Development of Caribbean athletes high on the agenda, says CGF President

– coaching programmes set to be implemented

By Michelangelo Jacobus
Just after Sunday afternoon’s closing of the 2017 Commonwealth Games Federation’s (CGF’s) Regional Conference of the Americas and Caribbean, President of the CGF, Louise Martin, revealed that plans are afoot for the development of young athletes in the region.
Speaking at a press conference, Ms Martin noted that since the implementation of the Commonwealth Youth Games was designed to ensure that junior athletes compete within their own age range and classification so as to prevent any disadvantage, the Federation is looking at further options to develop and foster the growth of these athletes in the various Commonwealth member countries.
Responding to a question posed by Guyana Times Sports, President Martin pointed out that in other regions there are programmes ongoing where the federation has implemented “coach-to-athlete” initiatives. In these programmes, coaches from the homeland of the selected athlete are educated and trained by the federation, so as to be able to properly coach and nurture the athletes as they seek to make the successful transition from the junior level to the senior level.
These very programmes are in the pipeline for the Caribbean region, as the Commonwealth Federation seeks to steadily improve and develop its members and their athletes.
As in the case of young flyweight boxer Keevin Allicock, who won a silver medal at the Commonwealth Youth Games, it was pointed out that training overseas would do wonders for the development and exposures of young athletes.
This also has been discussed by the Federation and President Martin explained that the possibility of access to such camps in the near future is not far from being a reality. While the Commonwealth Federation does not want to take the athletes away from their home countries, this is where the “coach-to-athlete” programmes would play integral roles in the development of those athletes.
Meanwhile, Martin disclosed that, for the first time ever, at next year’s Commonwealth Games there will an equality of medals for both genders, as well as an “Indigenous Reconciliation” programme.
Guyana is well on track with the Commonwealth’s agenda, and she congratulated the country and the GOA for their work in this regard.
She also announced that the Federation would be setting up a fund for the Caribbean in wake of the natural disasters which caused widespread damage and deaths in various countries. This was after Prime Minister Moses Nagamootoo had earlier in the day called on the Federation to come up with a plan to assist those countries that suffered the most damage.

The 2018 Commonwealth Games, officially known as the XXI Commonwealth Games, and commonly known as Gold Coast 2018, is an international multi-sport event for members of the Commonwealth. It will be held on the Gold Coast in Queensland, Australia between April 4 and April 15, 2018.