Elite overseas coaches/training for Guyana’s Sport Academy

It is by now no secret that Guyana will soon see the implementation of its first ‘Sport Academy’, where local athletes can train and play at the highest level without the burden of finances.
However, as the Ministry of Culture, Youth and Sport and the National Sports Commission hope to churn out quality athletes, it has been recognised that the coaching in the Academy system must be on par with the best anywhere.
In taking a closer look at the intended structure of the soon-to-be-launched Academy, subject Minister Charles Ramson Jr. has posited that elite coaching is the key to the Academy’s success.

According to the Minister, top tier coaching would be an integral part of the Academy, and overseas coaches are being sourced. “All of those minor adjustments in terms of finessing your bio-mechanics and how you implement your particular playing of the sport and movement, that is where the financing comes in.
What is important for you to understand here is that this requires elite coaching. Elite coaching is key here,” the Sport Minister opined.
Speaking at the inaugural sport conference last Saturday, Ramson highlighted that the same coaches cannot be used for all levels of the Academy, the Ministry has to look into international candidates.
Continuing, Ramson said, “In most instances, and in probably all instances, you’re not going to be able to get your nursery sports organizers and coaches to be your elite coaches. These elite coaches will have to come, in some instances, from some of the players who are already successful, who have already proven themselves to be successful in that particular sport; or they may have to come from overseas.”
In an attempt to acquire the necessary human resource, the stakeholders have been in talks with the foreign and diplomatic communities.
“The Ministry has already started to engage with a number of the foreign diplomats, and open the discussion so that we will be able to get the support for either the training of the elite coaches or for the elite coaches to come to Guyana to be part of the elite training program for that period,” Ramson revealed.
Further, he said, “Upskilling is also an important part for the coaches. For that period when that elite training programme is undertaken, the sports associations and federations have to appreciate that this is a very serious part of how we’re going to transform talent into world class.”
The Sport Academy will be operated in three divisions, a nursery, tournament, and an elite programme.