Participants with their awards in the BVI Athletics Association’s Kiddies Athletics Summer Camp in Capoons Bay on Saturday. PHOTO Credit: Asson Electronics
The inaugural Aug 1-17 camp spearheaded by BVIAA Vice President Steve Augustine, an IAAF Certified Lecturer in conjunction with Hon. Andrew Fahie, attracted over 40 participants. Augustine was assisted by BVIAA General Secretary Delva Thomas, her daughter Kaetia Madurio and a number of coaches and parents.
“Everything went well from the opening day through the closing meet,” Augustine noted of the event that targeted 4-14 year olds. “We had the IAAF age appropriate Kiddies Packages with all the different implements that were specifically designed for kids—we had them all at the camp. And it showed on the last day of the camp what they learnt. After lined them up for the relays, hurdles and obstacle course, and in no way shape or form, kids were scared of any of the events,” Augustine pointed out.
“Primarily, that’s what we were all about—introducing the kids to the events with a higher level of comfort and participation in the events and it definitely showed—the kids were all eager. I think that come inter-school sports next year, when it comes to introducing different sporting events on the track, we’ll see that the comfort level of some of these kids will be a lot greater than those who have yet to experience the program,” he stated.
Augustine said the camp definitely allowed for talent identification and said there’s good talent in Capoons Bay and would like to see getting some of them involved in off season work. “We have some sprinters, some pretty good throwers—a variety of children who really stood out—and again, they were the ones crossing the line in front the majority of the times,” he recalled.
The BVIAA VP said there was definitely improvement seen between day one and the end of the camp. He said on the first day, some were hesitant and scared as far as jumping and running. “By the end of the course, they were all comfortable and participated,” he noted. “I think we fulfilled that mandate as far as identifying and further developing talent.”
Augustine singled out parental involvement as a key ingredient in the success of the program. “They made the job of Delva and I so much easier had they not been there. They were there literally setting up the hurdles, setting up the implements. Some even came out and helped my lined the track on the day of competition. So parental participation was at an all time high—it couldn’t have been any better.”
A similar program will be done in the East End-Long Look Community over the Christmas holidays Augustine said of plans.
“I’m looking forward to seeing what the participation will be and if the parental involvement will be even greater,” he said.
