Youth sports development a priority |20 February 2009
“We’ve already had talks with education officials and, from now on, sports federations and associations who want to implement any development programmes with schools have to go through us,” he said.
“The school competition programme is under way with the open school volleyball championship. We will later have basketball, handball, table tennis, tennis, football and athletics, where we hope to bring back the road race starting at Anse Etoile and finishing at Stad Popiler. It is also hoped that the same competitions will take place every year.”
Mr Auguste added that emphasis will also be on young athletes’ preparation for the seventh Jeux de la Commission de la Jeunesse et des Sports de l'Océan indien in Reunion from August 2-7, 2010.
The four sports activities that will feature in the games are athletics, football, tennis and volleyball.
“Young talents will have to be spotted and nurtured so they are ready for the games in 2010,” said Mr Auguste.
He also talked about the youth academy and said letters will be sent to federations and associations telling them the number of places available for their athletes, and the criteria and regulations athletes have to follow.
“We are, for the time being, concentrating on individual sports. Athletes called to the academy have to train a minimum three times weekly and at least once in the morning,” he said.
“Athletes as young as eight can enroll in the youth academy programme, and the maximum age to do so is 14. But they will remain members of the academy until they are 18 provided there is steady progress in their results.
“Federations and associations have to tell us the names of the coaches the athletes train with and under what conditions they are training. The academy gives athletes free breakfast after morning training sessions and free transport from their homes to training venues and to their schools.
“After school, athletes will be collected and taken to their training venues and back home.”
There is also a plan to turn the youth academy into a residential programme, which should be up and running by July.
“If everything works according to plan and if we get the financial assistance we need, we expect to turn the youth academy programme into a residential programme,” said Mr Auguste.
“Athletes will be collected on Sunday afternoon and leave the academy on Friday afternoon to spend the weekend with their parents.
“We’ve already sorted out who will help the athletes with their homework and stay with them during weekdays. The only thing left to be done is to get the blessing of parents.”
Athletes practising track and field athletics, swimming, boxing, judo, table tennis, tennis, weightlifting, sailing, canoeing, badminton, cycling and gymnastics are being targeted to enroll on the programme.
The federations management and development division brings together the functions of federations/associations management, high-level sports, youth development and talent identification.
Andrick Savy is the youth development and talent identification coordinator.
G. G.