UIPM Coaches Certification Programme: WISH Programme duo pass with flying colours in Madrid (ESP)

At the end of a prolific 2023 for UIPM’s flagship coaching education initiative, there was time to squeeze in one last batch of eager students.

The UIPM Coaches Certification Programme course in the Spanish capital city of Madrid included two special participants, Maria Elena Panetti (ITA) and Rosario Paz Gajardo Lizama (CAN). 

The two coaches are members of the Women in Sport High Performance Pathway (WISH), a program aimed at gender equality which focuses on equipping and upskilling women to help them succeed in gaining roles at elite coaching levels within their sport.

The WISH Programme has been developed in cooperation with the IOC/Olympic Solidarity, ASOIF, AIOWF and several International Federations that are already engaged in projects to increase opportunities and pathways for high performance women coaches.

Panetti (ITA) and Gajardo (CAN) are currently taking part in the WISH Programme with the support of Olympic Solidarity and UIPM and, as part of their Pentathlon-specific training, were among the group who took part in the week-long CCP course in Madrid. 

A total of seven students took part from November 29 to December 3 at the Centro Deportivo Militar La Dehesa. The course was overseen by UIPM CCP Level 4 coach Pedro Pérez (ESP) and the seven students — five women and two men — were all successful in achieving CCP Level 2 certification. 

UIPM CCP educator Pedro Pérez (ESP) said: “We have had a very productive year in coaching education and I was very pleased to be able to help yet another group continue to develop and enhance their coaching skills. All of the participants were very engaged and eager and I wish them all great success in their careers.”

Christian Roudaut, Chair of the UIPM Coaches Committee, added: “The UIPM Coaches Certification Programme continues to offer opportunities for the current and next generation of coaches. 

“I was delighted to see Maria Elena and Rosario among the cohort for our recent CCP course in Madrid. The goals of the WISH Programme are goals we enthusiastically share and I think it was particularly fitting that this course had such a strong female presence. My sincere thanks to Pedro for his time and effort. We look forward to building on all of our work with coaches across the world in 2024.”