Kids Athletics Festival 2025
On Saturday 10 May 2025, children from several parts of St Vincent and the Grenadines will come together at the Sir Vincent Beache Stadium at Diamond, where they will join the rest of the international community in celebrating World Kids Athletics Day 2025.
While the actual World Athletics Day is always 7 May, here in St Vincent and the Grenadines we have been celebrating it on the same morning of our annual Wendell Hercules National Championships, in the month of May. This year, however, we are having the Kids Athletics Festival at which we celebrate World Athletics Day as a stand-alone event on 10 May.
Origins
In 2002, the then International Association of Athletics Federations (IAAF), now officially re-branded as World Athletics (WA), established the Kids In Athletics (KIA) Programme. According to World Athletics,
‘The vision behind Kids’ Athletics is the belief that every child is born to move, to play, to explore. No matter where they are in the world, no matter their individual circumstances, it’s their fundamental right to have access to sport’.
The intention was that World Athletics had set itself the goal of becoming the leading sport for individuals across the globe. Getting children at the grassroots level into the sport is founded on teaching them the basic components – Run, Jump, Throw. Additionally, following general pedagogy, learning is best achieved when children are taught their subject areas in a manner that makes it fun. So it is that World Athletics introduced Kids Athletics as having children learn the FUNdamentals of the sport – Run, Jump, Throw.
World Athletics re-branded its KIA programme into Kids Athletics (KA) in 2021, noting that
‘Through the expanded and redesigned Kids’ Athletics programme, World Athletics aims to provide resources to countries around the world that will help local organisations to teach children how to move, inspire them to move more and to move together.
‘The programme has been redeveloped to incorporate a wider age range (between four and 14) and is structured over three levels, teaching both fundamental and athletics specific skills through a range of activities designed to maximise fun and participation.’
KA in St Vincent and the Grenadines
Some may recall that initially, the late Justin Douglas, was assigned responsibility for the development and expansion of KIA in St Vincent and the Grenadines. He had introduced the programmes in several schools and organised numerous national KIA competitions, most of which were won by the Biabou Methodist School, where one teacher had generated immense interest amongst the children.
While KIA Kits, containing appropriate equipment, were bought by Team Athletics St Vincent and the Grenadines (TASVG) and placed strategically in identified zones, at the Biabou Methodist school, the teacher encouraged the children to be innovative, creating equipment out of the materials available to them.
Following the comprehensive revamping of KIA to KA, our own Chester Morgan was designated as the Master Course Conductor for the latter programme across the entire North American, Central American and Caribbean member federations under the institution, NACAC Athletics.
Kelisha Yorke, a teacher at the CW Prescod Primary in Kingstown, was trained at the regional level to organise and manage the KA programme across St Vincent and the Grenadines, serving as the TASVG National KA Co-ordinator. She has been responsible for the organisation of the last three (3) editions of the TASVG National Kids Athletics Festival.
In her report on the KA Activities for 2025, Kelisha wrote,
the ‘Kids’ Athletics programme was once again a success as it benefited children from around the country in a free and safe space for them to be able to reap the benefits that comes along with playing, moving, and exploring within their environment. The programme continues to reach children within the age group of 4-14 years by providing the fundamentals skills within athletics.
The programme commenced its training within the schools in March. Children learnt the skills through the activities practised in a fun way. In April, the Physical Education teachers in the primary schools were able to complete training on the 30 April and were eager to participate in the Kids’ Athletics Festival.
A total of eleven (11) coaches would have worked within eight (8) schools and three (3) communities with a focus on getting the children moving and having fun using the KA cards.
On 4 May we held our Kids’ Athletics festival with a total of 277 students coming from both mainland and Grenadines schools, reflecting an increase in participation. Moreover, we had nine (9) stations, and the activities were done in a rotational style. We would have concluded the event with a shuttle relay in colours which was more competitive, and the participants enjoyed it. The level of participation, support and encouragement given by parents was commendable. The Ministry of Education also gave permission for schools to participate, a feature that augurs well for the future.’
KA 2025 in SVG
This year the KA programme utilises the theme: ‘Let the children go, grow and glow in sports’.
It is about empowering and strengthening Vincentian children and youths through a comprehensive grassroots athletics programme.
According to the programme’s National Coordinator, ‘Activities will emphasize fun, skill development, and teamwork through running, jumping, and throwing exercises. This is critical for the sustainability of the sport and will leverage local schools, community centres, and open spaces. Key features include professional coaching, access to sports equipment, and opportunities to participate in community events such as sports days and fitness workshops.’
The objectives for 2025 include:
- To encourage regular physical activities and a healthy lifestyle among children aged 4-14.
- To develop fundamental movement skills and a love for sports.
- To foster and promote social inclusion and teamwork among children of diverse backgrounds.
- To equip coaches with the tools to engage children effectively in sports activities.
- To engage communities in supporting youth development through sports.
This year’s festival in St Vincent and the Grenadines will feature over 500 children, the largest number since the revised KA programme started.
There is already much evidence that KA has generated greater interest in the sport of athletics across the entire country. This has been revealed in increased participation at the level of both the annual Inter Primary Schools Athletics Championships and Inter Secondary Schools Athletics Championships over the past three years.
The long-term plan is to have KA integrated into the Physical Education and Sport programmes in every school in St Vincent and the Grenadines as well as in every community. This approach could yield immense benefits for the sport of athletics across all parts of our country.
It should also be noted, however, that the fundamentals of running, jumping and throwing, are essential to a wide variety of sport disciplines well beyond the remit of athletics. Children who get involved in Kam could easily transition to their sport of choice later on as the move to maturity, confident that they have covered the basics. A visit to the stadium at Diamond between 10:00am and 1:00pm on 10 May, would serve as an inspiration to parents, their children, teachers and community leaders.
