General Secretary of the St Vincent and the Grenadines Olympic Committee (SVGOC), and President of the Caribbean Association of National Olympic Committees (CANOC), Keith Joseph wants students to recognise that sports has a wider spectrum than they think.

Addressing those present at the closing ceremony of Level One of the Caribbean Coaching Certification Programme (CCCP), last Tuesday February, 6, 2024, at the Students Union Building at the Villa

Campus of the St Vincent and the Grenadines Community College ( SVGCC), Joseph expounded on the matter.

“We need sports specialists…we need sports psychologists…we need sport researchers,” he said, noting that there are opportunities other than simply being athletes.

He further told the 50 students who completed the four week programme, that they have been given the platform to emerge as catalysts of change.

“You have an opportunity to make a lot more of yourselves…I hope and pray that whatever you have learnt over the last programme, you utilise it to better your relationship ultimately to become better persons; use sports to develop yourselves,” Joseph advised.

His advice was echoed by Director of the SVGCC, Nigel Scott who implored the students to equip themselves with as many skills and certification and not to limit themselves to St Vincent and the Grenadines.

“All of you are not going to stay here in St Vincent and the Grenadines, because there are so many opportunities that are available throughout the region and throughout the world…so, as you go I want you to go with as much certification as possible, skills as possible, so that you can make a living, earn a living wherever you go and enjoy what you are doing.”

The attentive students at the ceremony were not short of wise counsel, as Deputy Director of the

SVGCC, Dr Karen Thomas also chimed in with some pertinent advice.

Thomas told the students, who are all part of the Applied Associates Degree in Sports Science Programme, that they are in a privileged position as the programme offers matriculation.

“If you have met some of the requirements through this programme, you can get an exemption into learning how to teach in other areas, so we are encouraging you to do the very best that you can during this course of study….

“ Some of you will travel, some of you will stay, but we are making preparation to welcome you so that you can be better qualified.”

The CCCP was held for four weeks, and was conducted by Chester Morgan, Director of Camps and Coaches of the North American, Central American and Caribbean Athletics Association (NACAC) and Technical Director of Team Athletics SVG.

During that period, the 50 students were instructed in Football,Track and Field as well as Basketball.

The students comprised the third cohort in the Applied Associates Degree in Sports Science Programme.