Coach 4: Story

He shared that starting as a coach was an eye-opening experience. Meeting people from different cultures and backgrounds was something he deeply appreciated, saying, "To socialise with people who are different, you learn a lot." When his previous contract was nearing its end, he was encouraged by a superior to apply for the coach position. With guidance and motivation, he took the interview seriously because he wanted to help people, seeing the coach role as an opportunity to make a difference.

Once hired, he went through training, which emphasised the coach's role as more than just a professional. "We learned that a coach is a friend… always there in times of need," he reflected. Although some parts of the training were challenging, particularly sharing personal stories, he realised that others had been through experiences just as painful, if not more. This sharing of stories brought the coaches closer together and created a non-judgmental space for learning and support. He did gain a deeper understanding of how to communicate about ART and PreP. He learned that "ART and PreP are health and life, not just medical terms" and emphasised the importance of using language that players could easily understand.

The relationship among the coaches and trainers was strong during the training. He appreciated that the trainers were non-judgmental and eager to learn from the coaches' experiences. The coaches, in turn, built a sense of camaraderie, feeling as if they had known each other for much longer than the short time they had spent together.

When it came to addressing the players' psychosocial and emotional needs, he recalled that they were reminded, "We are not psychologists, but we have to support them in a way that they feel unafraid and trusted." He explained that while there are limits to what coaches can do, they always refer players to the right professionals, like social workers, when necessary.

The most practical tool he uses daily from the training is the set of beads. "They make it simple to explain HIV," he shared, noting how the red and white beads help players understand HIV transmission. However, he felt that more communication skills training could have been helpful, as he sometimes struggles with shyness, particularly in unfamiliar settings. He believed that workshops and role-playing would have helped him build confidence in communicating with others.

Reflecting on his journey as a coach, he noted that while his passion initially lay in logistics, everything changed the moment he entered the clinic. Living with HIV had opened his eyes, and he wanted to be an example for others. "Some people still believe it is a killer, but I want to show them that I am still here, living with HIV, and nothing has changed. I am still the same person I was before."