THIS WEEK IN NACAC
7 December 2020
Looking back on NACAC in 2020
2020 has been a very challenging year for NACAC. The COVID-19 pandemic surfaced and severely impacted our planned programme of activities and those of all of our members. But despite it all, we have been able to systematically achieve significant advances that serve as an important foundation on which to enhance our global status.
In this edition of our weekly Bulletin, we take time to highlight our achievements.
NACAC Office
14 January 2020 remains a red-letter day for NACAC as it marked the official opening of the new headquarters of the organization subsequent to Michael Sands ascendancy to the presidency of the organization in July of the previous year. Among those in hand for the momentous occasion were, His Excellency, Cornelius A. Smith, Governor General of The Commonwealth of The Bahamas ,World Athletics President, Lord Sebastian Coe, NACAC Area President, and NACAC Executive members and Member Federation President of the Turks and Caicos Islands, Edith Skippings.
The office is currently staffed by Ms Renee Davis and Nikita Thompson.
Commissions and Working Groups
NACAC, taking the lead of World Athletics, established five Commissions and three Working Groups, all of which have been eager fulfilling their respective mandates. The Commissions and Working Groups and their respective Chairpersons are:
Athletes Commission – Kineke Alexander (VIN)
Competitions Commission – Garth Gayle (JAM)
Development Commission – John-Paul Clarke (CAY)
Governance Commission – Ephraim Serrette (TTO)
Medical and Anti-Doping Commission – Dr Adrian Lorde (BAR)
Constitution Review Working Group – Robert Hersh (USA)
Gender Leadership Working Group – Donna Raynor
Sports Journalists Working Group – Kwame Lawrence (TTO)
Athletes
The athletes Commission has be in a state of reorganization and has established its Terms of Reference for the work ahead. Among its current membership is World and Olympic Champion, Shelley-Ann Fraser-Pryce. NACAC Council Member, Cydonie Mothersill is currently serving as a mentor to the Commission. An athletes survey is currently being conducted amongst member federations in order to facilitate the creation of a comprehensive NACAC athletes’ database.
Competitions
NACAC Competitions Director, Michael Serralta, has had his hands full working with the Competitions Commission to make continuous revision of the Competitions Calendar during 2020. In the end, the records reveal:
Of a total of 51 scheduled events, only 11 were celebrated with the 12, the CADICA Championships, currently being celebrated – 28/28 December 2020. Of the six scheduled World Continental Tour events, only one was celebrated, the Drake Oval Showcase.
Of course, the annual Carifta Games, scheduled for Bermuda, was postponed to 2021. Despite what may have been stated otherwise, NACAC has not yet made any decision regarding the Carifta Games of 2021. Indeed, NACAC has currently circulated a survey amongst the Carifta Family member federations. This survey examines the options of member federations regarding the Carifta Games of 2021. We are urgently reminding member federations to urgently respond to our survey. We need to make a final decision early in the new year.
Armed with optimism the Competitions Commission is hopeful that its planned schedule for 2021 will experience more favourable conditions
Efforts are being made to introduce a NACAC New Life Invitational in 2021.
Development
NACAC organised and hosted hundreds of individuals in an online Pre-Level #1 Continuing Coaches Education Programme (CCEP) and an Apprentice TOECS programme.
Work is well advanced on the development of the following:
NACAC Administrators Pathway
NACAC Athletes Pathway
NACAC Coaches Pathway
NACAC Technical Officials Pathway
Governance
The focus of this Commission all year has been on the work of the Constitution Review Working Group.
Robert Hersh and Abby Hoffman have been remarkably important to the NACAC constitution review process. The Working Group as conducted several sessions with one more pending for early January 2021, following which the completed document will be submitted to the NACAC Council for review, then on to the general membership before being brought before NACAC Congress for final approval.
NACAC continues to laud the respective member federations that have conducted elective general assemblies in accordance with their constitutions and submitted the names of their new executive members to the Office for reviewing our directory.
Medical and Anti-Doping
The first order of business of the established Commission here was to pull together an appropriate response to the COVID-19’s impact of athletics. The membership pulled together the protocols and guidelines of several members and that of World Athletics and created an advisory package for NACAC members.
Looking ahead the Commission addressed:
The 2021 List of Prohibited Substances and Methods released by WADA
The new World Anti-Doping Code in force 1 January 2021
The WADA revised Policy for the Acceptance of New World Anti-Doping Code Signatories
The WADA updated COVID-19 testing guidance for ADOs
Gender Leadership
The Gender Leadership Commission has established its Vision and Mission statements.
The organisation convened a three-part Workshop that was not only very well attended but proved to be a significant boost to interest in the organisation and the future.
The Working Group closed the year with a meeting that brought together 34 participants, all of whom shared their personal stories that served as a form of bonding amongst the fraternity that also set the stage for the planning of activities going forward.
Telling the NACAC Stories
The primary focus of the NACAC Sports Journalists Working Group is the telling of the NACAC story. Already the members of this group have committed to the formulation of its terms of reference and a plan of action going forward that includes:
A webinar to discuss ways in which Member Federations, through their public relations personnel, can work together with the media to improve the coverage of athletics in the NACAC region.
Production of a document that would serve as the blueprint for media facilities at all NACAC competitions.
Other activities
The NACAC leadership continues to pursue discussions with both World Athletics and the Qatar member federation regarding the promised synthetic tracks for Area members that have not yet had the benefit of one. This will continue into 2021.
NACAC has withdrawn from APA, being mindful that the latter organisation is not a member of World Athletics and has no legal basis on which to organise track and field competitions without the approval of either of the two Area Associations and Member Federations.
NACAC leadership has been engaged in one-on-one meetings with member federations that will constitute an integral part of the work plan throughout the term of office of the Council.
NACAC has also committed to quickly responding to issues arising within member federations that have been brought to its attention.
This Week in NACAC is a weekly bulletin updating all of NACAC on developments taking place in the Area. Going forward we would certainly wish to receive more updates from our member federations. The sharing of this is particularly important if we are to reap the benefits of each other’s experiences.
There are weekly meetings of Michael Sands, Michael Serralta and Keith Joseph, to monitor and evaluate developments in respect of the competitions calendar of NACAC. This allows the leadership to be ahead of the game regarding any challenges that may emerge and to readily address solutions wherever possible.
The NACAC Executive has been meeting monthly and there have been two meetings of the Council.
Monthly Information Sessions have become something of a fixture during the year. President Sands has used these sessions to update the membership on his several activities in his capacity as Area President, including World Athletics Council meetings and the meetings held with World Athletics President and Area Association presidents.
Work has been on-going regarding initiatives to assist with the development of a marketing plan and attendant strategies. Thus far much of the discussions have been with Panam Sports which is procuring equipment to be able to enhance the capabilities regarding sort coverage in the Americas using its Panam Sports Channel. Overtures have also been made to the USATF and Athletics Canada for discussions in respect of the proposed marketing plan.
Looking ahead to 2021
NACAC is a strong athletics power and every effort has been made in 2020 to maintain that dominance. In 2021, NACAC will retain its commitment to the development of the entire Area without prejudice to any single member federation or segment of our sport.
Our members can rest assured that the Council remains at your service.
Let us all, in 2021, continue to strive after excellence in all that we do to advance the cause of our athletes, the real and only reason that wea re all involved in the world’s leading sport for individuals.
