Joseph gives coaches a sound reminder

Twenty successful Level Two Athletics coaches have been advised by Keith Joseph, President of Team Athletics SVG, to utilize their skills to help develop others in the various sports.{{more}}

“Go out and teach the people’s children,” was Joseph’s blunt advice to the coaches.

The coaches received their certification last Saturday evening at the President’s Suite at Arnos Vale Playing Field.

They had participated in a two week International Amateur Athletics Federation (IAAF) Coaches Education and Certification System Course, which entailed 32 hours of practical and written work each.

Joseph’s statement came against the growing worry of coaches receiving training but have failed to apply what they have learnt.

He told the coaches as they pursue their endeavours to remember that good is not enough, hence the need to strive for excellence.

In a chorus of unison, the IAAF Director of the Regional Center for Development, Jamaican Lenford Levy, one of the course facilitators, told the successful coaches the onus was on them to apply what they had learnt.

Levy lamented that “knowing is not enough”. He encouraged the coaches that making use of their knowledge was paramount.

Similarly, lecturer and facilitator, Vincentian Gideon Labban, noted that there was a lack of coaching in Athletics here. He used the opportunity to challenge the coaches to take their programmes to the rural areas and seek out new talents.

Labban, who carried out a similar undertaking five years ago here, stated that the new crop of trained coaches, were more enthused than those before and was the best group ever.

Wollis Christopher gained the maximum grade four in both the practical and written examinations making him eligible to go straight to the Level Four course. Level Four coaches are equipped to instruct professional athletes.

The other 19 coaches attained the prerequisites to go to the next level, Level Three, which deals with events groupings in Track and Field. (RT)