The Tribune

By RENALDO DORSETT

Sports Reporter

rdorsett@tribunrmedia.net

IN an effort to boost the development of gymnastics in the Bahamas, the Gymnastics Federation of the Bahamas hosted the “Federation Internationale de Gymnastique (FIG) Age Group Camp” over the Easter holiday weekend.

Visiting coaches Rick McCharles of Canada and Andres Llanos Gerardino of Colombia conducted the three-day clinic at the Nassau ‘Nastics Oakes Field Gym.

Two member clubs, Nassau ‘Nastics and the Bahamas Gymnastics Parent Booster Club, participated in the event which included physical ability testing, technical ability testing and routines.

Gerardino, a national team coach for Colombia who has led his country to six world championships, is now a member of FIG’s developmental programme who looks to target areas in South America and the Caribbean where the sport faces many challenges.

“It was a very beneficial clinic for both sides. One thing that was very surprising to me was the high level of talent that is present in this country. Many of the gymnasts were performing moves and routines more advanced than what we have experienced in many of the other developing countries we have visited, so for what they have the Bahamas is doing fairly well,” he said. “It was beneficial for us because you travel and host these different clinics with people from all over the world, you learn new ideas yourself and that is what it is all about. This exchange of information, we have been able to learn from the coaches here in the Bahamas because they are resourceful in the little that they have.”

He has been a coach for over 25 years, an FIG international judge and has achieved the FIG WAG Coaching Brevet. He has coached Colomiba at the 1995-97, 1999, 2001 and 2003 World Championships and also at the 1999 and 2003 Pan Am Games.

“You have got the talent, you have the coaches, but there needs to be a greater emphasis placed on the investment in the development of the sport. They need better facilities for training, more opportunities to travel to other places to compete and to learn. Getting out there among the rest of the gymnastics world and competing is the best way to improve. When we really made big steps forward in our national programme in Colombia, we suffered through a lot of early losses, but that is a part of bulding a programme,” Gerardino said. “The important thing is that you have talent and you have a will to learn. The Bahamas has both of these so all you need now is for the government to place a greater emphasis on the investment and development of the sport. I have no doubt it will grow.”

McCharles has over 35 years experience and has taught or coached in over 55 countries.

The editor of the prestigious gymnastics website www.GymnasticsCoaching.com, McCharles is also an FIG clinician for Olympic solidarity, FIG age group clinician and consultant for Cirque du Soleil.

Trevor Ramsey of Nassau ‘Nastics was supportive of the camp and future developmental initiatives. “We are somewhat isolated in the country as gymnasts from the rest of the global community so anytime we can have others come in and impart their knowledge on us it is beneficial to the sport and we welcome it,” he said. “It goes a long way in teaching our gymnasts improvement to their techniques and the little things like preparation, conditioning, anything that goes into being succesful at the craft. Hopefully this can create further opportunities for us as we look for the continued growth of the sport.”