Martine Hansen, Luxembourg's Minister of Sports; Credit: INAPS

On Tuesday 15 September 2026, Luxembourg’s Ministry of Sport and the National Institute for Physical Activity and Sports (INAPS) reported on the first edition of the Nationalen Trainerdag (National Coaches’ Day), which took place on Saturday 12 September 2026 at the National Sports Institute (INS) in Luxembourg-Grund.

INAPS had set itself the objective of creating a platform for exchange and recognition for coaches in Luxembourg. Organised under the motto “beyond the sideline”, the event brought together more than 200 Luxembourgish and international coaches and experts from numerous sporting disciplines and highlighted the challenges of modern coaching and the essential role of coaches in the development of sport in Luxembourg.

According to the ministry and institute, coaches have a considerable impact both on athletes and on society. Beyond their technical and tactical role, they are role models who pass on values such as fair play, respect, team spirit and inclusion. Through their daily commitment, they also contribute to health, integration and personal development.

In her welcome remarks, Minister of Sports Martine Hansen thanked the coaches present for their commitment and their important contribution to the development of sport in Luxembourg. She also welcomed their willingness to train and develop continuously, an approach described as particularly important in a constantly evolving sector.

The minister also referred to the reform of the support system for sports clubs, which aims to strengthen the organisational capacities of clubs and improve the quality of supervision. According to the ministry, this reform will concretely benefit qualified coaches.

INAPS Director Charles Stelmes presented the new INAPS licensing system, which will come into force in January 2027. The licence is part of an approach based on continuous training and professional development. Issued alongside a qualification, it will initially be valid for three years and can then be renewed in three-year cycles, provided that 24 hours of continuing training are completed.

Following the welcome remarks, participants attended an opening conference by Carsten Steiner dedicated to the impact of leadership on athlete performance.

The day continued with a broad range of workshops specific to sporting disciplines and the different professions in sport. Organised in collaboration with sports federations, the workshops allowed participants to explore topics directly related to their daily practice in greater depth.

Football, handball, basketball, volleyball, swimming, athletics, judo, table tennis, fitness, physical preparation and coaching children were among the areas covered by specialists from Luxembourg and abroad.

Beyond the discipline-specific workshops, the Nationalen Trainerdag addressed cross-cutting topics such as leadership, physical preparation, nutrition, injury prevention and the development of young athletes.

The day concluded with a round table dedicated to the coach of tomorrow, moderated by Mike Fandel, with the participation of Maciek Complak, Liz Schmitz, Steve Goedert and Manuel Cardoni. The discussions focused on the skills, tools and approaches needed to enable coaches to respond to the constantly evolving needs of athletes.

According to the ministry and institute, the Nationalen Trainerdag also aimed to strengthen exchanges between coaches from different disciplines and levels and to recognise their commitment to athletes of all ages.

INAPS aims to establish the Nationalen Trainerdag as an annual national event dedicated to coaches and to make it a key moment for continuing training, knowledge sharing and the recognition of coaching in Luxembourg.