Oceania [Fiji], September 11: Fiji Olympian Venice Traill is taking the next step in her sporting journey, this time away from the competition mat and into the world of high-performance coaching.
Traill will travel to the United States next week after becoming the first Fiji Taekwondo coach selected for the prestigious International Coaching Enrichment Certificate Program.
The opportunity is another milestone for Traill, who made history in 2024 as the first Fijian taekwondo athlete to secure Olympic qualification through a continental qualifying tournament.
Now, she is looking to turn the lessons from her own Olympic journey into opportunities for the next generation of Fijian athletes.
"My journey to Paris showed me what is possible for athletes from Fiji, but it also showed me the importance of having the right pathway, coaching and support around an athlete."
The programme is delivered through a partnership between the University of Delaware, the United States Olympic and Paralympic Committee and Olympic Solidarity.
Traill began the first module online in April, covering areas including coaching leadership, athlete development, sport psychology, nutrition, physiology, biomechanics, technology, performance and athlete wellbeing.
From September 17 to October 3, she will take part in the programme's practical components at the University of Delaware before completing a one-week taekwondo apprenticeship.
The apprenticeship will allow Traill to shadow a high-level coach and gain first-hand exposure to new coaching methods, training approaches and sports technologies.
For Fiji Taekwondo Association president Neelu Nand, Traill's selection reflects the commitment she has shown both as an athlete and coach.
"Venice has already created history for Fiji as an athlete. She is now investing her time, experience and knowledge into creating better opportunities for the athletes who will follow her."
Traill is also balancing her coaching ambitions with a full-time job, university studies, her role at Civic Taekwondo Academy and her responsibilities as assistant coach of the Fiji National Taekwondo Team.
Her international coaching opportunity also comes during a special year for her former school, St Joseph's Secondary School, which is celebrating its 70th anniversary.
A proud member of the Class of 2016, Traill says her journey is a reflection of the opportunities created through education, sport and service.
When she returns to Fiji, Traill will work on developing an athlete-centred high-performance pathway for Fiji Taekwondo.
The proposed pathway will focus on talent identification, athlete development, coaching systems and better preparation for regional, international and Olympic qualification events.
Her coaching journey will reach its final stage in April and May next year, when she travels to the International Olympic Committee headquarters in Lausanne, Switzerland, to complete the fifth and final module.
There, Traill will present her project to an academic board made up of representatives from the University of Delaware, USOPC and international coaching experts.
"I want to use this opportunity to develop a system that provides our athletes with clearer direction and better preparation from grassroots level through to high-performance competition."
For a former Olympian, the next challenge is no longer about chasing a place on the mat herself.
Source: Fijian Broadcasting Cooperation
