The Tribune

By BRENT STUBBS

Senior Sports Reporter

bstubbs@tribunemedia.net

RATHER than host it during the offseason, coach Bernard Rolle has decided to put on his Sprint and Hurdles Clinic just before the start of the season so that the coaches and athletes are better prepared to utilise the knowledge they received.

For the third year, the clinic will be held from December 27-30 at the Thomas A Robinson Track and Field Stadium and will provide an opportunity for the participants to learn more about the sprint mechanics, block clearance, hurdle techniques and relay exchanges.

“I chose to do it right then so the athletes can right into the opening of the season with what they came away with from the camp, as opposed to doing it during the summer when they are in offseason and don’t compete for four or five months,” Rolle said.

“By doing it this way during the Christmas and New Year’s season, it’s much more effective. And the good thing is that I have some of the top coaches in the country working along with me.”

For the hurdles, Rolle is assisted by Dave Charlton, while Rudolph Ferguson helps him out with the sprints. With the usage of the blocks, Rolle gets some assistance from Andrew Tynes, James Rolle does the plyometrics and Rupert Gardiner takes care of the relay exchange.

“Everything, as it pertains to the discipline of sprints, hurdles and relay exchanges, we deal with them.”

For a cost of $60, interested persons can sign up with Rolle at 456-2115 or Ann Thompson at 425-4557. It’s open to persons as early as age 10-20, but Rolle said they hope to accommodate at least 40 persons.

The sessions run from 8am to 1pm on Friday, Saturday and Monday, December 27-28 and 30 and from noon to 5 pm on Sunday, December 29.

“I think we have some of the top coaches here in the region working along with me, but I feel that some of our local coaches, for whatever reason, don’t feel like our bone is good enough,” he said.

“But the coaches here that need it the most, they are the ones who don’t like to come out or send their athletes to participate. I expect some good responses and the coaches who do come out look forward to coming back the following year.”

Rolle doesn’t come from a competitive track and field background, but was taught the science of the sport, having obtained both his level III USATF and level 5 IAAF certifications in 2013, the two highest levels of coaching in the world.

“I’m a highly trained coach, not an athlete trying to coach,” he pointed out. “I am a well-trained coach. I earned my certifications to coach at the highest level in the sport.”

With his credentials, Rolle said he prefers to put on the clinic as opposed to staging a track meet because he feels it’s more beneficial in helping the coaches to improve so that they can advance their athletes.

In September, Rolle had the opportunity to serve as an assistant coach on his first senior national team at the International Amateur Athletic Federation’s World Championships in Doha, Qatar.

Rolle, who has been coaching since 2007 when he got started with the Road Runners Track Club, called it a rewarding experience that will motivate him to do more.

He formed the High-Performance Track Club in 2010. He’s developed a number of athletes, including his son, Branson Rolle, who now attends Liberty University where he’s on an athletic scholarship for the 400m hurdles.

“I had athletes in my club who were better than Branson. They couldn’t do what Branson did. He could have done at least six or seven events and come to the top,” Rolle said.

“But I’ve had some athletes who were way better than Branson in their events and some coaches took them, but not all of them have gone on to excel any further in the sport.”

On the insistence of Branson’s claim at the age of eight years old to become an Olympian, Rolle said he decided to join the Road Runners Track Club, headed by Dexter Bodie to assist his son with his goal and aspirations.

As a contractor by profession, Rolle said he has travelled and acquired a lot of his knowledge and was forced to form the High-Performance Track Club, which averages no more than 20 athletes, whose goals are to excel.

The clinic, according to Rolle, is just one way for him to give back to assist those who need help.