Coaches and educators are expected to travel to Sofia in October for a flying disc coaching clinic ©Getty Images

Sofia is set to host a regional flying disc coaching clinic in October, with 20 to 25 World Flying Disc Federation (WFDF) members and some non-member associations expected to attend.

Coaches and educators, especially from Eastern European and Balkan countries, are scheduled to descend on the Bulgarian capital.

A maximum of four coaches and educators can represent each of the travelling countries, while Bulgaria has been granted 20 participants.

A cap of 100 attendees in total has been set.

WFDF secretary general Volker Bernardi told inisidethegames that Sofia was chosen to stage the event after the Bulgarian Flying Disc Federation expressed its desire "to do something for the community" when it initially became a WFDF member in 2018.

The German official views it as a chance for the participating countries and officials to "learn and improve".

"You must educate the educators to bring more of our sport in those [participating] countries," Bernardi said.

He continued: "We need to give them the skills.

"We need to give them the material.

"Then they will feel appreciated when we do such a training camp because they will have the opportunity to get them coaches and licenced educators in every country in that region."

It is hoped that Ukrainian participants can attend the coaching clinic in Bulgaria despite the Russian invasion ©Getty Images
It is hoped that Ukrainian participants can attend the coaching clinic in Bulgaria despite the Russian invasion ©Getty Images

The WFDF has the opportunity to transfer 2,000 discs to Sofia for the event, but these materials are unlikely to stay in the city, with it planned for coaches to take them home to their clubs and schools afterwards.

Among the countries in line to be represented are Albania, Croatia, the Czech Republic, Georgia, Poland, Serbia and Turkey.

It is hoped that Ukraine will also participate, but coaches' attendance is uncertain due to the Russian invasion.

Bernardi said that the WFDF is ready to pay for their travel fees.

Non-WFDF members from the region are also encouraged to travel, with Bosnia Herzegovina and Kosovo potentially being part of this group

Bernardi, who is aiming to increase WFDF membership from 103 to 120 by the end of 2023, sees non-member attendance as essential because it gives "them an incentive to apply" and shows off the benefits of joining the worldwide organisation.

"They want to know a reward and we reward them with such training and coaching opportunities," Bernardi said.

The German also highlighted that the WFDF supports National Federations with its disc support programme.

The last WFDF coaching training camp of this kind occurred in Prague in 2016 and 17 countries participated.