Home|Sports|US Embassy launches program for coaches and administratorsSports
The Nassau GuardianSend an emailFebruary 9, 2023 265 3 minute readFacebookTwitterLinkedInShare via Email
The United States of America (US) Embassy here in The Bahamas has launched a new program that will look at sending Bahamian track and field coaches and administrators to the US in a two-week program dubbed “Bridging the Gap: Sports Visitor” in Los Angeles, California, and Eugene, Oregon, from May 6-20, 2023.
The announcement came at a press conference held at the American Corner, located in the Harry C. Moore Library at University of The Bahamas yesterday. The fully funded exchange program is in partnership with the Ministry of Youth, Sports and Culture. The exchange is aimed to provide support for Bahamian coaches and administrators in their efforts to create and/or build upon their Family Island track and field youth programs. The exchange program will also focus on ways to increase girls’ participation in sports.
Deputy Chief of Mission for the US Embassy Lance Posey spoke about what the program will entail.
“Participants will engage with their American peers and sports practitioners,” said Posey. “They’ll participate in clinics and sessions on leadership, team building and inclusion, and equity in sports. This ‘Bridging the Gap’ series is the theme that we have at the US Embassy that we’re initiating in bridging several gaps. First of all, what it intends to do is to bridge the gap with gender issues, by encouraging specifically, and targeting specifically, girls participation.”
There are 14 spots available – seven males and seven females to make the trip in May. The criteria for the program include being a Bahamian, vaccinated for COVID-19, involved in youth and/or sports, preferably track and field, and about two years’ minimum experience coaching or being an administrator. The deadline is Wednesday, February 22. Applications can be found on their website, bs.usembassy.gov, or on their Facebook and Instagram pages.
Posey said they are looking at the Family Islands and explained why they chose the sport of track and field.
“We’re focusing on the Family Islands – targeting recruitment to as many of the Family Islands as possible. We chose track and field because it’s a sport that is unique where you don’t need lots and lots of equipment. It’s something where the resources on the Family Islands can be able to meet the track and field needs. It is also one of the most popular sports in The Bahamas,” said Posey. “As you all know, and myself included, there are all kinds of education opportunities through sports. We also know that all students don’t make it to the college level, but there are many students who benefit from sports to get through school and get to universities in the US, so that is another opportunity we are looking to provide.”
The Ministry of Youth, Sports and Culture in conjunction with the Bahamas Association of Athletic Associations (BAAA) will be helping the embassy in the selection of 14 coaches and administrators. Undersecretary at the ministry Montez Williams said they are grateful for the opportunity to work with the embassy and know that it will yield great results.
“We know they are eager and ready to take great advantage of this opportunity, so we will be tasked with identifying the coaches,” said Williams. “I know our doors are going to be knocked on because that’s going to be a task within itself because we have so many people who are working in the trenches, especially on the Family Islands. This program is aimed at reaching as many as possible in the Family Islands, so we’re going to do our homework and make sure that we have the best representation.”
According to US Embassy Public Affairs Officer Suemayah Abu-ouleh, they are looking for it to be a long-term program but cannot confirm if it will be an annual program. They are also looking into different ways to create different sports exchange programs.