North Coast Sports Academy aims to unearth talent

NORTH Coast Sports Academy is trying to create more opportunities for young people along the north coast of Trinidad stretching from Maracas Bay Village to Blanchisseuse.

Despite all the talent in the rural communities of the north coast, it is often never seen as support and exposure is needed to help them reach their fullest potential.

The academy is based in La Fillette, but caters to young people in Maracas Bay Village, Las Cuevas, La Fillette, Brasso Seco Village and Blanchisseuse. The academy has been in existence for over ten years and became a registered Non-Governmental Organisation (NGO) in February, 2015.

Some of the sporting activities that the academy has participated in over the years are netball, football, track and field and swimming. The academy members compete in 5K events.

Niriah Lewis, 17, and Shakuwr Charles, 15, are two girls in the academy that said the programme has helped them develop life skills.

However, Niriah is concerned that all the talent, especially in football, will go to waste.

Niriah, a former student of Blanchisseuse Secondary, said, "Children on the north coast are very talented in sports because that is what kind of brings all the communities together, sports especially football. The boys are so talented, but they just on the north coast and everything just dying there."

There is no doubt the quality of talent rural communities have produced in TT as national netballer Samantha Wallace (Toco), Olympic shot putter Cleopatra Borel (Mayaro) and javelin Olympic gold medal winner Keshorn Walcott (Toco) all grew up in the countryside.

Niriah’s mother Nikeisha Lewis, the founder of the academy, wants to create more avenues for the children to be recognised along the north coast.

"The organisation is a registered NGO that was formed to help eradicate some of the negativities we saw within the north coast. The north coast have a lot of talented young people and very gifted, sports wise and they could sing, but an avenue to showcase these things or do those things we did not have. We formed an organisation that could go into the communities and help these rural children get exposure outside doing different things."

There are four Primary Schools along the scenic north coast including Las Cuevas Primary School, La Fillette RC, Brasso Seco RC and Blanchisseuse Primary, while Blanchisseuse Secondary is the only Secondary School.

The academy is now targeting all the schools in the area.

"When we run the programme through the schools we actually getting more of the whole north coast to be involved in the things we are doing," Nikeisha said.

The academy is not just about sports, as Nikeisha explained that the academy offers lessons to students in standard four and five who are preparing for the Secondary Entrance Assessment (SEA) examinations. The academy also seeks employment for the young adults and members participate in environmental projects that include growing fruits and vegetables.

Niriah spoke about what she enjoys about the academy.

"I love sports...growing up since I was young with my mom (I was) always on the courts playing netball since I was five."

Niriah excelled in her academics at Blanchisseuse Secondary, receiving the prinicipal's trophy as the top performing student in her graduating class.

Niriah said she has developed leadership skills as a netball captain, saying the organisation before a match can be hectic. "I learned responsibility (because) I am the captain of the netball team and it is hard to get children to come when we have games...I will walk and go to each house and say 'we have game today,' so it is responsibility."

Charles, 15, of Belmont Secondary also enjoys playing netball at the academy and said the activities have helped in her development. "I learned discipline and responsibility in most of them."

The north coast is known for activities such as fishing, but Nikeisha encourages the young people that they don't have to limit themselves to fishing, gardening or selling bake and shark at Maracas Bay. "Who say you cannot do better or be better. Why you can't be the next Prime Minister? Every now and then we have one individual breaking those barriers (and) to us it is a big accomplishment...one of our netballers, I had her since High School or maybe Primary School and now she is doing her Masters. For us that is a great accomplishment, so I will highlight her when we have training, talk about what she is doing. It inspires the other netballers."

Nikeisha said Petra Murphy has set the benchmark for other people in the area.

"We are molding leaders. It is not just about sports alone, we recognise sports alone don't work, it can't work," Nikeisha said.

Financing the programme has been difficult. "It is very hard, it is challenging," Nikeisha said. Some of the programmes within the academy can't function at its highest level due to a lack of funds, but the members raise funds through donation sheets as the academy has no sponsors.

The North Coast Sports Academy will have their Annual Dinner on December 23.