The Barbados Olympic Association (BOA) has reaffirmed its commitment to elevating coaching standards and sports leadership on the island through internationally recognised certification and robust local development programmes.
At the heart of this drive is the National Olympic Academy’s Sports Administration Course and the National Coaching Certification Programme (NCCP) Level 1, both of which recently celebrated their latest cohort of graduates during a ceremony at the Barbados Olympic Association’s headquarters, Wildey on Wednesday evening.
“This is a programme that we’ve had for a number of years now, but from last year we’ve ensured that persons now have certified status,” explained Janelle Denny, Director of the National Olympic Academy. “And as that is an internationally recognised certification, seeing that we are in collaboration with the Coaching Association of Canada, it holds more weight.”
The initiative forms a key part of the Barbados Coaching Pathway Framework, designed to create a unified national standard in sports education. “It is part of the Barbados Coaching Pathway Framework that we want to have all coaches, teachers, and anyone involved in sport be part of… so that everyone is exposed to the same information, which obviously would be to the benefit of the athlete,” Denny added.
A recent visit by Canadian facilitator Wayne Parro helped train local learning facilitators, establishing a ‘train-the-trainer’ model that is expected to support the programme’s sustainability. “The whole aspect of it is a multi-sport concept…we are able to expose more people to the information,” she noted.
Much of this progress has been made possible through funding from Olympic Solidarity. “The BOA and the National Olympic Academy are extremely grateful to Olympic Solidarity for providing the funding that allows us to offer this training,” Denny said.
Among the graduates were several standout figures in local sport who spoke of the course’s impact on their personal and professional development.
Renaldo Gilkes, head coach of Kickstart Rush and a former Barbados footballer, called the certification a milestone in his journey. “Being an athlete initially, then I made the transition into coaching and I’m very inspired and thrilled to be going in the direction of sports administration,” he said. “We need enthusiastic persons who are not just technical, but also who have the foresight and the vision to transform the sport.”
Modules on governance, budgeting, and the Olympic movement left a lasting impression. “Those are key elements in understanding what sports could do for a country,” he reflected, urging others passionate about sports policy and development to take part in similar training.
For Ronald Als, owner of ZenLife Fitness Boxing Club, the course was a necessary first step toward reviving boxing in Barbados. “Boxing needs to be revived and done better than it ever has been,” he said. “And I felt like I’d waited long enough for anybody to do it. So I needed to be the person to do it—and in order to do that effectively, I needed to earn the tools.”
Als envisions a future where boxing becomes a viable career path, not only for athletes but for everyone involved — from commentators to promoters. “It’s bringing employment to a whole other sector of Barbados… to me, it looks like the Caribbean version of what’s currently transpiring in Saudi Arabia’s boxing arena.”
Andrea Thompson, a former national volleyball player and current IFBB Elite Pro Bikini Athlete, praised the course for supporting her transition into coaching. “Learning is continuous, and one should always strive to make sure they’re better than they were yesterday. To me, that is legacy.” she said. Already certified at Level 1, her goal is to grow into a full-time coaching role. “Continuing to head into fully being a coach in the coaching realm,” she said. “Just to be able to give good and solid advice. Be a zoning board, be a mentor, be someone that they can look up to for advice.”
As the BOA celebrates its 70th anniversary, several more training sessions are scheduled for the remainder of the year, including additional NCCP Level 1 and Level 2 courses and a new intake for the Sports Administration Course in September.
