[dropcap]I[/dropcap]n February 2017, the leadership of the Mon Repos Athletics Academy and the Vide Bouteille Secondary School, identified the opportunity to create a Jump Center at the covered sports court of the Vide Bouteille campus. The goal! To provide a safe, all-weather training environment for events including the pole vault and high jump.
Through the extraordinary efforts of these parties, the next chapter of Saint Lucian Pole vaulting is about to be written.
The opening launch of the centre took place on Tuesday March 27. Interested members of the sports media and fraternity were invited to attend the ceremony, which provide further details about the options for youth programing and feature veteran pole vaulters and students demonstrating their skills.
In attendance at the launch was Program Director for the Mon Repos Athletics Academy Andy Behl; First Vice President of the St Lucia Olympic Committee Inc, Lyndon Cooper; Development Officer for the Mon Repos Athletics Academy, Leslie Charlery; Vide Bouteille Secondary School Principal Mrs Innocent; Physical Education Teachers Kirby Felix and Acer Lionel and pole vaulters Shem Maxwell and Nicky Ferdinand.
During her opening remarks, Innocent welcomed everyone and made special mention of Behl: “I would like to begin by saying a special thank you to Andy, who during the past year has stuck to it. We got some disappointments along the way but you did not give up. You tried other avenues and that is why we are able to have the pole vault equipment here this afternoon.”
She also thanked the Mon Repos Academy especially Mr Wilson who was involved in getting the jump centre off the ground.
In closing Innocent told students: “I am very excited this afternoon for one thing. I know that after observing, that sports helps students develop not only in regard to the sporting discipline they are participating in, but it helps students develop general discipline and opens avenues for them.”
Behl gave what he called a “brief modern history of pole vaulting in St Lucia” beginning with Dominic Johnson.
“The modern history from my perspective really started in the 2000’s. St Lucia had a three time Olympian named Dominic Johnson who represented this country at the international level. In 2008 on his way to this third Olympics in Beijing, Mr Johnson did an exhibition at George Odlum Stadium during the Senior Games. As a former pole vaulter and aspiring coach, I reached out to him and said I would like to start a program here. He helped us start the original PVSL [Pole Vault St Lucia] program. The first competitors in that program included Shem Edward, Rick Valcin and Nicky Ferdinand.”
Valcin who attended Gros Islet Secondary School went on to greater heights earning a silver at the 2009 Carifta Games and in 2010 attended the University of Kansas.
There’s more! In 2014, Valcin went on win the US National Championships for the NCAA Division Three.
Edward and Ferdinand have also excelled in the sport having taken it up at early age.
Behl is thoroughly expressed with the Jump Centre and said: “With a facility like this we can work out day in and day out and also in the evening rain or sunshine.”
He went on to say: “This a rare facility. I am guessing this is one of the few schools in the entire Caribbean that has pole vault set up at their actual school campus. I encourage everyone here to consider themselves lucky and come out and at least give pole vaulting a try.”
The Mon Repos Athletics Academy and the Vide Bouteille Secondary School would like to recognize the extraordinary efforts and support from Australian Aid, the Saint Lucia Olympic Committee, UCS Spirit, Trans Caribe Express Shippers, Blanchard’s Customs & Freight Services, M & C Home Depot, Williams Equipment and the Mon Repos Youth & Sports Council.
Persons interested in learning more can contact Program Director Andy Behl at MonReposAthleticsAcademy@gmail.com.
