media_artricles :: 2017

Schools Association, NAAA chart way forward

Officials of the Trinidad and Tobago Secondary Schools Track and Field Association (TTSSTFA) and the National Association of Athletics Administration (NAAA) met at the offices of the NAAA at the Ato Boldon Stadium, Couva last week.

The meeting of the two organisations was the first in recent years and was held during the sitting of a NAAA Technical Development Committee. The TTSSFA delegation was led by president Phillip Allard and included Second Vice-President Janelle Edwards, Secretary Andy Joseph and Public Relations Officer Indra Ramsingh-Geoffrey.

The NAAA team was headed by its president Ephraim Serrette, Second Vice President Allan Baboolal, Secretary Dexter Voisin, Board members Durly Lucas and Dawn Washington. Also present were several technical officials.

Among the issues discussed were: officiating, timing, photo finish and results, scheduling and sanctioning. Both parties agreed that the officials to operate at secondary schools track and field meets will be trained through seminars and workshops. Some of the workshops will be held on the days of Development meets, two hours before the starts of the meets and the participants will use the meets to do the practical aspects.

The first workshop is set to take place at the first Development Meet in January set for today.

Also agreed upon is the setting up of a database of officials from the NAAA, Primary and Secondary Schools and volunteers. In addition, students of secondary schools will also be trained to assist in the event of shortage of officials at a meet.

The NAAA has agreed to assist with this by providing its timing and photo-finish system to record results. The NAAA also suggested that the Sport Company of Trinidad and Tobago and the Ministry of Education can be approached as well to utilise their timing and photo-finish systems. The zonal championships will be included on the NAAA calendar. One of main outcomes of the meeting is the decision of the NAAA to sanction all the TTSSTFA meets.

Sanctioning is to be done by the NAAA's Technical Development Committee headed by Durly Lucas who indicated the Committee's availability to work with the TTSSTFA in the formation of its programmes.

The TTSSFA and NAAA also plan to meet with the Ministries of Education and Sports and Youth Affairs to discuss the following: (1) Modelling of the University of the West Indies and University of Trinidad and Tobago's Physical Education (P.E.) programme to that of the G.C. Foster Teachers College in Jamaica with the aim of improving the skills of of P.E.

teachers.

(2) Teaching scholarships to G.C. Foster Teachers College.

(3) Formulation of relationships between clubs and schools in their areas with the intention of resolving the challenges of students are forced to decide to compete in NAAA meets ahead of those held by TTSSFA.

(4) Inclusion of the Primary Schools Track and Field Association in further discussions.

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