IOC agrees to set up scenario-planning for the Olympic Games 2020

March 23, 2020 by

To safeguard the health of all involved and to contribute to the containment of COVID-19, the Executive Board (EB) of the International Olympic Committee (IOC) announced on Sunday, March 22 that the IOC will step up its scenario-planning for the Olympic Games Tokyo 2020.

These scenarios relate to modifying existing operational plans for the Games to go ahead on 24 July 2020, and also for changes to the start date of the Games. This step will allow better visibility of the rapidly changing development of the health situation around the world and in Japan. It will serve as the basis for the best decision in the interest of the athletes and everyone else involved.

Tahesia Harrigan-Scott, Chef de Mission Tokyo 2020 in consultation with Ephraim Penn, President of the BVIOC has remained in constant touch on the matter with Eldred Henry, Kyron McMaster and Chantel Malone, the 3 Virgin Islands’ athletes confirmed to attend the 2020 Summer Olympic Games in Japan.

“These indeed are uncertain times and while the outcome of the discussions between the IOC, Tokyo 2020 organisers and stake holders is an unknown and while meets and important competitions in the lead up to the Games have been impacted, our athletes are continuing with their training as best they can to be as ready as they can be. It’s not an ideal situation but at this time, we can only continue with the preparations and encourage our athletes to take the necessary precautions to safeguard their health while preparing as if the Games will go ahead until we are advised otherwise,” said Mrs. Harrigan-Scott.

“All NOCs and international federations are being notified of decisions as they are made and we in turn are working with our Chef de Mission to keep our stake holders informed. The local federations are also kept abreast of developments through their international governing bodies. We have spoken with the BVI Athletics Association and have noted that the biggest concern for our athletes for now is the potential medical risks but we are in agreement that we will await the outcome of the IOC’s decision and will address any of the athletes’ questions and concerns at that time,” said Mr. Penn.

On the one hand, there are significant improvements in Japan where the people are warmly welcoming the Olympic flame. This could strengthen the IOC’s confidence in the Japanese hosts that the IOC could, with certain safety restrictions, organise Olympic Games in the country whilst respecting its principle of safeguarding the health of everyone involved.

On the other hand, there is a dramatic increase in cases and new outbreaks of COVID-19 in different countries on different continents. This led the EB to the conclusion that the IOC needs to take the next step in its scenario-planning.

A number of critical venues needed for the Games could potentially not be available anymore. The situations with millions of nights already booked in hotels is extremely difficult to handle, and the international sports calendar for at least 33 Olympic sports would have to be adapted. These are just a few of many, many more challenges.

Therefore, further to the study of different scenarios, it would need the full commitment and cooperation of the Tokyo 2020 Organising Committee and the Japanese authorities, and of all the International Federations (IFs) and National Olympic Committees (NOCs). It would also require commitment from, and collaboration with, the Rights-Holding Broadcasters (RHBs) and our TOP Partner sponsors, as part of their continued and valued support to the Olympic Movement, as well as cooperation from all the Games’ partners, suppliers and contractors. It is in this spirit of the Olympic stakeholders’ shared commitment to the Olympic Games, and in light of the worldwide deteriorating situation, that the IOC EB has initiated the next step in the IOC’s scenario-planning.

The IOC will, in full coordination and partnership with the Tokyo 2020 Organising Committee, the Japanese authorities and the Tokyo Metropolitan Government, start detailed discussions to complete its assessment of the rapid development of the worldwide health situation and its impact on the Olympic Games, including the scenario of postponement. The IOC is confident that it will have finalised these discussions within the next four weeks, and greatly appreciates the solidarity and partnership of the NOCs and IFs in supporting the athletes and adapting Games planning.

The IOC EB emphasised that a cancellation of the Olympic Games Tokyo 2020 would not solve any of the problems or help anybody. Therefore, cancellation is not on the agenda.

After the EB meeting on Sunday, IOC President Thomas Bach wrote to the global athlete community to provide them with an explanation of the IOC’s approach. In the letter, Bach stated once more that safeguarding the health of everyone involved and contributing to contain the virus is the fundamental principle, and said: “Human lives take precedence over everything, including the staging of the Games. The IOC wants to be part of the solution. Therefore we have made it our leading principle to safeguard the health of everyone involved, and to contribute to containing the virus. I wish, and we all are working for this, that the hope so many athletes, NOCs and IFs from all five continents have expressed will be fulfilled: that at the end of this dark tunnel we are all going through together, not knowing how long it is, the Olympic flame will be a light at the end of this tunnel.”

Filed Under: Athletics, BVI Olympic Committee, chantel malone, Eldred Henry, Kyron McMaster, Tahesia Harrigan-Scott, Tokyo 2020 Tagged With: ,

iFOREX to sponsor BVI Olympic Committee in National team’s journey to Tokyo 2020 Olympic Games

March 6, 2020 by

The British Virgin Islands Olympic Committee (BVIOC) has signed an agreement with iFOREX – a leading global financial broker – to act as sponsor of the Virgin Islands (UK) Olympic team on its journey to the Tokyo 2020 Olympic Games.

A spokesperson for Formula Investment House Ltd, operator of the http://www.iFOREX.com website, said: “As a company licensed in the British Virgin Islands, we have first-hand awareness of the spirit and potential of this exceptional team and we are proud and excited to support the athletes in their remarkable efforts to bring home the Territory’s first Olympic medal.”

The BVI Olympic Team will most likely consist of up to four athletes. Two athletes, namely Kyron McMaster in the Men’s 400m hurdles and Eldred Henry in the Men’s shot put have qualified for the Olympics already and a number of other athletes are seeking to qualify over the next four months. These include Chantel Malone, the 2019 PanAm gold medallist in the long jump and Ashley Kelly, who made her Olympic debut at the Rio 2016 Olympic Games in the 400m sprint.

It is believed that the partnership marks the first occasion an investment firm has sponsored a National Olympic Committee and iFOREX joins athletic brand Puma as one of the BVIOC’s two official sponsors.

For over 23 years, iFOREX has remained one of the largest and most respected firms in the Fintech industry, emerging early on as an industry leader in technological innovation and with a dedication to trust and excellence.

“By lining up with Puma, known for its history of performance and athletic support, we’re proud to help the BVI’s athletes to represent their country with devotion and determination,” said an iFOREX’s spokesperson.

Throughout the sponsorship, iFOREX will show its support of the BVI Olympic Team with online content chronicling the team’s journey from their training camps to the Olympic Games in Tokyo, as well as the team’s results, which will be available to both clients and staff all over the world at iFOREX News.

Ephraim Penn, President of the BVIOC commented on the partnership, saying: “The BVI Olympic Committee is delighted that a respectable and successful investment firm such as iFOREX has identified the potential of the BVI team for Tokyo 2020 and we believe that together we can make history and see a first Olympic medal won by an athlete competing for the Virgin Islands.”

Filed Under: Ashley Kelly, Athletics, BVI Olympic Committee, chantel malone, Eldred Henry, Kyron McMaster, Tokyo 2020 Tagged With: ,

Malone, Lettsome to attend inaugural Panam Sports Awards Gala

December 12, 2019 by

With the aim of recognizing the effort, passion and dedication of the athletes of the Americas, for the first time in history, Panam Sports is bringing together athletes, media, sport and government leaders to an awards ceremony on December 13 honoring the best of the best in sport in 2019, with the highlight being the Lima 2019 Pan American Games.

Chantel Malone – who made history when she won the Virgin Islands’ first Panam Games medal with her gold winning leap of 6.68m in the long jump – and Thad Lettsome, the VI’s first sailor in the Games since the 1990s – will join Olympians, World Champions, historical sporting icons and those who shined brightest in the Peruvian capital at the inaugural Panam Sports Awards in Fort Lauderdale, Florida. Ephraim Penn, President of the BVI Olympic Committee and Lloyd Black, Secretary General, BVIOC will also be in attendance.

“This is a momentous occasion for the Virgin Islands,” said Mr. Penn. “We are exceptionally proud of Chantel and Thad who were selected from thousands of athletes to be invited to attend this special, historic event.”

The evening is expected to rival those seen in Hollywood, complete with Red Carpet, bright lights, artistic performances, glamor and emotion.

Featuring the great athletes of the Americas, the Panam Sports family and VIP guests, the historic ceremony honouring the greatest moments and performances from the Lima 2019 Pan Am Games will be broadcast live for the world to see who will be crowned the Best Athletes of the Americas.

The Panam Sports Awards will officially begin at 7:00 pm EST and will conclude at 8:15pm EST.

Univisión is producing and transmitting the event that will be shown free-to-air on their television network on Saturday, December 14 at 11:00 pm EST, 10:00 pm CST and 8:00 pm PST. The special program will feature the best moments and highlights from the inaugural Panam Sports Awards called “Gala del Deporte de las Américas”.

Sports fans across the globe will also be able to watch the Panam Sports Awards ceremony live through multiple streaming platforms. ESPN PLAY will stream the event throughout Latin America and the Caribbean; the R7 channel owned by Record TV in Brazil will also live-stream; and of course, the new and improved Panam Sports Channel will begin the live-stream at 5:00 pm EST from the Red Carpet.

ABOUT PANAM SPORTS

The Pan American Sports Organization (Panam Sports) is the leader of sport and the Olympic Movement in the Americas. We propel the development of sport and support our 41 member National Olympic Committees to inspire more participation in international competitions as well as participation of the youth to prepare the generation to come in our region.

Panam Sports works closely with athletes, National Olympic Committees (NOC), Organizing Committees of all regional games, Pan American Sport Confederations, International Federations (IF) and the International Olympic Committee (IOC) to secure the success and celebration of our main event, the Pan American Games.

Filed Under: Athletics, BVI Olympic Committee, chantel malone, PanAM Games, Panam Sports, Sailing, Thad Lettsome Tagged With: , , , ,

First Come First Serve Tokyo 2020 online ticket sales to launch on December 9

December 5, 2019 by

Online ticket sales for the Tokyo 2020 Summer Olympic Games will go live in the early hours of Monday, December 9, 2019. The Games will take place in Japan from July 24 to August 9, 2020.

Tickets for Tokyo 2020 are only available to BVI residents through the Territory’s approved retailer, Kingdom Sports Group via online application on www.kingdomsg.com.

Ticket sales are strictly controlled by the Tokyo Organising Committee of the Olympic and Paralympic Games (TOCOG) and the BVI Olympic Committee will not have any tickets for sale.

“With record demand and not enough tickets, we have to manage client expectations,” said Daniel Beniston, Managing Director, Kingdom Sports Group. “We will launch First Come First Serve ticket sales on 9th December in conjunction with TOCOG approval.

“Traffic flow suggests we will have a few thousand people from all the countries we are serving all coming at the same time. Anyone interested in attending the Games who doesn’t wish to purchase a package, this is the date to come onto our site.”

The launch of the ticket sale will take place at 2.00 in the morning and will feature a queue-it system where prospective clients will wait in an online queue.

Ticket and accommodation packages will also go on sale on December 9. Prospective attendees should note that airfare is not included in all of the packages.

“At this stage the majority of 5 Star accommodation is close to selling out, with limited 4 Star accommodation remaining but we have a good stock of 3 Star accommodation,” said Beniston.

Anyone wishing to attend the Games is warned not to attempt to buy tickets outside of the designated official sales channels. A notice on the Tokyo 2020 website sets out the following advice:

“To avoid involvement in any criminal activities such as fraud, you are strongly advised not to purchase tickets from any source other than official ticket sales channels (i.e. Official Ticket Website, Official Ticket Box Offices, or Authorised Ticket Reseller). It is possible that tickets sold on unofficial channels such as auction websites may be invalid or counterfeit tickets. The Terms and Conditions for the Purchase and Use of Tokyo 2020 Tickets specifies that entry to venues will be denied to individuals in possession of a ticket purchased from unofficial channels. Please take the utmost caution to ensure that you do not fall victim to illegal ticket reselling, acts of fraud, etc.”

Eldred Henry Photo: Todd VanSickel

Two of the VI’s senior athletes have already qualified for the Tokyo 2020 Games. Eldred Henry was the first VI athlete to secure a spot at upcoming Summer Olympics with his throw of 21.47 in the shot put on May 25, 2019 at the NCAA Division II Championships in Kingsville, Texas. The throw, which is Henry’s personal best achievement to date, exceeded the Tokyo 2020 qualifying mark of 21.10 and set a new NCAA and national record.

Kyron McMaster

Kyron McMaster surpassed the qualifying mark of 48.9 in the 400m hurdles when he crossed the line with a time of 48.33 at the Paris Diamond League 2019 on August 24.

Other Tokyo 2020 Olympic hopefuls including Chantel Malone (long jump) and Ashely Kelly (400m) have until June 29, 2020 to qualify for the Games. The qualifying mark for women’s long jump is 6.82 and the qualifying time for the women’s 400m is 51.35.

Filed Under: Ashley Kelly, Athletics, BVI Olympic Committee, chantel malone, Eldred Henry, Kyron McMaster, Tokyo 2020 Tagged With: , ,

BVIOC donates equipment to schools for Physical Literacy pilot programme

November 19, 2019 by

The BVI Olympic Committee donated equipment to the 12 pre- and primary schools piloting the physical literacy project.

The equipment will provide support in building the physical literacy capacity of students in schools participating in the project.

As part of the assessments that were carried out last month by the team of physical literacy specialists visiting from Canada Sports for Life, one of the recommendations in the report was the need for equipment to introduce various activities to the children that will assist in building mastery, confidence and motivation to move in different ways.

President of the BVI Olympic Committee, Mr. Ephraim Penn said “This initiative is being sponsored by the Olympic Solidarity and therefore we want to ensure that this programme is a success. In order to do so we have to continue to invest in the physical development of the Territory’s children.”

Physical Education teachers, coaches and persons involved in sports along with parents are encouraged to support the initiative by learning about physical literacy and following the physical literacy campaign on BVIOC’s website – bviolympics.org – and page on Facebook.

“There is great information and tips that everyone can use to introduce physical literacy concepts to children in their care. I encourage parents, teachers, care givers and volunteers to support the concept of physical literacy and to lead by example by being active and encouraging your child or children to be active as well,” Mr. Penn said.

The equipment was handed over to the Ministry of Education and Culture and received by Permanent Secretary Mrs. Carolyn Stoutt-Igwe and Chief Education Officer Ms. Connie George on November 8 during a short ceremony.

“We recognize the importance of physical literacy in our community and the long term benefits of ingraining physical activity from an early age so that it becomes a lifetime habit,” said Ms. George. “Having the Physical Literacy project run in our schools is paramount and the Ministry of Education is very appreciative that the BVI Olympic Committee is ensuring its success through their ongoing support and donations with funding from Olympic Solidarity.”

The equipment, which includes a variety of training tools tailored for the needs of each recipient, will be distributed to the participating schools in the coming days.

Participating schools include Althea Scatliffe, Francis Lettsome, Leonora Delville and Jost Van Dyke Primary Schools, Bregado Flax Education Centre-Primary Division, Agape Total Life Academy and Pelican Gate School as well as New Life, Little Light House, New Testament, Visions and Jost Van Dyke preschools.

The mission to promote physical literacy locally is a multi-agency collaboration between the BVI Olympic Committee, Canada Sports for Life and the Ministries of Health and Social Development and Education and Culture.

Physical Literacy is the competence, confidence and motivation to enjoy a variety of sports and physical activities.

Filed Under: BVI Olympic Committee, LTAD, Physical Literacy Tagged With: , , ,

BVIOC free sports clinic stepping stone to promote grass roots development in the community

October 18, 2019 by

The BVI Olympic Committee organized and ran a free sports clinic for the community at the A. O. Shirley Recreation Grounds on Saturday, October 12 as part of celebratory activities to mark Chantel Malone’s historic gold medal win in long jump at the Lima 2019.

The clinic took place the day after a ceremony recognizing Chantel’s achievement of becoming the British Virgin Islands’ first Pan American Games medalist. The interactive session was presented by Tahesia Harrigan-Scott and Joey Scott of Tru Fit Athletics, Miami and featured the BVI’s elite track and field athletes, Chantel Malone, Kyron McMaster (400m hurdles), Eldred Henry (shot put) and Ashley Kelly (400m) and Dr. Harlan Vanterpool, NHI Medical Director.

“This clinic was a great launch pad for executing grass roots engagement and bringing to life the practical elements of the long term athlete development programme,” said Ephraim Penn, President of the BVIOC. “The four BVI professional track and field athletes worked with a captivated audience for the whole morning, interacting with the youngsters in the community, advising and inspiring them to work towards developing their athletic potential.”

The panel of professional athletes are all beneficiaries of the BVIOC Elite Athlete Programme which provides financial support to help them prepare throughout the year for major games. Each of the panelists shared their personal experiences, insights and practical tips on a wide range of topics during the indoor discussion forum and out on the track and field. Attendees heard what it takes to make it in a selected sports and learned more about the dual purpose of college attendance with recommendations to focus primarily on the academics followed by sports as an avenue to excel in a particular discipline.

The most important takeaway for many was the advice to set a personal goal and identify the support base to help achieve the goals. Out on the track and field, attendees loved the ‘form and technique’ sessions provided by the professional athletes – with each participant coming away with something new to apply to their execution.

Dr. Harlan Vanterpool’s engaging explanation about what anti-doping actually means and his conversation on testing and reveal of the testing kit used helped to deliver a better understanding among the young athletes on the reasons, rules and regulations as promoted by the World Anti-Doping Agency.

“The BVIOC sees this clinic as just the start of another way of promoting sport for all and pushing the LTAD program in the community,” said Mr. Penn. “The BVIOC has 16 National Federation members, several of whom have athletes and teams who are on the professional circuit and who can help to build our pool of athletes through similar engagement. We have held two named Sports Festivals on Olympic Day with interactive sports stations set up by the National Federations but we now want to evolve these stations into actual clinics within the Sports Festival as a means of educating and enthusing the public of all ages. We also hope that it becomes an opportunity for the coaches to spot potential talent from within the community and open up a pathway for the development of such talent.”

The Olympic Day Sports Festival is slated to take place on Saturday, June 27, 2020.

View the BVIOC free sports clinic photo album on Facebook

Filed Under: Ashley Kelly, Athletics, BVI Olympic Committee, Caribbean RADO, chantel malone, Eldred Henry, Kyron McMaster, Lima 2019, LTAD, Olympic Day, PanAM Games, Regional Anti-Doping Organization, Tahesia Harrigan-Scott Tagged With: , , , , , , , , ,

BVIOC to host free sports clinic presented by Tahesia Harrigan-Scott of Tru Fit Athletics and featuring Chantel Malone, Kyron McMaster, Eldred Henry, & Ashley Kelly

October 4, 2019 by
Free interactive BVIOC Sports Clinic presented by Tahesia Harrigan-Scott of Tru Fit Athletics featuring Chantel Malone, Kyron McMaster, Eldred Henry and Ashley Kelly will take place at A. O. Shirley Recreation Ground on Saturday, October 12. Image credits: Todd VanSickle, CM Farrington, Tru Fit Athletics

The BVI Olympic Committee has organized a free sports clinic which will take place on Saturday, October 12th from 9.00am – 1.00pm at the Multipurpose Complex and A.O. Shirley Recreation Grounds.

The clinic has been organised as part of special activities which will be held in recognition of Chantel Malone’s historic achievement at the Lima 2019 Pan American Games when she won a gold medal in the long jump with a mark of 6.68m to secure the Territory’s first ever medal in a Pan Am Games.

The clinic is open to the public and will be conducted by Mrs. Tahesia Harrigan-Scott of Tru Fit Athletics, Florida and will feature Chantel Malone and her co elite athletes, Kyron McMaster (400m hurldes), Eldred Henry (shot put, discus) and Ashley Kelly (400m).

“We have a cadre of remarkable athletes who currently are ranked among the world’s top athletes and who are putting the BVI on the map with their performances at major international meets,” said Ephraim Penn, President of the BVIOC. “We are excited to have Mrs. Tahesia Harrigan-Scott the Territory’s recently retired, first senior professional female athlete and Chef de Mission, Tokyo 2020 Summer Olympic Games join us with coach Joey Scott of Tru Fit Athletics, Miami in organizing a free clinic for the community.

“This is a unique event which will bring our elite athletes back home for one weekend to celebrate the latest historic achievement by Chantel Malone at the Lima 2019 Pan Am Games by sharing their experiences with the community, giving us an insight into their lives as professional athletes, provide tips and pointers for aspiring athletes and serve as an inspiration to us all.”

The clinic, which supports the BVIOC’s Long Term Athlete Development programme, will include an educational section and a practical section. The educational section in the Multi sports Complex will be an open session discussion between the professional athletes and attendees focusing on the trials and tribulation of sports and provide insights on strategies and experiences that athletes have to work through in order to become successful and accomplish their goals.  

Dr. Harlan Vanterpool will conduct anti-doping breakout sessions which will aim to equip athletes and their parents as well as coaches and volunteers with practical and useful information on how to be aware of substances banned by the World Anti Doping Association (WADA) and identify ‘safe’ over-the-counter and prescription medicines.

The practical section will be held at the A.O Shirley Recreation Ground.  Attendees will be divided into age groups and cover sprints, jumps, throws, and hurdles.  Each section will be led by one of the professional athletes. 

The clinic will take place the day after a motorcade and recognition ceremony for Chantel hosted by the Ministry of Education and Culture. The motorcade which starts at 3.00pm on Friday, October 11th, will travel from the Queen Elizabeth II Park and route through Waterfront Drive, Botanic Station and turn west at the traffic lights to end at the Central Administration Complex where the ceremony is scheduled to start at 4.30pm.

Click here for information on the Chantel Malone commemorative t-shirt.

Filed Under: Ashley Kelly, Athletics, BVI Olympic Committee, chantel malone, Eldred Henry, Lima 2019, PanAM Games, Regional Anti-Doping Organization, Tahesia Harrigan-Scott Tagged With:

Physical Literacy assessments underway in 12 schools in the BVI

October 1, 2019 by

As efforts continue to promote physical activity in the British Virgin Islands, physical literacy assessments will be carried out in 12 schools from September 30th until October 10th.

The assessments are part of the physical literacy mission run through a multi-agency collaboration between the Ministries of Health and Social Development and Education and Culture as well as the BVI Olympic Committee and Canada Sport for Life.

A team of physical literacy specialists from Canada Sport for Life is in the Territory currently working with selected schools to encourage movement across the curriculum.

Education Officer, Mrs. Heida Joyles-Selwood said “The team will be introducing the PLAY Builder programme to physical education teachers and working with classroom teachers and early childhood practitioners to encourage physical activity.”

According to Mrs. Joyles-Selwood, physical literacy has been incorporated into the overall Healthy Schools initiative launched by the Ministry of Education in collaboration with the Ministry of Health and the Caribbean Public Health Agency to improve the diet and physical activity patterns among school children by instilling knowledge, skills and providing motivation for adopting healthy lifestyle behaviors.

While all primary schools are participating in the Healthy School Project, only a total of 12 schools – which include public, private and preschools – were selected to participate in phase I of this project.

Participating schools are Althea Scatliffe, Francis Lettsome, Leonora Delville and Jost Van Dyke Primary Schools, Bregado Flax Education Centre-Primary Division, Agape Total Life Academy and Pelican Gate School as well as New Life, Little Light House, New Testament, Visions and Jost Van Dyke preschools.

Initially introduced and funded by the BVIOC, the Physical Literacy campaign is part of the Long Term Athlete Development programme which was launched in the Territory in February 2016 by the steering committee chaired by Mr. Ephraim Penn, President of the BVIOC targetting national federations, schools and the community.

The community is encouraged to support this initiative by increasing their child’s physical activity on a daily basis.

“Physical literacy is the motivation, confidence, physical competence, knowledge and understanding to value and take responsibility for engagement in physical activities for life.” – The International Physical Literacy Association, May 2014

It increases physical fitness and health and promotes healthy lifestyle habits, social skills, physiological wellness, cognitive skills and educational success.

Filed Under: BVI Olympic Committee, LTAD, Physical Literacy Tagged With: , ,

VI Health Ministry signs agreement to develop physical literacy in pre-schools

September 10, 2019 by

Minister for Health and Social Development, Honourable Calvin Malone has signed an agreement with Sport for Life Society for the development of a physical literacy approach in pre-schools across the Territory.

The programme will be coordinated by the Ministry of Health and the BVI Olympic Committee and will enable the Sport For Life programme to build capacity in key personnel including early child care providers and teachers as well as to evaluate the effectiveness of the project in increasing physical activity in children and youth.

Coordinator of Health Promotion Services in the Ministry of Health and Social Development, Ms. Ivy George said the programme will also increase awareness of physical literacy in the Territory while improving physical activity.

The intervention will be held in four phases in identified schools in the Territory. Education, training and assessments will be carried out by the organisation in collaboration with the Ministry of Education, Culture, Youth Affairs, Agriculture and Fisheries.

The programme began in August and will conclude in July 2020. Sport for Life is a non-profit organisation out of Canada whose purpose is to create cross-sectional partnerships between sport, education, recreation and health while aligning community, physical activity programming and more.

Persons seeking more information on the organisation and the intervention programme can telephone the Ministry of Health and Social Development at 468-2274.

The Ministry of Health and Social Development aspires to provide a caring and integrated system of health and social services that facilitates the recovery of human development and quality of life in the British Virgin Islands.

Filed Under: BVI Olympic Committee, LTAD, Physical Literacy Tagged With: , , ,

Gov’t ministries collaborate with BVIOC to introduce Physical Literacy in schools

September 9, 2019 by

The Ministries of Education and Culture and Health and Social Development and the BVI Olympic Committee have joined forces to increase physical activity in the daycare/preschoolers and primary school students through physical literacy in the Territory.

Last week during their annual professional development initiative the Ministry of Education and Culture with support from Sport for Life Canada trained pre and primary school teachers in physical literacy.

During a Lyte Vibrations interview Education Officer, Ms. Hieda Selwood and Physical Literacy Specialist Ms. Jessica Waterman explained what physical literacy is, why it is important and why teachers and parents should promote it.

Physical Literacy is the competence, confidence and motivation to enjoy a variety of sports and physical activities.

“We are trying to promote movement across the curriculum. It is our hope that if we foster physical literacy in the lives of our children they will grow up to be healthy adults thus promoting a healthier Virgin Islands,” Ms. Selwood explained.

As part of the workshop classroom and physical education teachers were introduced to physical literacy concepts, resources and information.

According to Ms. Waterman the training which featured theory and practical sessions focused on five key concepts. “We want teachers to promote physical literacy in programs and activities that are fun, challenging, inclusive, participant centered and by making sure that the children are always moving with purpose,” she said.

Parents and guardians are also encouraged to increase their children’s physical activity on a daily basis and support efforts to promote physical literacy in the Territory.

Physical literacy increases physical fitness and health, healthy lifestyle habits, social skills, physiological wellness, cognitive skills and educational success.

Filed Under: BVI Olympic Committee, Physical Literacy Tagged With: , ,
« Previous Page
Next Page »