Keisha Hill, Staff Reporter

Ian Andrews

Ready ... set ... go ... ! And they are off to a good start.

Preparatory, primary and junior high school coaches can now breathe a sigh of relief as the Institute of Sports (Insport) under their mandate to develop track and field at the formative levels is in the process of implementing training programmes throughout the course of the year to fulfil these obligations.

The trial seminar in collaboration with Hampton University, Virginia kicked off on Friday at the National Stadium and included coaches and participants from 24 schools in Kingston and St Andrew.

Those at the seminar included chairman Al Miller, administrative director Ian Andrews, Brian Smith, sports officer, Hampton Uni-versity's head coach Maurice Pierce, national sports coordinator Glen Mills and former St. Jago coach Raymond Graham now coaching at Hampton.

The objective of the seminars, according to Andrews, is aimed at educating and training coaches.

"We at the Institute of Sports in terms of our mandate decided to take the opportunity to allow Pierce to come and assist us in some of the hurdling techniques because we still have some deficiencies in this area as our athletes are not properly schooled at the younger stage," Andrews said.

Andrews is confident that if coaches are properly taught the rudiments of track and field, specifically hurdling, at an early age by the time they get to the senior level the coaches will only have to work on the other aspects of their training.

Tremendous response

"The response from the coaches has been tremendous. This is only the beginning and so far it has been very successful, and we are thinking of making it into an islandwide project," he said.

Andrews is hoping to develop partnerships with other overseas universities and individuals to assist Insport in fulfilling its mandate.

"There is no specific training programme for coaches at the formative level, but in order for us to improve in the sport the ideal way to start is at the grass root," he said.

Pierce, who is on his first trip to Jamaica was impressed with the eagerness of the coaches in absorbing the information and techniques taught in the seminar and indicated that he would return to the island soon to do follow up training not only with the coaches but also with the athletes.

"It is a better way to build a good relationship with coaches in Jamaica. I became a coach not only to coach in the United States but to offer my expertise to other countries and persons where necessary," he said.

Meanwhile, Graham who was associated with track and field locally for over 25 years before migrating to the US stated that because of his passion for the sport he realised that much improvement is needed.

"Anywhere I go I will always try and assist track and field in Jamaica. We are going to do what we can to improve the coaches and to help them teach the technical aspects of track and field especially in hurdling," he said.