The Tribune

By BRENT STUBBS

Senior Sports Reporter

bstubbs@tribunemedia.net

FOR the first time, the United States Association of Track and Field is all set to hold a Level One Coaching, Training and Certification Course in the Bahamas. The USATF has joined forces with the Bahamas Track and Field Coaches Association for the three-day event. The intense course is scheduled to be held November 1-3 at the Ministry of Education building.

Lawrence Seagrave will be the main instructor with Dr Larry Judge, the chairman of the USA Coaching and Educational Development.

“What is so important about this course is that this is the first event that the USATF will hold in an effort to establish one of the USATF Schools here in Nassau,” said Curtis Pride, the newly elected president of the BTFCA. “We want to be able to cement the kind of relationship we are seeking to establish with them to ensure that the school becomes a relation. Having USATF come to the Bahamas will make our certification a whole lot more accessible.”

Pride, who has been in office for just five months, said they have made the connection with the USATF, they have been working on putting together a package that will make it not only attractive, but affordable for Bahamians to come out and participate.

The cost of registration is $150 if persons sign up by October 16. However, if you register after, it will cost $200.

“We are working on establishing a clear passage for our coaches by promoting the USATF as the best option for the Bahamian coaches to gain the education and the high level of quality that they provide,” he said.

The course, in technical and theory, is slated to begin 6pm November 1 and run until 10pm.

On Saturday, November 2, the sessions are set to begin at 9am and wrap up on Sunday, November 3 from 9am.

Pride said from the coaches clinic, they hope to expand their membership that is pegged at around 60 members so that they can get more coaches involved so that they can be in a better position to reach out and recruit and equip more athletes to get involved in the sport.

The association, in addition to Pride, includes Rupert Gardiner, first vice president, Felix Seymour from Grand Bahama as the second vice president, Shaun Miller, treasurer, Greg Cash, assistant treasurer, Jason Edwards, general secretary, and Sue Glinton, public relations and marketing.

The board members are Fritz Grant, Peter Pratt, Wendal Collie, David Ferguson, Kenard Mackey (Family Island representative) and Ann Bullard (Female advocate).

“The association is growing and track and field is mushrooming,” Pride said.

“So we hope that when we hold this coaches clinic, we will be able to get to showcase more athletes of how we can empower them to become better athletes.”