A one day field events coaching workshop, was held at the ET Willet Park, on Monday 11th December.
Long serving president of the Nevis Amateur Athletic Association, Lester Blackett, opened the session with prayer and in his opening remarks introduced the two facilitators for the day’s session: Mattaniah Wallace who is an IAAF level 2 instructor and who is originally from Dominica and Lonzo Wilkinson, IAAF level 5 chief coach and IAAF level 2 instructor.
He also indicated that the main purpose of the workshop, was to guide and instruct the local coaches in the techniques involved with three main events: Long jump; high jump and the Cricket ball throw.
He explained that the reason for this, is because it is the intention of organizers of the annual Gulf Insurance Primary Schools’ athletic championship, to include these field events into next year’s major event.
The coaches will in turn, have the task of instructing the athletes at the various primary schools across the island, as regards the events.
Mattaniah Wallace, who incidentally holds a Bachelor’s degree in Sports management, also addressed the twenty plus coaches and asked them to take in as much as they could so that the children can benefit and the 2018 Mini Olympics’ field events, could be highly competitive.
Director of Sports on Nevis, Jamir Claxton, apologized for the unavoidable absence of PEO, Mrs. Palsy Wilkin and admonished the coaches to take in a much as they could and applauded them for showing up as he stressed that they could ‘never learn too much.
He then officially declared the workshop open.
The sessions included both theoretical and practical aspects, which saw the coaches also involved in high jump, long jump and cricket ball throw exercises.
Mattaniah Wallace dealt with the high jump; Lonzo Wilkinson dealt with the cricket ball throw and Roatter Johnson, who is an IAAF level 4 jumps coach, dealt with the long jump aspects.
From all reports, it was a fulfilling day for the local coaches.