THE FIRST COURSE OF THE ASSOCIATION

         In April1966 it has been announced in the media that the first course of the association will be held in Eskisehir. Galip Tutkan had gathered the 28 trainer applicants. Ismet Ulas had been provided the saloon of Eskisehir State Railways; and he also guarantied guest house. And Mustafa Gerceker gave permission to us to use the stadium.

All the members of Society came to Eskisehir by their own means and open 15 days long courses which are all successful. This course had passed in a very disciplinary and serious mood. In the finals only 5 person failed and the course had 23 graduates. We had printed the licenses by our own means in Society. In those days, Eskisehirspor was very successful under the head of technical director Abdullah Gergic. For the first time an Anatolian football team had chance to enter first league. This situation of Eskisehirspor was also interested by Federation. In may, the president of Federation, and headmasters were going to Eskisehir in order to watch every match. Before the league matches, there were matches of amateur teams and the teams of graduates of the course were always winning. For this reason the course we had organized had always being spoken about in stadium or tribune of honor so the members of Federation were hearing all these.

In June Orhan Seref Apak had summoned me. I was very curious. We had only organized a course by our own means in Eskisehir, Now would we have to pay for this? I prepared myself to this probability. I was a bit ambitious. I enterd his room, he kissed me, ordered tea and he spoke:

"Look Sahir I heard about the course you organized in Eskisehir. It had been very successful, we cannot manage this stuff. Open our courses as Society." Suddenly I felt I have been deflated as a balloon. We had been worked with ambition and passion for months, endured many difficulties and now finally brought to a successful conclusion. I guess Mr. Apak had been using the sentence of 'we cannot manage' for the first-and last- time in his life because there is not such a sentence for him.

We came together and discussed this issue with my friends. We had got very crucial and historical task. We should have been very successful. To be successful we had to be well-organized, we had to work hard. In this point we should not have forget the graduates of Eskisehir course who had a big role in this development. The Federation should accept their course equality. We had solved this equality issue in course planning.

We would open our first course in Kütahya and then in Bursa. Our finacial problems would be solved with the travel allowance given by Federation. If we have given somewhere to stay in the regions, we would manage the rest. Now it was the time for the preparations of the course.

The course had been begun and it was passing wonderful. We had liked this job. We had the pleasure of giving something to people. A new profession was born. And it was a great happiness for us.