Basseterre, St. Kitts, January 15, 2016 (SKNIS): Student athletes who record outstanding results in 2016 will have their accomplishments celebrated by Government officials, friends, family and other stakeholders at the end of the year.
The Department of Sports in St. Kitts has announced plans to revive the Junior Sports Excellence Awards which has been dormant for a number of years. Director of Sports, Anthony Wiltshire, said that the ceremony will provide a fitting conclusion to the sporting calendar.
“Something must be there for them to look up to and we are saying that the sports excellence awards gives them that feeling of accomplishment,” Mr. Wiltshire said, noting that the performance of elite athletes should serve to motivate team members and younger persons not yet exposed or fully exposed to a sport.
He compared it to the competition often exhibited by students trying to achieve the top grades among their peers.
“This (the award ceremony) we think will lay the foundation for these young athletes who want to excel,” Wiltshire stated, suggesting that athletes will be motivated to push themselves to achieve even more.
Director Wiltshire expects that greater participation will lead to persons having a healthier lifestyle as the students are positively engaged and are active outdoors, instead of sitting or laying down indoors on their phones, laptops, tablets or other hand held devices.