THIS WEEK IN NACAC
23 November 2020
Past week in brief
Gender Leadership – Meet and Greet
On Saturday 21 November, the NACAC Gender Leadership Working Group convened a meeting with representatives of the Association’s member federations, starting at 10.00am AST.
The session was intended to allow all representatives to introduce themselves so that they could get to know each other.
Importantly, each representative was asked to indicate what are the primary expected achievements from involvement in the various seminars and workshops being organized by the Working Group.
Attendance topped at 39 participants. The USA and Canada, our two largest members were well represented, much to the delight of the rest of the participants.
Importantly, Cuban Olympic gold medalist of 1976, Maria Caridad Colon, was also among the attendees.
The discussions were extremely useful and informative, covering a wide range of topics and interests.
NACAC is confident that the Gender Leadership Working Group is already doing excellent work and will result in major changes in the way the sport of Athletics in the Area unfolds. For sure, women will definitely play a more important role in leadership of the sport and in NACAC, in the future, as a direct outcome of the work of the Gender Leadership Working Group.
President, Mike Sands and General Secretary, Keith Joseph, were on hand for the entire meeting. The two seized the opportunity to remind participants that the emphasis is on gender equity and that care must be taken to engage men and boys in the activities of the Working Group in order to prevent a lop-sided approach to the future of our sport.
NACAC women – World Athletics Global Conference
Several women from NACAC took time to participate in the World Athletics Global Conference during the past week.
Participants from the Area expressed the view that the sessions were particularly exciting and totally engaging. They thought that the theme, Inspiring Women Leaders in Athletics, was timely and left all participants eager to remain involved in the sport.
Stephanie Hightower and Donna Raynor were the selected women from NACAC who were invited to make presentations at the Conference.
NACAC President, Mike Sands, attended the Conference, lending support to the representatives from our Area.
Meetings with Member Federations
During the past week the NACAC leadership met with the Member Federations of Bermuda and Nicaragua.
In both cases the member federations expressed satisfaction with the work of NACAC, emphasising the significantly enhanced communications that the Area now receives from the leadership.
CANOC General Assembly
NACAC President, Mike Sands, received an invitation and attended the 18th annual General Assembly of the Caribbean Association of National Olympic Committees (CANOC) held virtually, on Wednesday 18 November 2020, as an observer.
At the Assembly there was an update on the status of the Inaugural Caribbean Games, originally scheduled for 2021. However, the impact of the COVID-19 pandemic has caused significant economic challenges and CANOC has responded positively to a request from host, Guadeloupe, for a postponement of the Games to 2022. Having been informed of the postponement NACAC Competitions Director, Michael Serralta, quickly examined the Calendar for 2022 and immediately submitted a suggested date of 13 – 17 June. This is consistent with what is happening around the World Athletics fraternity given the shifting that has been taking place consequent upon the several cancellations resulting from the COVID-29 pandemic.
CANOC will soon inform NACAC of the approved date.
The Assembly also confirmed that the Commonwealth Youth Games (CYG) originally scheduled for Trinidad and Tobago in August 2021, has been officially postponed. The Trinidad and Tobago Commonwealth Games Association and the Commonwealth Games Federation are in communication regarding a decision on the event.
THIS WEEK
Challenges for our Central American Members
We begin another week proud of our continued efforts at developing our sport in the Area, knowing that we are all committed to this process as one region.
Unfortunately, we are starting this week knowing that our friends from Honduras and Nicaragua have been the object of much devastation and loss of life that took place with the passage of hurricane Iota in the past week.
During the past week Isaac Vargas circulated the Technical Manual of the XXXI edition of the Major Central American Championship, scheduled for San José, Costa Rica, during the period, 27 – 30 December 2020.
NACAC was informed by Carlos Clemente, our website administrator and General Secretary of the El Salvador member federation that he communicated with Calixto Sierra, President of the Honduras Federation, via whatsapp. Calixto noted that the damage was mostly in the northern part of the country. The damage is extensive in that area.
Carlos Clemente also communicated with Douglas Gutierrez, the Technical Director of the Nicaragua Federation. The damage was near the country’s border with Honduras.
NACAC is seeking to establish contact directly with the presidents of the CADICA member countries affected to ascertain precisely how the most recent hurricane has impacted them, their families, their work and the pending competitions for which they have submitted bids.
As soon as we have any information we will circulate amongst our membership.
NACAC is particularly concerned for the peoples of both countries and continues to ask for the full support of our members across the Area and continued prayers.
This is a time and opportunity for great solidarity.
Glenville Jeffers – new NACAC Treasurer (Ag)
Subsequent to the resignation of Ephraim Serrette the NACAC Executive has selected Mr Glenville Jeffers of St Kitts and Nevis to fill the position of Treasurer (Ag), through to the next Congress scheduled for 2021.
Mr Jeffers has the distinction of being the youngest Director of the largest commercial house in the Federation of St Kitts and Nevis, Trading and Development Company (TDC), having served as Chief Accountant with the company for five years and manager of several of its departments before arriving at his current position.
He is well known in athletics circles throughout NACAC.
We welcome Glenville to the NACAC Executive and wish him well.
Athletes on NACAC Commissions
Consistent with the NACAC’s mandate and insistence on inclusion, the NACAC Athletes Commission has named its representatives to serve on other NACAC entities. The list is as follows:
Ms Kineke Alexander – Governance
Mr Allan Alaya – Competitions Commission
O’Dayne Richards – Constitution Review Working Group
Shelly-Ann Fraser-Pryce – Gender Leadership Working Group
Michael Frater – Medical and Anti-Doping Commission
Jeff Porter – Development Commission
Kineke Alexander, as the current Chair of the Athletes’ Commission, sits on the NACAC Council and actively participates in its meetings.
