The annual advanced sports management course organised by the National Olympic Committee of Lithuania (LNOC) has started this week in Vilnius. Two dozen experienced sports administrators will be learning about strategic planning and team dynamics during six sessions.
The objective of first part of the training was to get acquainted with the structure of the course, the team members, the trainer and the rules, as well as with the Olympic Movement.
“By educating sports administrators, we aim to contribute to the development of Lithuanian sport. After all, the growth, popularity and the number of sponsors of a sports federation, club or other organisation depends to a large extent on them.
Most of the administrators participating in the training come from Olympic sports, therefore we try to introduce them to or remind them about what Olympism is, what Olympic values are, what it means to take part in the Olympic Games, so that it becomes an aspiration,” said Agnė Vanagienė, Deputy Director of the LNOC Olympic Sport, one of the organisers of the training.
Agnė Vanagienė (Sauliaus Čirbos nuotr.).
In the first session of the training which was held on Thursday, the participants tackled the first topic ‒ strategic planning and the development of an action plan. In total, the training will consist of 6 sessions of 1-2 days each. Experienced sports administrators will deepen their knowledge in the areas of marketing, leadership and management, project management, teamwork, meeting management, working with partners, networking, and organising sports events. Each topic will be followed by practical exercises.
“This time we will focus on team dynamics, building useful relationships and working with people. These skills are particularly important for a manager and a leader,” Agnė Vanagienė said.
Mokymų akimirka (Sauliaus Čirbos nuotr.).
The International Olympic Committee’s (IOC) Olympic Solidarity funds three sports administration training session a year: for managers, coaches and advanced specialists. The latter is aimed at experienced, senior sports administrators.
The LNOC has been organising advanced sports management training since 2018.