When Zouabi Hafedz accepted the position of head coach of Rwanda’s males’s nationwide handball staff, his ambition went far past profitable matches.
Slightly than specializing in a single match or one era of gamers, the Tunisian got down to construct a sustainable system able to reworking handball in Rwanda for years to return.
One yr into his two-year contract, Hafedz believes the foundations have been laid, however insists the nation’s largest achievements are nonetheless to return.
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For Hafedz, success begins lengthy earlier than gamers step onto the courtroom.
“My first goal was to construct a sustainable system quite than merely put together for one match,” he advised Instances Sport.
His imaginative and prescient has targeted on modernising Rwandan handball by strengthening the nationwide groups, enhancing collaboration between golf equipment and the nationwide setup, growing coaches, and creating a transparent pathway for younger gamers.
He credit the shut cooperation between the Rwanda Handball Federation (FERWAHAND), the Ministry of Sports activities, golf equipment and faculties as key to reaching that imaginative and prescient.
“Lengthy-term success can solely come by collective work involving all stakeholders dedicated to growing handball in Rwanda.”
Wanting again on his first yr, Hafedz says his best achievement has been laying stronger foundations for the long run.
He factors to improved organisation inside the nationwide groups, extra structured coaching strategies and a larger emphasis on youth improvement.
“I’m proud that we have now began constructing an actual basis for the long run,” he mentioned.
He additionally praised FERWAHAND and the federal government for his or her continued help in advancing the game.
CAN uncovered Rwanda's strengths and weaknesses
Rwanda's participation on the 2026 Africa Males's Handball Championship supplied useful classes, in line with Hafedz.
He believes the match confirmed that Rwanda can compete with stronger nations for lengthy durations but additionally uncovered areas that also want enchancment.
“We discovered that consistency, expertise, bodily preparation and tactical self-discipline should proceed to enhance.”
These classes, he says, now information the nationwide staff's each day work and long-term planning.
League enhancing, however extra competitors wanted
Hafedz believes the Rwanda Handball League is transferring in the precise course, though elevating the general normal of competitors stays a precedence.
“The upper the general degree of competitors, the quicker our gamers will develop and the stronger our nationwide groups will turn into.”
Whereas acknowledging that golf equipment proceed to supply gifted gamers, he burdened the necessity to increase the pool of athletes able to competing on the highest worldwide degree.
Though he recommended golf equipment for his or her efforts regardless of restricted sources, Hafedz believes additional progress is dependent upon larger funding in key areas, together with youth improvement, coach training, goalkeeper coaching, bodily conditioning and efficiency evaluation.
Strengthening these pillars, he says, will profit each the golf equipment and the nationwide groups.
Can Rwanda attain its first World Championship?
Qualifying for the IHF Males's World Championship stays certainly one of Rwanda's largest ambitions.
Hafedz believes the purpose is achievable—however solely by persistence and long-term planning.
“Qualification just isn’t inbuilt one competitors. It’s the results of years of systematic improvement.”
He says stronger home competitions, steady coach training, improved participant improvement pathways and elevated worldwide publicity will all be important earlier than Rwanda can realistically problem for a spot on the World Championship.
Maybe probably the most encouraging side of Hafedz's first yr has been the emergence of younger expertise.
He singled out the Ministry of Sports activities' Isonga Programme as a profitable mannequin for structured participant improvement.
“In the present day, seven gamers chosen for our U18 and U20 nationwide groups have come by the Isonga Programme.”
For Hafedz, this demonstrates how sustained funding in grassroots improvement can instantly strengthen the nationwide groups.
Wanting past 2027
Together with his contract operating till 2027, Hafedz says his priorities stay unchanged: proceed growing younger expertise, strengthen collaboration with golf equipment, modernise teaching strategies and construct a sustainable high-performance tradition.
Finally, he hopes his legacy will probably be outlined not by trophies alone, however by the constructions he leaves behind.
“I wish to depart a stronger system than the one I discovered—higher educated coaches, higher ready gamers, improved improvement pathways and a transparent technical philosophy.”
If these constructions proceed to develop after his departure, Hafedz believes his mission in Rwanda could have been achieved.
