The Foundation Of The Asociation
It was not an easy process of foundation and development of our association, the oldest civil organization of Turkish football, whose number of members exceeds 8000 and which has offices in 38 cities. Apart from the efforts of founder members, there were contributions of trainers.
Mr. Sahir Gürkan who is one of the founders of the association tells the emerging of the idea of founding an association:
"I do not remember the exact day, it was in 1961. We are walking with Bedri Kaya from station to Ulus. In those days both of us were trainers out of our jobs. Bedri kaya said to me: "Sahir what if you talk to Hüseyin Buran and three of us foun an association." It was very good idea, there were many trainer friends of us who are very active. But there wasn't solidarity among them. The next day I went to Hüseyin Buran but he did not seem intrested so it was forgotten. In 1964, the first serious, A type trainer course was open in Manisa with the efforts of Mehmet Özyurt, president of Football Federation. Before this, Eric Jones who is the member of British Football Federation came to Turkey and give courses in Kuleli Military high school to about thirty trainer candidates for ten days. This course was for youngs and includes physical issues.
Of course 1964 course was different. The course was given by Klaus Peter Kirchrath who was regional trainer of Hamburg and assistant of famious German technical director Herberger.
Till that date, the old football players were trainers. Some of them attained courses abroad but since they did not have necessary language skills, they could not take certificates.
Kirchrath's coming to Turkey for a course changed many things. Trainers at least learned to make daily or weekly schedules. They have learned that training is not only running in the stadium with the players, they learned that this is a profession of researching.
Till that day, since we haven't got any serious publication, magazine, translation or technical article, we could only do non-scientific area studies. An example may show how training is done unconsciously:
While we were playing football, there was very respectable man who trains the one of the biggest teams of Ankara in 50's. Training twice a week was a proper number for training. That person made players run, physical training and of course match. Players had to run around the stadium 38 times. Why 38, why not 37? For this reason coming of Kirchrath was a turning point for us.
While the course was going on in Manisa, Turkey Football Trainers Association founded by CihaT Arman and his friends was registering those who joined the course, as member. The registration hours were limited so everyone was waiting in row with their entrance fee and photographs.
Our friend Sellahattin Tokay was registering. When it was my turn he said he had to go. His attitude made me sad. I decided to try again. Having being exposed to same behavior three times, 'there is no rule that there can be only one trainers' association', I thought to myself. "We can go to Ankara and found another." In fact they dissolved without making a general council. Turning back from Manisa, we, sabri Kiraz, Ziya Taner, Günaydyn Özyurt, M. Ali Par, Yüksel Doganay, Mustafa Ertan,and Hüseyin Buran, decided to tell what we learned in the course to other friends in Ankara.yn that time I was director assistant in State Railways Profession school. I could arrange one of the classes in the evenings. And for the practices, our friend Sami Yavrucuk who is the head of Beden Terbiyesi, could provide us !9 Mayis interior and exterior grounds.
We made our announcements and opened our course with 17 people at the end of July. Even Mr. Muhterem Özyurt had visited our course. It was last days of the course. We were doing the schedule of next day in my room with Günaydyn Özyurt. Ziya Taner was giving lecture in class. Suddenly Günaydyn said to me: "sahir, lets found an association in Ankara!" I was already ready. We immediately talked to Ziya Taner. He was also eager. We turned to class and told applicants of the course. Those who succeed in this course could be founder member. In that course every body passed and became successful. The preparations for the papers and application took long time. The name of the association was "Turkey Football Trainers Association". In November a call came from center in order to talk about it. We could not use this name because there was an association in Istanbul under same name. So the new name of our association appeared: " Turkey Football Trainers, Agents and Monitors Association". The term monitor was used for trainer assistant and amateur team trainer for years and many courses for monitors have been organized. We rearranged the papers according to our new name and make our application. Our name was approved in 5 January 1965 and our association was officially founded. We first took a post box for our association. P.K. 337 Ulus/Ankara. We put our first fees to our money box. We were very happy. And finally the association was founded.