The Sunday News
Sports Reporter
THE International Association of Athletics Federation kids’ athletics lecturers’ course hosted by the National Association Athletics of Zimbabwe at Northlea High School got off the mark yesterday and ends today.The course which drew close to 100 participants mainly National Associations of Primary School Head officials with the developmental course targeting children aged between 7 and 12 years.
NAAZ president Tendai Tagara said the course was the first in Zimbabwe and was conducted at the instigation of the IAAF.
“We were supposed to have held the course last year, however, due to the AUSC Region 5 Games we postponed and decided that the beginning of the year would be ideal as it is the athletics season in schools,” he said.
Tagara said that the course equipped officials on knowledge of how to conduct a successful kids’ athletics programme that will lure more young athletes so as to develop their talent.
“Our objective is to retain as many kids as possible into athletics and if we develop their talent at this young age it is easier to keep track of their progress,” said Tagara.
Equipment worth $12 500 was distributed to all the country’s 10 provinces and comprised athletic imitation equipment such as vortex, hurdles, medicine ball, pole vault, cross hop, teens javelin, distance markers, relay batons, speed ladders, and target throwing balls made of soft rubbery material.
“IAAF compiled a study report that was meant to identify the reasons why young kids rarely participated in athletic programmes hence they came up with this initiative that will see young athletes also playing discus and javelin and other field events though they use imitation equipment suitable for them,” said Tagara.
He said the initiative was a national exercise with participants expected to impart lessons to other technical officials for the Kids Athletics Development Programme and in the process stimulating the development of sport at grassroot level.
“Bulawayo has officially become the home of athletics and so we have young participants from Ingubo Primary School in Old Lobengula who will be the first batch of young athletes that we will use in the inception of the programme,” he said.
Tagara said the target was to train at least 1 000 coaches by the end of the year and also increase the number of junior athletes who will eventually take up athletics on a professional level.
