Sports director underlines child protection certification for coaches

Cognisant of the growing legal and moral ramifications in sports, Director of Physical Education and Sports here in St Vincent and then Grenadines Nelson Hillocks wants to see local coaches be certified in child protection.{{more}}

Hillocks stressed this as he addressed the female coaches who were embarking on a five-day Grassroots football course, from July 22 to 26.

Standing in for Minister of Tourism, Sports and Culture Ces Mc Kie at the Media Centre at the Arnos Vale Playing Field, Hillocks stressed: “A very important part of sports these days is safeguarding the child protection in sports… It is becoming very important that our coaches are safe-stamped, so they would be able to be recognized throughout the world as coaches.”

In propelling his call for a fast forwarding of the process, Hillocks, in wooing the executive of the St Vincent and the Grenadines Football Federation said, “I want to urge the football federation that let us team together, probably with this same group and addition to this group, and let us do some further training in safety and child protection in sports.”

Continuing his message, Hillocks added: “In these trying times, people might be more comfortable with female coaches coaching their daughters, so you need to go out there and give back something.”

The issue of child protection got heightened awareness in May, when the West Indies Cricket Board, in conjunction with the United Nations Children’s Fund (UNICEF) hosted a one-day certification workshop.

The workshop was held at the President’s Suite at the Arnos Vale Playing Field and targeted coaches from the Grassroots programme, the Kiddy’s Cricket Programme, as well as personnel from the Division of Physical Education and Sports. (RT)