NAAA graduates 29 coaches reach Level 2

The National Association of Athletics Administrations of Trinidad and Tobago (NAAATT) recently graduated 29 new Level 2 track coaches after two five-day training courses held simultaneously at the Ato Boldon Stadium in Balmain, Couva.

World Athletics Level 2-certified lecturer Dexter Voisin led the 17 participants in the sprints and hurdles course, including Olympians Jehue Gordon, Ayanna Hutchinson-Britton and Olympic Gold medallist Emmanuel Callender.

Roy Garth Thomas, a Jamaican Level 2 coach, took 12 coaches, including Richard Jones, Aiesha Colthrust and John “Slim” Andalcio, through the finer points of middle and long-distance running.

The courses imparted valuable insights into the science of training sprint and hurdles, and middle and long-distance athletes and NAAA president, Ephraim Serrette, said the exercise was a major step in a continued effort to improve Trinidad and Tobago’s track and field ecosystem.

Serrette noted that, previously, just one or two participants would be allowed admission to World Athletics’ Regional Development Centre-facilitated courses in Puerto Rico per year.

“It’s the first time that is happening,” he boasted on the programme’s final day. “With the federation now afforded the opportunity to host the level two certification, it means more coaches could be, upgraded based on their different levels from kids athletics to level one and now to level two, to assist them to prepare their charges to better represent Trinidad and Tobago.”

Thomas, who has been a Level 2 lecturer since 1999, called the five-day engagement fulfilling and rewarding and revealed, half-jokingly, that he had to ignore advice from his Jamaican peers to ‘withhold some secrets’.

“I was never ever intimidated by the fact that the persons who I’m teaching are going to get better than I am,” he explained “But there was never ever in me to hold back on knowledge, at no point in time at all. We want to really expand and give and help the development of others who are coming behind us because we’re not going to be around forever.

“So it is important that we have succession planning and that we are passing on the information.”

Derek Simon of Pace and Performance Factory was particularly interested in the science behind the work that they continue to do with athletes.

“The level of engagement was really based more on a scientific approach, we learnt a lot about energy systems, we learnt a lot about biomechanics and elements that are going to be really significantly impacting the progression of athletes going forward. “

The takeaways were great; there was a heavy learning curve in regards to things that we were doing well, some not so well, and things that we need to implement to really take the athletes to that next level now.”

Callendar, a member of the 2008 Olympic 4×100 metre gold medal-winning team, expressed his appreciation for the wealth of knowledge on offer.

“It’s the first time we were able to certify people at Level 2 in Trinidad and Tobago,” he said at the closing ceremony. “I believe this is a huge milestone moving forward, and I want to say thanks because this has put out a lot of information for us. Theory and practical knowledge that we all can apply to our athletes to make them better, and it’s not just for the clubs; it’s for the benefit of Trinidad and Tobago.”

Serrette echoed the sentiment: “What I would want to express to them is that as a core group, they remain together and communicate because in the end, they may be with different clubs, but the athletes they’re preparing represent Trinidad and Tobago.

“I think this augurs well for us in the sport, where the coaches now are uniting and gelling in these kinds of programmes so that they can share the knowledge.”

Having broken the seal on a homegrown training regime, Serrette says the local community can expect more.

“We did a call for technical officials, which is now an examinable area as well, so people could qualify as bronze and then silver and gold referees to officiate, not just locally, but regionally and internationally. Currently, we have just about 11 bronze officials and four silver and one gold, and we have a call-out for persons interested; over 80-something people have sent in interest.

“We’re going to ask them to go on the World Athletics website to start off by doing the online safeguarding workshop and present their certificates, and then we will move from there and certify persons locally.”