ago.12.2006
President of the Trinidad and Tobago Olympic Committee(TTOC) Mr Larry Romany,Mr Paul Newallo Director of Sport in The Ministry of Sport,Fellow TTOC Executive members,Presidents and Secretaries of TTOC Affiliates,TTOC General Manager Catherine Forde,Presenters,Representatives of our Corporate Partners,Parents,Guardians,Coaches,members of the media,youth campers,Camp Co-coordinators , Camp facilitators,distinguished guest,Ladies and Gentlemen.
Firstly in my capacity as Director of the TTOC Olympic Youth Camp.Let me welcome you to the closing of the fourth Annual TTOC Olympic Youth camp.
The camp opened on the 2nd August .
Today we culminate ten wonderful and at times very challenging days.I say challenging because the age group that this camp caters for 12 - 16 will present the challenges inherent to that particular age group.
Scientific research has concluded that it takes eight to twelve years of training for a talented player/athlete to reach elite levels. This is called the 10 years or 10,000 hour rule which translates to slightly more than three hours of practice daily for ten years (Ericson, et al 1993, bloom 1985)
Unfortunately many parents and coaches approach sports with a short-term approach with an over emphasis on immediate result. The truth is it takes long term commitment to practice and training to produce elite players and athletes.
At the end of the day. A specific and well planned practice, training, competition and recovery regime will ensure optimum development throughout an athlete's career.
Sustained success comes from training and performing well over the long term rather than winning in the short-term. There are no short cuts. Over emphasizing competition in the early phases will always cause short comings and burn out .
Children are not small adults. So that fun and enjoyment in a positive environment will contribute successfully to future athletic achievements.
The emphasis on punishing errors rather than improvement is evident in the way we personalize our attacks when our sportsmen and women do not perform to our expectations.
Mistakes are part of the learning process. We focus on the function, rather the human spirit. We want to place everyone in the same box. We demand conformity.In so doing we extinguish the love ,passion,,creativity and joy of sport for children and youth.
At a time when many of the United Nation Millennium development goals are set to be missed and where bigotry, distrust and terrorism dominate the news headlines.
We need to remember that The Olympic movement is an educational movement of young people worldwide. The goal of the Olympic movement is to contribute to building a better and more peaceful world by education young people through sport free of discrimination and in the Olympic spirit.
By blending sport with culture, education and the environment . Olympism promotes a way of life based on the harmonious development of body, will and mind in the joy found in effort, respect for universal ethics including tolerance unity, friendship and fair play.
In the first world, many governments recognize amateur sport as a vehicle that provides a safe environment whereby children and youth can learn important skills and habits such as team work, self-discipline, fair play and the pursuit of excellence, . Sport participation can effect healthy child development, builds a sense of responsibility .
Sport is a diversionary activity for young people at risk of anti-social and delinquent behaviour.
But let us not overstate or be Utopian. As there is the paradox of duality. Sports can build character or undermine it. They can foster fair play or dirty-play. Honest competition or win at all cost. Teamwork or selfishness, self control or fits of rage, the ability to win and loss gracefully or neither.
Competitive sports seem to bring out the worse, not the best in players and fans alike. While it is important to acknowledge this . I dare say the good far out weighs the bad.
May I take this opportunity to thank each of the participants for their efforts and willingness to learn. Retain your love and passion for sport.
Strive as you will for excellence but let it not be at the expense of your morals , ethics and good conscious.
As we have emphasized to you the past ten days. Respect,Love,Trust and have faith in yourself.Dream Big Dreams.Accept No Limits.
This date Saturday 12 August provides added significance as today is the International Youth Day.The TTOC joins the rest of the world in recognizing ,celebrating and commemorating this special and important occasion.