Coach Belgrave Awarded Scholarship to PAISAC
Local coach Althea Belgrave has been awarded a scholarship from Olympic Solidarity to participate in the International Support Program for African and Caribbean Sport (PAISAC) 2023, which began on November 20.
The course is divided into two phases, with the first, a four-week e-learning component, which runs to December 16, 2023, and the second phase, an in-person training session, to be held in Montreal, Canada, from May 14 to June 3, 2024.
Coach Belgrave has been selected to participate in an intensive program focusing on applied sports sciences. The programme is designed to be theoretical and multisport, providing coaches with the necessary foundation for optimal planning of practices for their athletes. Each participant will be able to apply their knowledge to their sport and individual athletes. PAISAC aims to provide coaches with advanced training resources to gain knowledge and experience, which they can then share within their national sports structures.
Coach Belgrave expressed gratitude for the scholarship, stating that it would expose her to various training techniques to enhance her coaching methodology.
Meanwhile, the Director of Barbados' National Olympic Academy, Vaneisha Cadogan, praised Belgrave's achievement and reaffirmed the academy's commitment to sporting excellence.
“We are continuously exploring ways to enhance the capabilities of our coaches, and PAISAC is one such avenue that we have utilised over the years. Althea has a wealth of coaching knowledge and experience at various levels and has been quietly making a valuable contribution to local sport. We are, therefore, truly pleased that, on recommendation from the Barbados Olympic Association, Olympic Solidarity has awarded her this scholarship. We expect that the PAISAC programme will strengthen her skills and position her to assist with the development of other coaches,” Cadogan said.
Coach Belgrave started coaching as a graduate assistant at Florida State University. Subsequently, she has served as Assistant Cross Country/Track and Field Coach and Recruiting Coordinator at the University of Hawaii, as National Coach in athletics and rugby and serves in a similar capacity at the National Sports Council. Belgrave has also taught physical education at two of the island’s secondary schools. Coach Belgrave holds the national record in 3K Steeplechase and has completed several coaching courses internationally and locally.
