YMCA staff joined athletes and coaches across various sporting disciplines from the 10th-13th of March to take part in a training seminar conducted by Northern Illinois University in collaboration with Ministry of Youth & Sports. YMCA Belize is a partner on the Coalition and helped to organize the training.

The group learned strategies for teaching critical life skills through sports. On March 13th a press conference with the Minister of Youth and Sports was held at the ITVET to introduce the media to the Belizean Youth Sport Coalition Project. Dr. Paul Wright, Professor, NIU shared these words that capture the intention of the training.

“A young person that might be struggling in school with discipline, but has learned how to develop discipline and persistence and effort on the court. How can the coach help them see and make those connections? So that this cannot just enhance their sport experience and make them a better player, but how can it help them in other parts of their lives and in the future. So that’s really the primary focus of what we are doing here that’s different”

The training left participants feeling inspired and encouraged that there can be a bright future for youth sport in Belize with commitment to implementing some of the training in their youth summer programs for 2014.