Minister Anthony urges parents to focus on child’s all-round development

Aug 15, 2013 Sports

MCY&S\NSC holiday swim programme concludes

By Zaheer Mohamed
Minister of Culture Youth and Sports Dr. Frank Anthony, advised that parents should not only pay attention on their children academics, but must also focus on their all-round development. Anthony was speaking at the closing ceremony of the Ministry of Culture Youth and Sport\ National Sports Commission holiday swimming programme yesterday at the National Aquatic Centre, Liliendaal, East Coast Demerara.

Minister of Sports Dr. Frank Anthony speaks to the gathering at yesterday’s closing ceremony.

“Many parents only focus on their children academics and take it for granted that they will develop in other areas, but they must also pay attention to their children development in sports,” added Anthony.
He stated that the programme will continue and other children can join. “We feel that every child once given the opportunity can do well, but they must stay with the programme. I am happy to see so many turnouts and hope that it would have helped introduce children to swimming and sports,” he said.
The minister told the gathering that exercise is important since it promotes a healthy lifestyle which reduces the risk of illness. He also encouraged the parents to get involved in one of their sports programmes and advised that participants give back to their community.
Anthony stressed the need for more coaches and life guards in order to expand the programme. He informed that the ministry is willing to train, certify and employ coaches. “We want more people to use the swimming pool so that our swimmers can compete with anybody around the world. The pool is the only one of its kind in the Caribbean so we have the facility to produce champions.”
He indicated that they will install another pool at the location shortly which will be used for warming up and competition. He stated the ministry will sign a contract with a local company to build the foundation for the said pool which will be imported from Italy.
In an invited comment coach Isabel Maria Cousa Fals from Cuba said that the students benefitted tremendously from the course and that there is lots of talent in Guyana.
Director of Sports Neil Kumar thanked the parents for supporting their children and urged them to continue so that they can go on to represent their school and country.
Administrator of the National Aquatic Centre Abraham Watson said the programme, which started on July 8 concluded on August 12, was conducted at Colgrain Swimming Pool with 138 participants between the ages of 6-16.
He stated that of the 138 registered 91 never swam and this has been that biggest summer programme in the history of the NSC. Among some of the areas covered were Introduction to the water, land and water exercise, losing fear for the pool, entering the head, breathing above and under water and kicking and strokes formation.

The participants and their parents at yesterday’s ceremony.

Watson informed that the programme was highly successful taking into consideration that there were no major accidents. He stated that twenty six children were shortlisted by the Cuban for further training at the Colgrain pool with the help of two coaching assistants and this will last for three months after which an evaluation will be done.