OSEP Super Week Strengthens Coaching and Team Management Capacity in Tonga

The Olympic Solidarity Education Programme (OSEP) Super Week at TASANOC has officially concluded after an inspiring eight days of learning, collaboration, and professional development for Tonga’s sporting community.

The week featured several key courses delivered to local coaches, team managers, and sports administrators, including:

• Master Educator & Educator Refresher
• National Team Manager Course
• Community Strength & Conditioning Course
• Community Coach & Officials (CC&O) Course

More than 35 participants took part across the programmes, reflecting a strong commitment from Tonga’s National Federations to strengthen their technical and leadership capacity ahead of future regional and international competitions.

A special highlight of the week was the certificate ceremony recognising past OSEP participants, celebrating those who have continued to contribute to the growth of sport in Tonga.

During the Community Strength & Conditioning course, six participants demonstrated outstanding understanding of the programme and were selected to co-deliver modules during the Community Coach & Officials training as part of their workplace assessment. Under the guidance of Regional Master Educators, these participants helped deliver sessions to fellow coaches, marking an important step in developing Tonga’s next generation of certified sports educators.

The Community Coach & Officials training, held from 9–10 March 2026, brought together ten passionate coaches from a range of sports including rugby, netball, basketball, outrigger canoeing, golf, and taekwondo. The course focused on the fundamentals of coaching, athlete safety, and practical community coaching skills.

Sessions were led by Tonga’s newly trained OSEP Educators with support from Regional Master Educator Tihrani Uluinakauvadra and Samoa’s Avii Faalupega Magele, ensuring participants received high-quality training aligned with international coaching standards.

TASANOC was also honoured to welcome Minister of Internal Affairs Honourable Fane Fotu Fituafe, who received her certificate for completing the OSEP National Team Manager course in 2023. The Minister reflected on how the course supported her role as Team Manager of Tonga’s Women’s Rugby League 9s team during the 2023 Pacific Games in Solomon Islands, where the team proudly secured a silver medal.

The National Team Manager course is designed to prepare Team Managers and Chefs de Mission to effectively lead national teams during major competitions. Structured around four key phases—design, development, implementation, and review—the programme equips participants with the knowledge and leadership skills required for successful team operations.

Meanwhile, the Community Strength & Conditioning course introduced participants to essential principles of athlete preparation, including long-term athlete development, functional movement screening, and sport-specific conditioning programmes.

Through initiatives like OSEP Super Week, TASANOC continues to build a stronger foundation of qualified coaches, officials, and educators, ensuring that future training programmes can be delivered more regularly across Tonga, including the outer islands.

These efforts contribute to the long-term development of sport in Tonga and support the nation’s growing ambitions as it prepares to host the 2031 Pacific Games.

‍