennium, we shall redefine the boundaries of human abilities on the playing field. Improvements in laboratory and measuring equipment will require those involved in coaching to have a detailed knowledge in the basic art of science, computers, biofeedback and to rely less and less on gut instinct.

We believe that the deepening of coach education programmes and the professional and scientific development of the coach is imperative in this new technological age where excellence is demanded in all aspects of life as well as of sport and physical fitness.

The preparation of the coach, his enrichment with updated information, his understanding of the training process and the ability to translate this knowledge into practical reality is the key to every stage in the development of the athlete.

Direction, advice and assistance offered by the coach to the athlete reflect the true belief the coach has in the athlete and the coach’s ultimate concern for the trainee’s health and well being.

With the dawn of the new millennium almost upon us, during a period of constant change and improvements, the contribution that the ICCE can have is both significant and decisive. This can certainly be true in:

• the consultations the ICCE can offer and in the creation of organisations for coach training in countries around the world that do not possess such bodies.
• exchange of information via fax and the Internet
• establishing open lines of communication where professionals can converse with one another in real time

All this will enhance the level and standing of the coach as a professional in his own right and can only serve to contribute towards the proper development of the athlete. This service to the sportsman and woman is our duty.

In order to achieve these goals, the ICCE will make every possible effort to cooperate with and strengthen its ties with international sport bodies including the IOC, UNESCO ICSPE and others.

At the next International Summit for Coach Education to be held on November 29^th 1999 in Sydney, Australia, we shall strive to continue to implement our objectives.

We hope to see you there.

Yours in friendship