Coaches must face up to the challenges

The coaches are provided with stipends and the NOC provides transportation to and from the venues.

The athletes who turn out are offered light refreshments. Sessions begin at 9.00 am and conclude around midday or at 1.00 pm latest.

This is an important programme and all involved should make every effort to ensure that it works to the benefit of their respective organisations and ultimately constitutes an integral component of their respective national development thrust.

Sports Academy

The Idea of a Sports Academy has also been introduced and brought to reality by the NOC in the past two-years. The intention is to have the best of the identified talented athletes from each of the sports involved in the Grassroots Talent Identification programme engage in an intensive Camp where they will benefit from a higher level skill concentration as well as aspects of personality development.

Objectives

1.    To organise specialised training of talented athletes.

2.    To introduce athletes to sport-scientific training

3.    To facilitate the rounded development of athletes in areas of nutrition, communication, sports medicine and social etiquette

4.    To acquire and use appropriate tools/equipment, eg. video/computer etc., to facilitate skills acquisition among participants

The next scheduled Camp will take place at Arnos Vale during the period 17 – 21 December 2007. This December Academy will involve the sports of athletics, boxing, cycling and table tennis.