The Sharjah Women's Sports’ (SWS) commitment to developing the leadership skills of sportswomen to empower their participation in developing and shaping the local sports sector saw expression through six workshops organised during September and October. The effort is part of the newly launched ‘Sports Future Pioneers’, a first-of-its-kind diploma in the region.

The ‘Sports Future Pioneers’ initiative reflects the efforts of the UAE and Sharjah to support the global drive to empower women as sports leaders and influencers of change in their communities. SWS collaborated with local and international institutions to enhance the programme that seeks to build a new generation of women sports leaders, attract talented staff and develop their skills for the advancement of the sport sector. 

The first workshop, titled ‘Leadership Skills in Sports’, held in September, was presented by Prof. Dr. Mohamed Abdel Hamid Belal, Vice Dean of Faculty of Physical Education for Graduate Studies and Research, Alexandria University. The session focused on leadership, its types and responsibilities. It also included topics on the fundamentals of leadership in sports.

HE Issa Hilal Al Hazami, Secretary General of Sharjah Sports Council, presented the second workshop titled ‘Discovering the Capabilities of Athletic Leaders’. The session focused on the sports leaders’ character, effective communications, and how to handle various personalities.

The third and last workshop held in September was titled ‘Leading Meetings in Sports Institutions’, led by Dr. Ahmad Al Sharif, Deputy Chairman of the Board of Directors and Deputy Director General of Knowledge and Human Development Authority. He highlighted the behavioural, administrative and negotiation skills required to run meetings, in addition to creating projects out of meetings and doing follow-ups.

The three workshops organised in October, began with ‘The art of communication with media’, presented by Hussam Barakat, Training Director at Ruya TV. He highlighted the importance of developing a charismatic personality and the right body language when talking to the media, in addition to the fundamentals of communicating with the press.

The second workshop, titled ‘Governance in Sports Organisations’, was led by Dr. Ahmed Al Shehhi, Member of the Advisory Council of Dubai Courts. The session gave a brief on governance and its application in institutions. Dr Shehhi also highlighted the international standards of governance in sports institutions, and the role of administration boards in applying governance. The session also highlighted the rules and standards used in assessing the output of sports institutions.

The third and last workshop in October was led by Saleh Al Marzooqi, from Dubai Police. The session titled ‘Knowledge management in sports’ touched on knowledge exchange, and ways to manage knowledge in sports institutions, using strategies, technology, and manpower.

HE Nada Askar Al Naqbi, Director General of SWS, said: “The launch of the ‘Sports Future Pioneers’ Diploma under the directive of Her Highness Sheikha Jawaher bint Mohammed Al Qasimi, Chairperson of SWSF, is aimed at building a new generation of women sports leaders, in order to take the lead in the development of the women sports sector, locally and regionally.”

She added: “These workshops are the starting point to find women capable of representing their peers at leadership positions. We have made available all that is required to develop a sports environment where women can play an important role. It is time for women to serve in leadership roles, to share their expertise and skills to advance female sports. We ensured that these workshops offer participants the necessary knowledge and expertise required to evaluate themselves and get an in-depth look at the sports field.