BOA Launches Youth Athlete Initiative
The Barbados Olympic Association Inc. (BOA) has launched its Youth Project Podium, a pilot initiative aimed at harnessing the potential of young athletic talent. The inaugural cohort comprises 19 athletes, aged 16 to 23, from athletics, judo, tennis, and wrestling.
This programme, a collaboration between the Amarone Charitable Trust, Panam Sport, the Barbados Sports Medicine Association, and the BOA, offers athletes access to a multidisciplinary team of experts, including physicians, physiotherapists, nutritionists, podiatrists, mental skills coaches, as well as strength and conditioning coaches. The goal is to cultivate the physical and mental resilience of our youth, fostering a generation of well-rounded athletes capable of achieving success at the highest levels of international competition.
During the launch event held at the BOA Headquarters on Friday, February 7, BOA President Sandra Osborne SCM, SC, highlighted the project’s focus on athletic excellence and long-term career development.
“The benefits to their athletic careers are obvious in the short and medium term, but there are long term benefits as well, as these athletes will gain the life skills of leadership, strategic thinking, teamwork and fair play, which will stand them in good stead in their post-athletic careers,” she said.
President Osborne expressed gratitude to all the donors who made the programme possible and shared her hope for a strong and lasting partnership. She also stated the importance of incorporating research capabilities into the pilot programme to track the development of the athletes.
“It would be a pity if we did not include research capabilities to enable us to capture relevant data which tracks the development of these young athletes, so we can build on the project’s successes for future iterations and future cohorts,” Mrs. Osborne added.
Key stakeholders, including BOA Secretary General Erskine Simmons, General Manager Glyne Clarke, Amarone Charitable Trust Trustee David Csumrik, Barbados Sports Medicine Association Treasurer Dr. Adrian Lorde, and Programme Lead/Senior Operations Officer at BOA Kendia Brathwaite, along with athletes and their parents, attended the event.
Over the next 12 months, the Youth Project Podium will take a comprehensive approach, addressing all aspects of athlete development. In addition to expert coaching and sports medicine support, the programme will also incorporate communication skills training through the National Olympic Academy, focusing on public speaking and social media management.
Ms. Brathwaite described the BOA’s Youth Project Podium as a transformative initiative, emphasising that it is more than just a programme – it is a launchpad for success.
While acknowledging the pilot programme’s initial group of 19 athletes, she emphasised that they represent only a fraction of Barbados’ sporting potential. She underscored the programme’s bold vision for success and the importance of intentional investment in both body and mind.
“This success obviously doesn’t happen by chance; it requires intentional and targeted investment for both body and mind, and I think that’s what we’re trying to achieve here because this program is holistic in its approach.”
Grateful for the essential funding and investment, Ms. Brathwaite stressed that the athletes are at the heart of the programme. She thanked the athletes, their parents and guardians, along with the National Sports Federations and coaches for their commitment to the partnership.
Mr. Csumrik recognized the programme’s value in providing crucial elite support, a previously missing element in athlete development, and urged athletes to embrace the “marvellous opportunity.” He noted the Amarone Charitable Trust’s decade-long commitment to fitness and sport, reiterating their selective support and past positive experience with the BOA.
“This programme is good for the country. It’s good for the young people in the country. So, I hope everybody enjoys the process, and remember it’s a journey; enjoy the journey,” he said.
The selected athletes, all Barbadian, were chosen from the various national federations, Dr. Lorde explained. He added that the programme has already proven beneficial in identifying and addressing potential issues athletes may face, such as injuries or other performance-impacting conditions.
“The athletes’ progress will be monitored and evaluated. The recommendations are being discussed as we meet on a regular basis to discuss our findings and where we need to go from there. And one thing that we have stressed is that we are going to be working along with the athletes’ coaches. We are not taking over your programme. We will advise them of our findings and discuss with the coaches the way forward,” he assured.
The programme is funded by a US$50,000 youth grant from Panam Sport and a US$50,000 partnership with the Amarone Charitable Trust, covering coaching fees, facilities, and support services.
Youth Project Podium: Selected Athletes
Athletics: Keiron Haynes, Justin Forde, Dario Gaskin, Amari Knight, Amani Mascoll-Beckles, Nikolai Clarke, Jahkye Brewster, Tylan Mayers, Mathieu Clarke, Teon Haynes, Tia Applewhaite, Aniya Nurse
Judo: Asondre Alleyne
Tennis: Aidan Clarke, Nadja Gooding
Wrestling: Rebecca Williams, Zachary Small, Jaydon Alleyne, Adrian Maynard