More information about Special Olympics Namibia Women’s Volleyball Coach Kristofina Bartromeus

Special Olympics Namibias Head coach, Kristofina Bartromeus, uses her extensive background of games and working at high levels of volley-ballin combination with her education about coaching people with intellectual and developmental disorders, to prepare herself for coaching her team in Poland next week for the Special Olympics Unified Volleyball World Cup.

1. What is your background with volleyball?
I played volleyball in the National Premier League and served as U19 National Volleyball Team Manager in 5 regional matches.

2. What level of coaching did you get?
My earlier education includes completing the Special Olympics Unified Sports Coaching course, Special Olympics Level 1 Sport Assistant Course, Special Olympics Coaching Sport Assistant Course and the Special Olympics Level 3 Sport Assistant Course.

3. How do you continue to improve your coaching capacity?
I continue to improve my coaching capacity by constantly learning and reflecting. I will continue with coaching workshops, study new training methods and stay up to date with the latest techniques and strategies in volleyball. I am looking for feedback from both athletes and colleague coaches. I always do reflections after every match.

4. How important is it to continue to learn as a coach?
It is very important for me to continue to learn as a coach, because coaching always evolves with new techniques, strategies and approaches. By continuing learning, I can better support athletes, keep training methods effective and safe and adapt to the needs of each individual.

5. Why did you decide that your coach wanted to be?
I decided to become a coach because I have a passion for sport and a desire to help others grow, both on and outside the field. Coaching gives me the opportunity to share my knowledge, inspire athletes and guide them to reach their full potential. I like to see athletes improving, building trust and working together as a team.

6. What did you learn about yourself as a coach who works on Special Olympics?
Working on Special Olympics has learned to patience, adaptability and importance from celebrating every performance, no matter how small. I have learned that coaching is not only about skills and performance, but about encouragement, building trust and creating an inclusive environment. It has also shown me that I can grow personally by being more empathetic, creative in my approach and deeply dedicated to the individual progress of each athlete.

7. Can you give an example of how you could help an athlete to improve its performance over all the medals they may have won at Special Olympics?
I help my athletes by setting small but realistic goals, such as managing their pace and/or working on their strength. Moreover, I work on building their self -confidence by encouraging them to work harder, concentrate on exercises that demand teamwork, give a positive reinforcement and give them small leadership roles during practice.