Need for coaching policy by NAAA

THE EDITOR: Firstly, allow us to congratulate all the athletes who won medals at the CAC Senior Championships in Grenada. Our congratulations also go out to all the other athletes who competed at these games.

We have read with some interest a letter to the Editor of this newspaper published on Wednesday July 9, 2003 titled: Coaches Cry Foul Over Choice of Team Officials. The selection of team officials has always been a burning issue for many coaches in Trinidad and Tobago. All of what the writer(s) have stated is indeed fact. There exists, at this time, no coaching policy by the NAAA. Nepotism seems to be the order of the day where selection is concerned. This, however, did not begin with the current executive. This policy is as old, it would seem, as the NAAA itself. It would appear that individuals of the athletic fraternity seek to be elected to the executive in order to travel with national teams and not necessarily to work for the advancement of track and field in Trinidad and Tobago.

How difficult is it to develop a coaching policy? As stated by the writer, a management policy was adopted by the executive because it was expedient for them to do so. This policy basically ensures that only members of the executive will serve as national team managers. This policy was agreed to even without putting it to a vote or making an amendment to the constitution of the NAAA. During the tenure of the former executive led by Mr Francis Williams-Smith, a special general meeting was called to adopt a motion for the Trinidad and Tobago Track and Field Coaches Association to be the vehicle for the selection of national coaches. This motion was carried and the constitution should have been amended to reflect this change.  However, the minutes of this meeting were somehow conveniently “misplaced.” We are IAAF certified Level 2 Coaches, certified Level 1 Officials as well as certified Level 1 Lecturers in the IAAF Coaches Education and Certification System. Our coaching counterparts in the other Caribbean countries, who incidentally, have not been as successful as we have been, all represent their countries at the highest level on the international stage of athletics.

At the recently concluded seminar for IAAF Lecturers in Kingston, Jamaica, the area representative of the IAAF, Mr Teddy Mc Cook, reiterated the position of the IAAF for qualified coaches to accompany national teams. Mr Mc Cook expressed his concern of the position adopted by Trinidad and Tobago and their persistence in sending uncertified coaches to meets sanctioned by the IAAF. This position, he reminded the Trinidad and Tobago contingent, was counterproductive as we have been unable to benefit fully from IAAF subsidies. In the current executive there are only two Level 2 Coaches, Dr Ian Hypolite and Nadine Hamid. We are aware of their uphill struggles to convince the executive of the NAAA of the need for adopting a coaching policy. A development programme for track and field is also a dire necessity in Trinidad and Tobago. The NGC has been doing a credible job through their Right on Track programme.

The NAAA, as the governing body for track and field, must lead the way in this aspect. As a nation we are steadily falling behind in the race for athletic superiority in this region. We have been fortunate to be the birthplace of some exceptional athletes such as Darrel Brown, Marc Burns, Ato Boldon, Ato Modibo, Fana Ashby, Damion Barry, Sheridan Kirk, Cleopatra Borrel, Nicconer Alexander, Julieon Raeburn, Candice Scott and Jacey Harper just to name a few. The administration of track and field must change its paradigm to ensure success and continued participation of our young athletes in the sport. We have been losing many of our athletes to other sports and several of our coaches, as well, are seeking “greener pastures” through other sports.

IAN CARTER, DEXTER VOISIN
IAAF Level 2 Coaches
IAAF Level 1 Lecturers