"If you train as a team and behave as a team you will perform as a team."

That was the advice of Trinidad and Tobago Olympic Committee (TTOC) president Michael "Larry" Romany to T&T's Commonwealth Youth Games (CYG) squad on Friday at the TTOC's headquarters at upper Abercromby Street, Port of Spain.

In a stern address at the event, Romany reminded the national junior rugby, athletics, swimming and badminton teams and officials about the "zero tolerance" policy that they must keep up the levels of performance and discipline for which traveling T&T teams are known.

Anyone breaking team rules will be put "on the first flight home", Romany warned. The junior Commonwealth contingent leaves Trinidad on Tuesday for the Isle of Man in the UK for the September 8-12 Games and will feature 22 athletes and six officials.

The T&T team kit and warm wear for the chilly UK conditions have been provided by Adidas.

Romany said athletes from last year's Trinidad and Tobago team for the Youth Olympic Games in Singapore had the attitude of going to "pay a token appearance" at the event. But he highlighted national swimmer Christian Homer's 50-metre backstroke gold medal at the Games.

"No one knows what it is to feel true national pride until you see the national flag being raised and the national anthem being played (on the international stage)," he stated. "You will never forget that feeling until you die."

TTOC secretary general Brian Lewis told the athletes that the TTOC had difficulty raising funds to send them to the competition.

"We are investing in you young people," said Lewis, "and one thing I would like to ask you young men and women is to take it seriously…you are being given an opportunity to represent your country, yourself, your family, your community."

He described the Commonwealth Youth Games as a "very important" event for the development of T&T's youth athletes and advised them to make the best of their trip there.

"Treat it as an honour and a privilege, not a right or entitlement. You are now at this moment an ambassador of Trinidad and Tobago," Lewis reminded them.

"It is very easy to drop your personal standards. I urge you not to do that."

Source: www.trinidadexpress.com