Sport for Life in the Caribbean
In October 2015, the Sport for Life Society was engaged by the Caribbean Association of National Olympic Committees (CANOC) – in partnership with the International Olympic Committee (IOC), Olympic Solidarity, and the Canadian Olympic Committee (COC) – to advance the level of technical knowledge and performance of sport systems in six member nations (Bahamas, British Virgin Islands, Haiti, St. Vincent and the Grenadines, Surinam, and Trinidad and Tobago). Program objectives were to:
- Design and deliver a comprehensive program of knowledge, modelling, system development, advancing Long-Term Athlete Development education, and strategy.
- Work with national Olympic committee (NOC) coordinators, local officials, and sport leaders to create, implement, and monitor sport/country-specific Long-Term Athlete Development frameworks, and a “blueprint” national strategy.
- Apply principles of Sport for Life, Long-Term Athlete Development, and physical literacy to align local and national sport systems.
This 18-month pilot project introduced Long-Term Athlete Development in the respective islands through five expert visits, eight webinars and ongoing interaction with NOCs, local officials, and sport leaders. The target was to create, implement and monitor 30 sport-specific and country-specific Long-Term Athlete Development frameworks, and build knowledge and capacity around physical literacy. Amidst the challenges of distance, language, travel, and time, the pilot project proved highly successful:
- 41 Long-Term Athlete Development frameworks were produced.
- Close to 2000 national and community sport leaders, teachers, government officials, national sport organization leaders, coaches, volunteers, sponsors, NOC partners and stakeholders were engaged in the project.
- 100 sport-specific meetings were held to discuss Long-Term Athlete Development frameworks, and more than 50 strategic meetings took place to stimulate government support (i.e. health, education, youth affairs and culture, justice, sport), provide physical literacy and movement education in schools and communities, and attract corporate investment.
- 86 participants were awarded an International Long-Term Athlete Development Certificate of Achievement, while 77 received letters of recognition.
Learn more about Sport for Life’s international work.
