"It is exciting to have such workshops where specialists in sport gather under one roof to share ideas on how we can improve sport coaching in the country," the President of SASCOC, Barry Hendricks, said.

"Development of coaches means development of athletes because without coaches the Coaches Development Framework system fails.

"This forum will try and work with coaches to create the Coaching Framework, take the recommendations and implement them so that we take coaching in South Africa to a higher level.

"SASCOC understands the trials and tribulations coaches go through and we appreciate all the work you do to develop sport in a way that administrators or technical people cannot.

"Coaches are the people who grow with the athletes from primary school level to elite athletes' level."

Linda Zwane, chair of the Coaches Commission, said: "We gather here as coaches to re-ignite and revive the vehicles meant for coaches and we have an appreciation of the challenges, which coaches are facing in their day to day lives as sports coaches."

SASCOC took an initiative in 2011 to adopt a Coaching Framework as a blueprint for the coaching sector after there had been complaints about the lack of a national platform for discussion.

SASCOC pledged its support to coaches' growth through the strategic Coaching Framework, and it is claimed the Coaches Commission also contributes to this.

A collaborative approach with other SASCOC Commissions such as the High Performance, Schools, Athletes and Education bodies is helping to create a common pathway to develop sport in South Africa.