CCCAN Caribbean Swimming Coaches Clinic in Barbados
CCCAN Caribbean Swimming Coaches Clinic in Barbados
Nineteen enthusiastic Coaches attended the first ever CCCAN Caribbean Coaches’ Clinic held in Barbados from August 9-11. They received a wealth of knowledge from Caribbean Olympians Leah Martindale Stancil and Anthony Nesty, Assistant Coaches at the University of Florida. The course conducted under the auspices of ASCA, USA Aquatics, the local Olympic Association and Swimming Federation scored high marks among the participants who reported that it was conducted at a high level and received information that would certainly help them to further elevate the standard of the sport in their own Countries.
The clinic attracted coaches from varying backgrounds as some came to refresh their knowledge, others to build on their level 1 accreditation and yet others to become trained coaches. Both Leah and Anthony were equally enthusiastic facilitators as they thoroughly and painstakenly perused the level 2 data to ensure that the coaches understood at a level that they could perform successful implementations of the information at their club level and within their National Federations.
On the opening night during a welcome reception for the participants The President of CCCAN Errol Clarke, who was recently elevated to the FINA Bureau during the Barcelona Congress conceded that this was an aspect of the master plan for the CCCAN region. He told the packed seminar room which included invited guests from both the Olympic and Swimming Associations, Coaches from the United States Virgin Islands, Guyana, St Vincent and the Grenadines, Trinidad and Tobago and Barbados that CCCAN was encouraged by the attendance and that it was the Confederation’s desire for the region to field more qualified swimmers at the level of the FINA and Regional Championships such as The World Cups and World Championships, Panamerican Games and CAC Games.
President Clarke emphasised the fact that both Leah and Anthony being swimmers at the highest level as well as coaches were bringing a double perspective to the benefit of the participants. He urged them to see themselves as professionals in their chosen sport. Mr Glyne Clarke in his speech lauded the efforts of the Central American and Caribbean Amateur Swimming Confederation (CCCAN) in organising the Clinic as the BOA through its funding programmes recognised that coaching education was the key to lifting the standard of swimming in the region and pledged the BOA’s support in this quest for knowledge and education.
Mr Tony Selby, 2nd Vice President of the Barbados Amateur Swimming Association (BASA) emphasised that both Leah and Anthony were giving back to their native region and complimented them on this gesture.
On the closing night both Leah and Anthony were presented with CCCAN medallions as tokens of appreciation from the Confederation. The participants all enjoyed dinner together on the penultimate night where they were encouraged to exchange ideas and develop a system of mentorship to the further benefit of raising the standard in the region.
On the closing night both Leah and Anthony were presented with CCCAN medallions as tokens of appreciation from the Confederation. The participants all enjoyed dinner together on the penultimate night where they were encouraged to exchange ideas and develop a system of mentorship to the further benefit of raising the standard in the region.
In delivering the vote of thanks CCCAN’s Secretary of the Technical Committee, Mrs Sonia O’Neal lauded the energy and was impressed with the enthusiasm with which the Facilitators, Leah and Anthony put into disseminating the information to the coaches. She felt satisfied at the quality and quantity of the presentation and was happy that they found the time to help and support the coaches from the region.
Mrs. O'Neal emphasized President Clarke’s desire for more swimmers from the region to achieve the qualifying standards for the world championships thus reducing the dependency on universality. She thanked the coaches for their attentiveness and desire to improve themselves in the quest for bettering the region. She also praised the efforts of USA Aquatics and ASCA for supporting the Clinic as without their support the clinic would not have been possible. She also drew the participants’ attention to the role which UANA played in advertising the clinic and looked forward to when CCCAN could host a level 3 clinic to provide ongoing opportunities and further advance the facilitation of imparting knowledge to the region’s coaches.
Sitting left to right are:
First row: Mrs Sonia O’Neal(Secretary, CCCAN Technical Swimming Committee) Mr Anthony Nesty-Swim Coach Facilitator, Mrs Leah Martindale Stancil-Swim Coach and Facilitator, Mr Errol Clarke, President CCCAN.
Standing left to right:
Second row: Haile Hiel-Mikail(BAR), Neisha Alexander(SVG); Tamara Haynes (BAR); Akilah Lashley (BAR);Kevin Cadogan(BAR); Ancille Inniss (BAR); Lennox Gould(TRI);
Standing left to right:
Back row: Shykah Gonsalves (GUY); Kim Smith (BAR); Brian Brady (UVI); Adriane Bynoe (BAR); Enrico McConney(BAR); Oswald Noel(TRI); Stephen Willoughby(BAR);
Missing from photograph are: Sarah Smith (SVG); Abdul Sharif(BAR); Harold Lewis(BAR); Vincent Smith (BAR); Kathleen Beckles (BAR); Russell Walton (BAR);
Missing from photograph are: Sarah Smith (SVG); Abdul Sharif(BAR); Harold Lewis(BAR); Vincent Smith (BAR); Kathleen Beckles (BAR); Russell Walton (BAR);
