St Lucia hosted AIBA International Technical Officials Course

Saint Lucia played host to an International Boxing Association (AIBA) funded International Technical Officials Course,  which took place at Bay Gardens Marina Haven from May 22 -23 conducted by Canadian Angel Villarreal. Twelve participants registered for the course including five Saint Lucians. The following countries were represented: Trinidad and Tobago, Jamaica, Cayman Islands, Barbados, Bahamas, Guyana, Dominica, Curacao, Bermuda and hosts Saint Lucia.

Participants arrived on May 21 and attended a cocktail reception that evening at Bay Gardens Marina Haven. Master of Ceremonies Ryan O’Brian welcomed everyone then proceeded to introduce the following officials seated at the head table: President of the Saint Lucia Olympic Committee (SLOC) Inc, Senator Fortuna Belrose; President of the St Lucia Amateur Boxing Association (SLABA), David “Shakes” Christopher;  Immediate Past President of the SLABA, Joseph “Reds” Perreira; First Vice President of the SLABA, Herbert Joseph; Director of Sports, Patrick Mathurin; and AIBA Course Instructor, Angel Villarreal.

Special guests in attendance also included Deputy Permanent Secretary in the Ministry of Youth Development and Sports, Liota Charlemagne-Mason; and Cathy Harper Hall who is a stalwart in boxing throughout the Caribbean.

The first speaker was Christopher. After greeting everyone he said: “I think this is the first time we’ve had a course like this in the Caribbean and we must give ourselves a round of applause for that. Speaking to the instructor he said most times when he conducts this course there are five or six persons in attendance. We have a record number of 12 persons right here this evening and we broke the record for having so many persons here from across the Caribbean. It is a big moment for us and I really want to wish everyone the best.”

Mathurin who was the next speaker, spoke about the importance of training and said: “It allows you to develop the sport in the way and direction which you believe it should go. However, I just want to caution you, that always we need to follow the international standards and more so the standards that are set. I want to wish you all the best in your course. I anticipate that everybody will pass, come out on top in flying colors and of course we want to be proud to boast, that St Lucia hosted the most successful course in the Caribbean with the most participants and the most passes.”

Perreira who is a former OECS Sports Coordinator said that during his time there, “boxing was very much part of the fabric of the OECS countries. I followed that path which allowed us to have our championships and they were extremely successful.” For him being president of the SLABA was an honor and comparing the past to the present feels the sport has now at a different level.

“Now we have not just a focus on the coaching of coaches, or focusing on getting one star, referees, but collectively we are taking it to another level. This to me is important training taking place here. All disciplines need that special training of officials to be able to manage the sport. I congratulate David (Christopher) and his executive for being upfront and making a bid to host it and being selected.”

Perreira suggested, “The next focus of SLABA President should be a coach coming in to coach coaches so we can widen the base.” Before signing off he cautioned all the participants taking the course. “Please do not drift away from the sport that you represent here. There have been many courses in the past that have had very good attendance. I beg of you to stay with the sport and give back the fact you had an opportunity to come here to St Lucia, had two days of work and at the end of it I wish you will all be successful and do not allow the opportunity to improve your knowledge and to not give back that knowledge.”

Villarreal has high hopes for all the participants taking the course. He expects everyone to pass and become an International Technical Official after two days of testing.

He said: “I am not going to tell you it’s easy. Remember once you become an International Technical Official it can take you all the way to the Olympic Games. It is a privilege position, an honored position. It is not an easy position to attain. We will be reviewing all the rules and going over everything that will be on the test then do a practical part then an oral interview with you. The preparation that you did to get here, that’s what going to get you through this test.”

In closing, Villarreal said: “The Caribbean countries I am impressed by the way they back their people. There are people here probably from four or five different countries and that’s awesome. The Caribbean is one of the fastest growing areas in the sport of boxing as far as involvement, as far as David bringing the test here.

Belrose got the last word: “As a country we are heartened by the work David is doing and of course taking the initiative to be able to secure this course. I think this is the first time it’s happening. You heard “Reds” (Perreira) earlier, the Boxing Association was operating at a lower level, but I think the base has been set where they now need to move up. Of course David with the support that he is getting is able to do this initiative at the end of which, we will have four or five persons who have been exposed from St Lucia to that level of training.”

She went on to say: “There is still a lot of work to be done with respect to the coaching development, because as we prepare for our major international engagements we still do not have a Level Three coach that will take us to major events like the Pan American Games, Commonwealth Games and also the Olympics.” Food for thought!