National Soccer Coaching Association of America (NSCAA) director of development Jeff Tipping has accepted an invitation to lecture local football coaches later this year.

A well-respected speaker, Tipping represents the NSCAA at educational forums and other football-related events throughout the world.

He joined the NSCAA coaching staff in 1983 as assistant director of coaching before eventually being promoted to his present post in 2002.

Bermuda Football Association (BFA) technical director Derek Broadley believes Tipping's visit will be of great value to local coaches.

"I want Jeff to come in and strengthen the relationship between Bermuda and the NSCAA and the long-term goal is for us to have our own coaching education courses. But in the short term I think it's important we use other federations as a means of getting the information across," he said.

Tipping is expected to arrive in Bermuda in September while the BFA also have plans to conduct a goalkeepers' course in November.

Earlier this month Broadley held a successful NSCAA State Diploma course at Bermuda College which drew rave reviews from the coaching fraternity to the extent that the BFA have arranged a second course to be held at the same venue on Saturday, June 21.

The NSCAA State Diploma is a five-hour course designed to help coaches working with players in the five-to-ten year age range with special emphasis placed on understanding the physiological and psychological differences of coaching children.

The curriculum focuses on the organisation of a practice sessions, using small-sided games to enhance knowledge and fun, basic understanding of the laws of the game and information about the care and prevention of injuries.

There is no test required for the NSCAA State Diploma and all candidates must be at least 14-years of age at the time of application. Candidates under the age of 18 must be accompanied by an adult during the duration of the course which is open to all youth coaches and is free of charge.

All those interested in attending next month's course can register with the BFA by 5 p.m. on Wednesday, June 18.

Broadley said he was impressed with last month's turnout at the NSCAA course and hoped to see numbers increase when the association conduct a second course designed to educate local coaches on some of the best methods to ply their trade.

"I've actually received some very nice comments and to make the course more interactive I put it through 'PowerPoint' and included video instead of the traditional method of just standing in front and lecturing," he added.

"We had 36 people attend the first course which is the second largest attendence at a course on the Island, that shows people are interested in getting more knowledge."

Broadley is also using the course as a means to familiarise himself with local coaches - particularly those at the grassroots level.

"For me it's a way of directly influencing the coaches that has a knock-on effect," he said. "If I can get 36 coaches to attend, then at least 360 players are going to benefit from that course."