Pictured: Coaching Committee Interim Chairman, Danny Corr The International MMA Federation has launched a panel tasked with the establishment of its Coaching Committee. The committee will sit alongside IMMAF’s other expert technical committees; its Regulatory Affairs Committee, its Medical and Anti-doping Committees and its Arbitration Committee, currently under different stages of formation. Ulster Amateur MMA Association chairman, Danny Corr, has been appointed as interim chairman mandated with forming the new Coaching Committee by the IMMAF board, alongside other panel members, David Pierre-Louis (French national team coach) and Luis Barneto (Executive Director of CAPMMA, the Portuguese MMA Commission). Danny Corr has been pivotal in the development and promotion of the sport of MMA in Northern Ireland, last week attaining official confirmation from Belfast City Council of its support for a Youth MMA Centre of Excellence in the region. Other member federation representatives who have registered interest in contributing to the committee will be contacted in due course. The purpose of the Coaching Committee will be to develop coaching in MMA through projects that include the implementation of IMMAF’s progression pathway for participants and the education, qualification and licensing of coaches. Through such programmes the committee will put in place the structures required by governments worldwide, to enable greater accessibility, safe participation and wider social and health benefits. The Committee will advise the board and administration on technical matters relating to MMA coaching, including the controversial topic of youth participation that IMMAF has committed to address in 2016. IMMAF CEO Densign White said: “Expert technical committees are a fundamental and foundational requirement within IMMAF that will enable us to provide the best and most informed guidance to our board, members and MMA stakeholders worldwide. Active technical committees will enable us to offer needed support, consultancy, services and assets to our members. Much of IMMAF’s work in 2015 was geared to meeting international requirements and solidifying IMMAF as an organisation in order to secure the position of MMA in the global political landscape, and to make it a more solid, dependable organization that members can rely on. IMMAF also underwent significant growth in membership. In 2016, it is IMMAF’s priority to focus on the breadth and quality of services that it delivers to its membership and give better support to strengthening the structure, national position and services of its member organisations. Strong technical committees will form the cornerstone of this.” [caption id="attachment_8634" align="alignright" width="283"]
Luis Barneto[/caption] ABOUT DANNY CORR – INTERIM CHAIRMAN (NORTHERN IRELAND) A founding member of Ulster Amateur MMA Association, Danny Corr has been training in martial arts since 1983. He founded Zanshin Karate Jutsu Club in 1998; and both competed for and coached Northern Ireland and Ireland teams in Karate and Sport Jujitsu. In 2008 he formed the non-profit Dojo which runs 7 days a week on a voluntary basis, and includes MMA in its programme. Corr was entered into Belfast’s Hall of Fame in 2011. He trained with international charity Fight For Peace and became a Global Alumni Partner in 2014, and went onto gain governmental support and funding to run Youth MMA and Personal Development Programmes in Northern Ireland. On the back of this Corr developed a plan and has secured agreement and funding from Belfast City Council to establish a youth MMA Centre Of Excellence in 2016. Corr’s day job is a as Deputy Principal in the Northern Ireland Civil Service. He is married with 5 Children. ABOUT LUIS BARNETO (PORTUGAL) Luis Barneto has trained in martial arts since 1983 and coached since 2003. He is a certified wrestling and boxing coach and, as a national pioneer in JKD Concepts, is also a top ranked instructor in the form in Portugal. Barneto has been the Portuguese Amateur MMA Team Coach since 2014 under the Comissão Atlética Portuguesa de Mixed Martial Arts (CAPMMA) and is MMA Head Coach at Academia Unlimited since 2012, producing national champions in 2013 and 2014. He also, since 2015, holds the position of MMA Head Coach at Astra Fight Team Portugal. Barneto is also founder of and Head Coach at Unlimited Kids, an anti-bullying and self-expression programme for 6 to 12 year olds, based on the techniques of MMA and JKD, and recommended by several psychologists in his country. He is Manager of the Associated Sports Development Department of FPLA (Federação Portuguesa de Lutas Amadoras), the Portuguese Wrestling Federation since 2016, and Executive Director of CAPMMA since 2015. Barneto has been the promoter for various MMA and martial arts events, and is a former MMA commentator for UFC broadcasts on Sport TV in Portugal (2013 to 2015). [caption id="attachment_8633" align="alignright" width="300"]
David Pierre-Louis[/caption] ABOUT DAVID PIERRE-LOUIS (FRANCE) David Pierre-Louis is French Amateur MMA team coach under the Commission Française de Mixed Martial Arts (CFMMA), who has trained numerous champions in France, Europe and the World. He holds a regular Brazilian jiu jitsu coaching position at Nanterre Club Universitaire, a BJJ/ Luta Livre/MMA/Boxing club located within Nanterre University in the Paris suburbs. Pierre-Louis is a 3rd Dan black belt in Brazilian jiu jitsu under De La Riva and boasts a decorated background in martial arts as a FILA grappling world champion, European champion and winner of the FILA Games Agreements. He is multiple champion of France Grappling (FFL) and has won a host of BJJ and grappling opens within Paris and Brussels. Pierre-Louis also works as a PE teacher ]]>
