The Department of Sports is currently collaborating with the Ministry of Health and Social Development, the Department of Education, and the Department of Youth and Culture, in a special students’ program called the Out-of -School Activity Program (OSAP). This initiative addresses some of the irregularities experienced in the education system as a result of the disruptive impact of Hurricane Irma.
According to Program Officer, Mr. Delano Mussington, “This program, among other things, seeks to engage students in an organized physical activity program that incorporates elements of leadership, personal responsibility and life-skills training. Its objectives are threefold: (1) to increase the frequency and quality of physical activity for youth in Anguilla; (2) to provide an opportunity for meaningful engagement of students during out-of-school time; and (3) to enhance the sporting, leadership and life skills of youth at the secondary school in Anguilla.”
Mr. Mussington reported that the rollout of the program saw the training of seven coaches, five administrators and six youth officers. He mentioned that the program was implemented over a nine-week period, during which time the youngsters engaged in three different sports activities, namely football, volleyball and rugby. “Both football and rugby,” he said, “were practiced at the James Ronald Webster Park Annex, while volleyball activities were conducted at the Rodney MacAuthur Rey Auditorium.”
Last Wednesday, December 13th, The Anguillian was on hand at the Rodney MacAuthur Rey Auditorium to get a first hand view of the exciting playoffs among the youth. It had a conversation with Coach Nigel Linton who said: “This afterschool activity program is designed in such a way that, with the new school shift system, children can have something to do after they finish classes earlier in the day, instead of just going home or being idle. So we created a sports program, which we did attempt a couple years ago, called the Afterschool Activities Program. Due to the passage of the hurricane though, we have rebranded it. Here we teach the children the basic skills of these three sports and, in addition, we teach them certain life-skills as well.”
Mr. Linton went on to say, “In this program we focus on respect, communication and cooperation. There are three groups for each sport that we normally engage in simultaneously. Today, for our final competition, we have brought all the players here to the sports auditorium. For both Football and Volleyball there are twenty-plus children participating. Rugby is only an exhibition, called flag rugby. There is no competition in that game as yet.”
As the games progressed, there was much enthusiasm among the children. All indications were that they were determined and serious about winning the competitions, yet they were sincere in their camaraderie. An air of true sportsmanship and candor filled the courts. The children played fairly and responsibly with a cheerful team-spirit, respect for each other, and admirable cooperation. It is evident that the efforts of the program, and the skill-sets which the coaches instilled in them over the past nine weeks, have indeed paid off.
At the end of the games, which lasted for the better part of three hours, the results were as follows: Footfall: In first place was the Ballers; in second place was the Pink Panthers; Supper Kings emerged in third place, and in fourth place was Double Trouble. Volleyball: In first place was taken by the green team; the blue team was second; orange third; and coming in at fourth place was the red team.
The Anguillian wishes to applaud Mr. Mussington and his dedicated cadre of coaches and officers, including Nigel Linton, Ian Connor, Rakeem Jones, Aaron Richardson, Roxanne Bradshaw, Cleondre Hamm and Everette Claxton. We commend them all for working diligently with the children. Indeed, we also extend hearty compliments and expressions of admiration to the children themselves for their team-spirit and for their level of maturity and cooperation in the games.
