Inside the Bird's Nest (Issue 8)

INSIDE THE BIRD’S NEST 2/5/2014 Issue 8

Sport Cave Hill (SCH) @SCH_Blackbirds

Inside the BIRD’S NEST

ONE FLIES, ALL SOAR IN THIS ISSUE

There was no stopping the former Junior Caribbean Time Trial Cycling Champion, Russell Elcock, in the opening races of the Barbados Cycling Union’s (BCU), as he got his local 2014 cycling campaign off to a solid start.

In one of his tougher races, Elcock registered his first victory in the Don Stoute Memorial on January in the picturesque parish of St. Philip. “I was extremely happy for the win” he said. “To take the first race of the year is a very good start to the season and it has increased my confidence for the coming year. I was up against Philip Clarke who was a former Caribbean Elite Champion so it wasn’t the easiest of wins. Both of us broke away from the main group by over 5 minutes so it was a straight battle between me and him.” Although Elcock did not expect to beat his competition, his intense training programme proved its worth as he got the better of Clarke in the final leg of the race.

The 20 year old Management student was in action again the following weekend in the BCU’s Circuit Race where he faced his main rival Darren Matthews. Despite a relentless Matthews being a thorn in Elcock’s side, the young cyclist was able to maintain his form and composure to triumph in an exhilarating sprint finish.

With these two victories in the bag, Elcock now refocuses on training as he is expected

to participate in the 2014 Commonwealth Games in July. The Games will be held in Glasgow, Scotland. (NR)

Jacobs Leads CCC Captain Steven Jacobs ensured that the Combined Colleges and Campuses (CCC) squad started their 2014 Nagico WICB Super 50 campaign in Trinidad & Tobago on a positive note, with a dominant performance against the Leewards. The Guyanese off‐spinning all rounder helped his side to a victory in their opening match on Saturday at the Queens Park Oval and hopes to continue his winning ways when the squad takes on Barbados and Trinidad & Tobago to close out the preliminary round. CCC defeated the Leewards by 160 runs.

After winning the toss and electing to bat, CCC posted a competitive score of 240 all out from their 50 overs. Athony Alleyne top scored for the college boys with a knock of 54. The squad then took to the field and restricted the Leewards to 80 all out in just 24.5 overs.

CCC team: Steven Jacobs (captain), Anthony Alleyne, Ryan Austin, Kyle Corbin, Akeem Dewar, Kavem Hodge, Kyle Mayers, Kristopher Ramsaran, Wayne Morgan, Shacaya Thomas, Raymon Reifer, Floyd Reifer (Player/Coach), Chadwick Walton, Kesrick Williams, Steven Leslie (manager), and Corey Collymore (Assistant Coach). (NR)

UWI Cave Hill Footballers camp out in preparation for the 2014 season Page 2

Outstanding track athlete Rivaldo Leacock puts down

his track shoes to taste sports administration Page 4

Advertise with the Bird’s Nest

Double Victory for Elcock

INSIDE THE BIRD’S NEST | Issue 8 2/5/2014 2


PHOTOS

Barbados Davis Cup Team (Seanon Williams first from right).

Russell Elcock celebrating one of his victories.

ATHLETE’S CORNER

Russell Elcock (born December 6, 1993) is a Barbadian semi‐professional road cyclist who started cycling in 2006 at the age of 12 and has several National and Caribbean Championship titles under his belt from 2008 to 2013.

A former Queen’s College student, Elcock now pursues his tertiary education at the University of the West Indies Cave Hill, where he studies Management with Psychology.

Elcock is expected to participate in the 2014 Commonwealth Games in Glasgow, Scotland.

NOTICES

Volunteers: students interested in volunteering as a journalist, videographer, statistician or tournament assistant should email [email protected].

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Ballers Kick into High Gear

Preparations for the BFA Division 1 Football season have gotten underway and the UWI Blackbirds Football Team has approached this season with a manner reminiscent of those witnessed in clubs found in the top European leagues. In an effort to build a strong cohesive unit, the Blackbirds were nested in Frank Worrell Hall of residence in early January in a camp over two weekends. The camp was comprised of 36 males, 4 females as well as the coaching and management staff. It was indeed a multi‐dimensional camp and consisted of elements such as strength and conditioning, video and blackboard sessions, various football presentations and Technical Training twice daily, designed to improve ability and help the players to perform better under the system of play the coaches have identified.

With this year’s season labeled as the most competitive one in recent years, the Blackbirds understand the need to be as professional and efficient as they possibly can, so as to ensure promotion into the BFA Premier League. The team has been a consistent performer over the past few seasons since it gained promotion into Division 1. However, it has regularly fallen painfully short at the final hurdle, having to settle for a top‐five finish. However, these encouraging signs have not gone unnoticed by the Barbadian football public and as a result, a number of high‐profile players have joined the ranks and have made competition for places even fiercer than ever before.

Numerous strides were made upon completion of the camp. It provided a fantastic avenue for the coaches to assess

new Blackbird talent. In addition, it improved team spirit and influenced a more cohesive system of management and coaching, and was a perfect aid in the attempt to improve the punctuality issues that have plagued the squad over the years. The general work ethic of the team improved and any lingering issues that may have been had prior to it were ironed out, bringing everyone in the family closer together.

Although limited in time, the camp has gone a long way in the goal of achieving Premiership status in the island’s local league and although the season promises to be a long and challenging one, the UWI Blackbirds Football are certainly ready to handle whatever comes their way. (SL)

Davis Cup Win for Williams

Captain of the UWI Blackbirds Tennis Team, Seanon Williams, was elated over the weekend when he and his teammates pulled off a major upset in Davis Cup Tennis, defeating Chile in Americas Group II action at the National Tennis Centre.

Although Williams was sidelined with an injury, he rallied around former Blackbirds team mate Russell Moseley, Haydn Lewis and Barbados’ number 1 player, Darian King.

King, who achieved a career high ATP ranking of 384 did not disappoint his home crowd, exhibiting near perfect tennis to lead Barbadian team to a 3‐2 victory over the stunned Chileans. (NR)

UWI Football session



About the Caribbean RADO

The Caribbean Regional Anti‐Doping Organization (Caribbean RADO) was established in November 2005 to act as the centralized hub for anti‐doping services for its 15 member countries which include, Antigua & Barbuda, Aruba, The Bahamas, Barbados, the British Virgin Islands, Cayman Islands, Dominica, Grenada, Guyana, St. Kitts & Nevis, St. Lucia, St. Vincent & the Grenadines, Suriname, Trinidad & Tobago, and the Turks & Caicos Islands.

Its headquarters are strategically located at the Barbados Olympic Centre which recognizes the critical partnership between Government through its Ministry of Youth, Family, Culture & Sports, the NOC and the RADO, as enshrined in the World Anti‐Doping Code.

It should be noted that RADOs, as a construct, were created to group countries in a given geographical space as a cost‐effective measure to disseminate information and to offer services within that space. The Caribbean RADO is one of fifteen RADOs and is considered one of the strongest globally.

The Caribbean RADO recognizes that:

Sport is a critical component of the social, economic and political development of its member countries.

Sport is effective and ethical when practiced free of drugs or doping in a spirit of fair play and mutual respect for all involved.

Coordination, cohesion and communication among all stakeholders in member countries underpin effective anti‐doping campaigns and doping control.

The Olympic values are enshrined in the World Anti‐Doping Code and undergird the mandate of the RADO.

The Board of Directors of the Caribbean RADO meets annually to review the organization’s development, its finances, its previous commitments and its future activities, and assesses the status of anti‐

doping activities in each member country. The daily operations and interface with member countries is lead by one staff member, the Executive Director.

Services Offered to Member Countries

The role of Caribbean RADO is to assist National Olympic Committees (NOCs), National Anti‐Doping Organizations (NADOs), and national sport federations, through the designated Board member to become compliant with the World Anti‐Doping Code in establishing Anti‐Doping Rules; a Therapeutic Use Exemption Committee; Results Management Committee; In‐and‐Out‐of‐Competition Testing Program; an Appeals Panel; developing and implementing Education Programs and athlete outreach; and to complete and update various data gathering tools to determine the level of compliance per country. The Caribbean RADO also manages a vibrant doping control programme and acts as the Sample Collection Authority for various international Sport Federations.

The Caribbean RADO also acts as a conduit for countries that wish to access funding from donors, such as UNESCO, through its International Convention against Doping in Sport and to apply for the UNESCO Voluntary Fund.

Caribbean RADO Partners

The Caribbean RADO has established partnerships with internationally recognized organizations. Such partnerships lend greater credibility to our mandate and help to accelerate the effort region‐wide. Our partners include:‐

World Anti‐Doping Agency (WADA)

United States Anti‐Doping Agency (USADA)

United Kingdom Anti‐Doping (UKAD)

Canadian Centre for Ethics in Sports (CCES)

International Cricket Council (ICC)

International Association of Athletic Federations (IAAF)

International Triathlon Union (ITU)

International Rugby Board (IRB)

International Boxing Association (AIBA)

University of the West Indies (UWI)

West Indies Cricket Board (WICB)

There are multiple benefits to be derived from the services offered by the Caribbean RADO among them technical, educational and administrative. In this series, we will explore some of those benefits to student athletes and examine how Caribbean RADO promotes the spirit of playing true and spreads awareness on anti‐doping.

www.caribbeanrado.com

Caribbean Regional Anti‐Doping Organization, Barbados Olympic Centre, Garfield Sobers Complex. Wildey, St. Michael, BB15094 Barbados

Phone: (246) 426‐7859 (Direct) Phone: (246) 429‐1998 (BOA) Fax: (246) 271‐0544 Email: [email protected]



Dream Job for a Day Last year’s U17 400mH CARIFTA gold medalist Rivaldo Leacock swapped his track shoes for office stationery last month during Youth Appreciation Week, when he visited the Academy of Sport Cave Hill to delve into the world of sports management/administration through an opportunity presented by the Opportunist Club of Barbados North (OCBN).

The OCBN hosts the week annually and requires members of the Junior Opportunist Club to identify their career choice and participate in a programme titled “Dream Job for a Day”. The 15 year old Lester Vaughn Secondary School student grabbed the opportunity with much enthusiasm, with his keen interest in sports.

During his one‐day stint, Leacock, under the guidance of Academy staff Aundrea Wharton and Veronica Jones among others, was introduced to basic office surroundings, office etiquette and a broad look into the day to day operations of the Academy. He also received firsthand experience in website maintenance for sports sites.

Rivaldo intends to use the opportunity as a stepping stone in his development as he works towards becoming a sports administrator. (NR)

UPCOMING EVENTS

BNB Interclub Tennis • Feb ‐ May

BNA Netball League 1 • Mar ‐ Jun

BABA Women’s Basketball League • Feb ‐ Jul

BTTA Table Tennis Interclub Champs • Mar‐Jul

Regional 1st Class Cricket • Jan ‐ May

BFA Football League • Feb ‐ Jun

FOR MORE INFORMATION

Visit Sport Cave Hill’s website or fanpage

Scrimfest Flicks Off The seventh edition of the UWI Scrimfest Hockey Championships got underway yesterday evening at the UWI’s Astro Turf much to the entertainment of Barbadian Hockey enthusiasts. The tournament is held on a seven‐a‐side basis and has made tremendous strides throughout the years, providing an avenue for some of the best hockey talents on campus, and the island, to showcase their skills in front of an appreciative crowd.

In recent years, a number of players have emerged outstandingly from the Championships and used the experience gathered as a stepping‐stone on their quest to national honours. UWI Blackbirds Hockey Team representatives Kris Holder and Justin Catlin are two such individuals who have been involved in the tournament since its inception and both have gone on to represent the island with distinction at both Junior and Senior levels. Come out and support the 2014 UWI Scrimfest Hockey Championships where fast‐paced, end to end quality hockey will be on show.

The competition will be held on Tuesdays, Wednesdays and Fridays throughout February.

The outreach initiative also extends into the summer where the Academy hosts a summer camp. Responses to this camp have been very favorable over the years and continues to gather interest within the community and also, across Barbados. (SL)

Handball Now Offered

Exciting, Invigorating and Fast‐paced! These are just a handful of words that can be utilised to describe one of the newest sports to the region. You may have seen it on television during the Olympic Games and was captivated by the energetic and high‐intensity nature of the sport and wondered how you could get yourself involved. Students need not look any further, as Handball has finally made its way to Cave Hill!

PHOTOS

Rivaldo Leacock with Academy Staff

Scrimfest hockey action

Handball is a special sport, given the various associated components. It is seen as an amalgamation of different sports and draws on essential features of these sports. It calls for catching, jumping, running and off‐the‐ball movement which are usually found in sports such as Netball, Basketball, Volleyball and Football. The fast‐paced game is played by both males and females.

The main driving force behind the emergence of handball here at Cave Hill is a young man by the name of Alex Greenidge. Greenidge, a student of the campus and current President of the Barbados Handball Federation, has displayed a passion to see the sport take flight and has been rewarded as such by the response he has received from the student body. Greenidge is ably assisted by certified Handball Coach Samuel Payne, and together, they have forged a strong partnership that has seen the number of participants grow steadily over the past year.

Handball continues to provide another avenue to students to come and showcase their talents. With the increase in popularity and number of players, surely it will only be a matter of time before a strong UWI Cave Hill presence draws the national colours of the Barbados Handball Team. (SL)

CREDITS

Publisher/Editor in Chief: Nevin Roach

Editors: Academy of Sport Cave Hill Staff, Amanda Montague, Ronnie Chandler

Writers: Shane Lewis, Nevin Roach, Caribbean RADO

Inside the BIRD’S NEST

Academy of Sport Cave Hill The University of the West Indies

Cave Hill Campus Bridgetown, Barbados

Email:[email protected] Web: www.cavehill.uwi.edu/sport

Documents

Inside the Bird's Nest (Issue 8)