ANOTHER SUCCESSFUL SOTT SPORTS CAMP COMPLETED

FRIDAY JULY 27 2018:  PORT OF SPAIN, TRINIDAD AND TOBAGO –The Special Olympics of Trinidad and Tobago (SOTT) kicked off their annual Community Training Programme with the successful installation of their first Community Caravan; a week long Sports Camp for over  30 special Olympics athletes and participants during July 16-20.

The Community Training Programme has two main components –  Community Coaching where coaches go to respective member schools for skill development in varying disciplines and a series of Community outreach activities known as the Norma James Community Caravans, one of which is the Sports Camp.  

The focus of the Sports Camp is to increase the number of athletes and coaches associated with Special Olympics, in addition to developing the potential athletes in a range of disciplines, which will in the long-term assist in their overall development.

Various special needs organizations across Trinidad, such as the National Centre for Persons with Disabilities (NCPD), Lady Hochoy Penal, Lady Hochoy Gasparillo, Lady Hochoy Cocorite, Lady Hochoy Arima, and the Goodwill Industries all participated in the camp this year.

The activities took part at the Woodbrook Youth Facility, the St. James Youth Facility and the Equestrian at the Police Mounted Branch respectively, where members of the Prison’s Cricket Team, Officers from the Police Mounted Branch and Floor Hockey coaches, Drupatie Samaroo and Devan Mahadeo, provided the training for the prospective athletes.

The excited participants gave it their all as they were introduced to the game of Cricket, Equestrian and Floor Hockey. Here the Sports Camp prepared the budding athletes for the National Cricket Games which is carded to take place in September and the National Floor Hockey in November of this year.

At the end of the week-long training Camp, it was clear the up-coming athletes felt better equipped and confident. They also bonded with other athletes as they prepare for the upcoming 2019 World Games which is being held in Abu Dhabi.

SOTT continues to place importance on sports for development with varying activities throughout the year to build skill, endurance, health and fitness for all participants.

Since 2014, the Digicel Foundation has invested a total of TT$951.000 into the Special Olympics Community Training Programme.