(haipo) – Haifa continues to establish its status as a national sports center: At a festive ceremony held today (2/18/26), at the Sammy Ofer Municipal Stadium, it was announced that the Wingate Institute's Coaching and Instructor School branch would be established, the first in the north. The branch will operate in the heart of Haifa's sports complex and will provide future coaches with professional training at the national level, close to home.
Wingate Excellence – Now in the North
The new branch will be built to the high standards of the Wingate Institute and will include:
- Dedicated gym
- Studio halls
- State-of-the-art classrooms
- Making all training and certification tracks of the National School accessible
The work on site, which will be carried out by the "Yefa Nof" company, will begin in the coming days, and the opening is planned for this September.
Launching ceremony
The ceremony took place in the presence of:
- Mayor of Haifa, Yona Yahav
- Wingate Institute CEO, Guy Attias
- Olympic medalist Ofir Shaham
- Senior municipal officials, stadium management and Yafa Nof
What will they learn in the new branch?
The new complex will operate throughout the week and will offer:
- Certification courses for coaches and instructors sponsored by the Sports Director
- Courses in the fields of movement and healthy lifestyle: yoga, Pilates, hip-hop and more
- Training of sports therapists: sports therapy, medical massage, reflexology and nutrition
- Professional training courses
- Developing the next generation of sports managers
"Haifa is becoming a national sports center"
Mayor of Haifa, Yona Yahav"The choice to establish the Wingate Coaching School here is natural and correct. Haifa is setting a new standard in the field of coach training and sports excellence. Thank you to the Ministry of Culture and Sports and the Wingate Institute for the trust."
Chairman of the Wingate Institute, Ari Steinberg"This is part of the realization of the national mission to deepen the infrastructure for the promotion of high-performance sports in the North and South."
Wingate Institute CEO, Guy Atias"The Coaches School is a cornerstone in building the future generation of Israeli sports. The collaboration with Haifa is a significant step."
Stadium Chairman, Zvika Barbi"The stadium is becoming a national center of excellence, not only for hosting games, but also for training professionals."
Stadium CEO, Lior Perry"This is a natural connection between advanced sports infrastructure and professional and academic excellence."
Chairman of Yaffe Nof, Dr. Assaf Gastfreund"The move is an engine for urban and employment development that strengthens Haifa's status as the metropolitan center of the north."
A strategic move for the future of sports in the North
The establishment of the new branch at Sammy Ofer Stadium is a significant step in the development of sports in the north, and places Haifa at the forefront of professional training in Israel. In addition to contributing to the world of sports, it is also an economic, employment and urban strengthening, a move that combines advanced infrastructure with a long-term vision.
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As is his tradition:
Empty statements and signing ceremonies for nothing.
The Gilboa Council claims that they were promised that the institute would be established there and they intend to go to court. It's too early to celebrate.