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Athletic official appeals to Sports Ministry for facility

Jan 09, 2009 Sports

By Michael Benjamin
First Vice President and coach of the Bedford All Stars, Wayne Walcott is making an impassioned plea to the Ministry of Culture Youth and Sport for a plot of land on the Durban Park to facilitate the development of a training facility for local athletes. He feels that such an initiative can aid in the development of youths in the South Georgetown area.
The Bedford All Stars executive is confident that the installation of such a facility will serve the athletic community well.
Walcott said that the executive of his club had taken a lengthy hiatus for personal reasons but now that they have dealt with those matters, are prepared to contribute to the development of the sport. He also said that the Bedford All Stars recently returned to the athletic arena and was now ready to collaborate with the Amateur Athletic Association (AAA) to effectively market local athletics.
The athletic coach revealed that he has designed a 4-year programme in the medium term range that will benefit athletes between the ages of 18-20. He said that the primary aim is to give these athletes an opportunity to compete in the 2012 London Olympics.
Walcott said that he plans to incorporate the assistance of the business community in order to accomplish this task. He also revealed that in an effort to provide adequate exposure to local athletes in their preparation he would target events in the region to assess the progress of the athlete.
These events include the Hampton Games, the Falcon Games and the Texaco Games, usually held in Trinidad and Tobago. He also plans to participate in the annual Austin Sealey Track Classic in Barbados. Walcott said that his executive would assess the local athletes at these games in order to evaluate their progress.
Commenting on his preference to have the facility erected on the Durban Park Walcott said, “I have recognised a lot of talent in the area that can be nurtured once the recreational facilities are brought in close proximity.”
Now the Bedford clubhouse is located at VV Durban Street Lodge. Walcott said that executives will work closely with parents and teachers to assess the academic progress of the athletes in the club. He said also that executives would be required to give a regular report on their charges’ progress.
The children will also benefit from alternative academic vocations. Walcott revealed that Keith Mayers is conducting sessions with the athletes in the intricacies of etiquette, social studies, and other remedial work, in order to hone their sociological skills. “We plan to get them to read. It is imperative because the requirement for an athletic scholarship is a minimum of five subjects in CXC. This must be achieved in one sitting of the examination.
In attempting to put the situation in proper perspective, Walcott said, “We have decided to raise the academic bar in tandem with the expected level of athletic achievement.” He declared that such a ploy might be just what is necessary to achieve and maintain the acceptable level of performance noting that tutors would be guided by the sequential steps to high performance. “The first step is to identify talent; the second is to engage in long term planning. According to Walcott, the third step entails methodical and scientific training while the fifth focuses on high performance. The Bedford coach feels that this type of application could make a distinct difference in the careers of locals as they attempt to break the Olympic gold medal jinx.
Walcott is a qualified sports administrator with a diploma in athletics from the Pan American Sports Organization. He acquired this accolade in Brazil in 2004. He is also a massage therapist and an IAAF Level 3 coach. He is also a level 2 International Weight Lifting Federation coach and a community health educator at the Guyana Red Cross Society.
The executive body of the Bedford All Stars Athletic Club is President, Dexter Luthers, Secretary, Sabrina Walcott, first Vice President and Coach, Wayne Walcott with Orrin Sobers as the assistant coach.

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