St. Kitts – Nevis Track and Field Program Review
Basseterre, St. Kitts
October 14, 2008 (SKNIS)
The track and field programme in St. Kitts and Nevis will receive a boost with the visit of two high profile sports figures that are credited in part, with the success of the Jamaican athletic development.
President of the Jamaica Amateur Athletics Association, Howard Aris and former gold medal Olympian and Commonwealth champion Donald Quarrie will visit the Federation from October 16 to 20.
“The Ministry of Sports remains committed to the development of sports and the advancement of young people through sports. The visit by these two respected gentlemen is testament to this pledge,” Director of Sports, Dave Connor told SKNIS. “The construction of the Silver Jubilee Athletic Stadium provided the infrastructure for local athletes to physically train. This week, we will take another step in addressing the mental preparedness of these athletes as the demands of international competition can be daunting at times.”The Prime Minister and Minister of Sports Hon. Dr. Denzil Douglas directly initiated the visit of Messrs. Aris and Quarrie, who are still flying high on Jamaica’s huge success at the Beijing Olympics.
On Friday October 17, the duo will visit each of the five high schools on St. Kitts and hold interactive motivational sessions with student athletes. A special session is planned for seasoned sprinters to tap the wealth of knowledge from the accomplished individuals. Issues concerning “on and off” the track developments will be discussed.
A review of the local athletic programme takes place on Saturday October 18, at a consultation with officials from both St. Kitts and Nevis. Representatives from the Departments of Sports, National Olympic Committee, Amateur Athletic Associations, Coaches Association, and Ministry of Education are expected to attend. Following the consultation, the visiting experts will meet with coaches and students of the St. Kitts Athletic Academy for a discussion and motivational session.
“The achievements of the Jamaica Development Programme cannot be questioned and we are eager to see what best practices can be modeled into our own initiatives,” Director Connor explained. “Government is convinced that sports development cannot advance unless there are partnerships with all stakeholders and we will continue to reach out to persons, at home and abroad, to raise the level of administration and athlete development in St. Kitts and Nevis.”