Nevis, West Indies. ?A Non-Tourist-Trap? Blog About Nevis.

Some Of The Donated Gym Equipment

Basseterre, St. Kitts – Nevis
January 15, 2012 (SKNIS)

The Silver Jubilee Athletic Stadium has been outfitted with gym equipment and a new ice tub thanks to a donation from Athletics Canada – the sport governing body for track and field in Canada.

A handing over ceremony was held at the stadium on Saturday (January 14) where the Minister of Sports Honourable Glenn Phillip was joined by Carla Nicholls and Carolyn Taylor of Athletics Canada to cut the ribbon to open the new facilities.

The visiting officials are here as part of an athletic delegation that journey to St. Kitts and Nevis every year to train at the track and field stadium. The annual visits, which first began in 2008, are organised by expatriate Desai Williams, who now is officially employed by Athletics Canada.

The Head Coach of Athletics Canada, Alex Gardiner, explained that St. Kitts and Nevis is a very special place for the organization.

“We know that the conditions here are world class,” he emphasized. “… We have an opportunity to train at unrestricted times, with a superior hotel (to stay at) and superior nutrition (food). These are elements that are absolutely fundamental and essential to world class performance.”

Mr. Gardiner cited the upcoming 2012 Summer Olympic Games and added that “this is the year when we (Athletics Canada) … try to hit the podium and with your help the road is going to be that much easier.”

Minister Phillip saluted Desai Williams for his efforts in bringing the twin-island Federation and Canada closer in track and field. He noted that local athletes stand to benefit greatly from this donation, as they can “train the right way” at the Silver Jubilee Stadium, under the watchful eyes of coaches and officials of the St. Kitts-Nevis Amateur Athletic Association (SKNAAA) rather than at a local gym.

The Minister of Sport disclosed that the trust and confidence that Athletics Canada demonstrates in local authorities is testament to the hard work and vision of the Government and partner agencies such as the SKNAAA and local Olympic Committee, to ensure that sports development and sports tourism have a greater contributing impact on national development.

SKNAAA President Glen Jeffers also expressed gratitude to Athletics Canada for the donation which will help with the training and rehab of athletes. He added that the new equipment represents a significant step forward in moving the stadium to a “high performance center.”

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Patti Mason and Sandy Daley – University of Canberra

Basseterre, St. Kitts _ Nevis
December 01, 2011 (SKNIS)

The overall development plan for sports in St. Kitts and Nevis and the way forward were reviewed by local sporting administrators and a visiting team from the University of Canberra in Australia.

Sandy Daley and Patti Denham-Mason of the University’s National Institute of Sports Studies spent November 28 and 29 meeting with local stakeholders to discuss strategic planning, talent identification, event management, sponsorship and media relations. The duo also discussed the Federal Sports Policy which was developed in 1996.

“It’s an excellent policy because it does actually draw into it areas from education, planning and tourism which is really important,” Ms. Daley told SKNIS, adding that most policies are developed in isolation and do not factor in key elements such as collaborations with agencies in other sectors.

Ms. Daley explained that issues in the document remain “very current” and described the meeting with stakeholders on the policy as “productive.”

“Everybody is still passionate about the content that is in it (the policy) because it involves the schools and developing a physical education curriculum and recognizes the value of trained physical education teachers, right through to coach development, pathways for elite athletes, facility development, programmes for people that normally participate in physical activity. Everything was covered,” she stressed.

Ms. Denham-Mason noted that they were impressed with the number and range of sporting facilities on island. She disclosed that elements in the policy however need to be upgraded to reflect health concerns such as changing netball courts from concrete to a more suitable surface that would reduce the potential for damage to legs and knees.

The updated suggestions will be included in the document by Ms. Daley and will be submitted to the local Government to consider and implement.

Ms. Daley and Ms. Denham-Mason’s visit to St. Kitts and Nevis and other Caribbean countries was facilitated by the Australian Agency for International Development (AusAID).

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World Class Cyclist – Kathryn Bertine

Basseterre, St. Kitts – Nevis
October 23, 2011 (CUOPM)

More than 50 bikes will make their way from Madison County to the Caribbean islands of St. Kitts and Nevis this fall, thanks in part to a Colgate alumna’s quest to qualify for the Summer Olympic Games.

Kathryn Bertine’s drive to compete in the 2008 summer Olympics in Beijing is documented in her book, “As Good As Gold: 1 Woman, 9 Sports, 10 Countries, and a 2-Year Quest to Make the Summer Olympics.”

According to Syrcause.com, when she returned to her alma mater last year for a book signing, she explained that she tried a multitude of sports — including team handball, modern pentathlon and race walking — before realizing she would have to compete for another country in order to achieve her goal.

The Caribbean island nation of St. Kitts and Nevis accepted her request for dual citizenship. To show her gratitude, Bertine offered to help the country build a women’s cycling programme.

The project sounded like a perfect opportunity to Community Bikes organizer Chuck Fox, who has distributed hundreds of used bicycles to families in need in Madison County and has partnered with the Youth Policy Institute to provide new bikes to the Malawi Children’s Village and the North Malawi Malaria Project in Africa.

“We want to get bikes into the hands of people who need them,” Fox said.

The first set of bikes will be delivered to three elementary schools on the island of Nevis. But Fox hopes that this is just the beginning of the partnership.

“Part of it is to develop a life habit of cycling, for all the health and wellness benefits,” he said. “But if they find a bunch of kids that enjoy riding, they might end up trying to compete.

“The notion that the bikes we send could help one child reach the Olympics is just amazing,” Fox said. “The country is small enough that it is an attainable goal.”

Kathryn Bertine graduated from Colgate University in 1997. Her book is titled, “As Good As Gold: 1 Woman, 9 Sports, 10 Countries, and a 2-Year Quest to Make the Summer Olympics.”

A native of Bronxville, N.Y., she lives in Tucson, AZ.

To learn more about her journey, visit kathrynbertine.com.

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