Planting seeds for future Olympians!

May 5, 2016 / By Connect and Elevate Team / Leave a Comment

We were pleased with the outcome of the workshop. The feedback from the participants was extremely positive and grateful for our presence. Most of these coaches had never received formal coaching education so for them to be able to ask questions and tips of an Olympic coach meant the world to them. The children were full of life and potential. We weren’t able to bring any cameras and tablets to leave behind for the coaches to use in their training but that is something we want to provide next time we hold a workshop as a training tool.
One of the biggest realizations was the need for proper training equipment for the children. The majority of the kids came in their school attire and barefoot. The need to ensure they have proper training attire and gear in the future is paramount. All in all with a small budget we were able to touch close to 250 lives and we hope to have a bigger impact in future workshops.

Thank you, until next time!

We were pleased with the outcome of the workshop. The feedback from the participants was extremely positive and grateful for our presence. Most of these coaches had never received formal coaching education so for them to be able to ask questions and tips of an Olympic coach meant the world to them. The children were full of life and potential. We weren’t able to bring any cameras and tablets to leave behind for the coaches to use in their training but that is something we want to provide next time we hold a workshop as a training tool.
One of the biggest realizations was the need for proper training equipment for the children. The majority of the kids came in their school attire and barefoot. The need to ensure they have proper training attire and gear in the future is paramount. All in all with a small budget we were able to touch close to 250 lives and we hope to have a bigger impact in future workshops.

Thank you, until next time!

With the Rio Olympics coming up this summer, we wanted to spread the Olympic spirit to the children of Haiti. We secured the services of an elite training staff consisting of former USA Olympics Coach, Olympian, and Olympic medalist to assist in training the local coaches in Haiti who attended the clinic. Because we aren’t in Haiti with the athletes after the workshop it was paramount that we provided the local coaches with the tools and skills necessary to put together proper training programs for the athletes to ensure their long term success. , Having a highly qualified staff educating the coaches helps build the proper foundation for success.

Coach Dr. Ernest Gregoire is a hall of fame coach with over 40 years coaching elite athletes from youth level to the professional level. He has coached various major competitions such as 2000 Olympic Games USA Assistant Coach, Pan Am Games Coach, World Indoor Championships Head Coach, World University Games Assistant Coach, Goodwill Games Assistant Coach.

Mark Crear is a Hurdler with NCAA Championship Title in the 110-meter high hurdles. Two-time Olympic Medalist, reigning as the world’s No. 1 110-meter high hurdler three times (1995, 1998, 1999), becoming a Goodwill Games champion in 1998, a U.S. Outdoor national champion in 1994 and 1999, and a three-time World Grand Prix champion. 1996 Olympic Silver Medalist and 2000 Olympic Bronze Medal.

Pascale Delaunay is Haiti’s National Record holder in the women’s triple jump. She has represented Haiti at the Pan Am Games and CAC games.

The hugely successful inaugural Connect and Elevate: Active Minds, Active Bodies! Workshop was held on April 2-3 2016 in Haiti. We trained 29 local coaches and almost 200 children between the ages of 11-18. The two days workshop format consisted of morning Train the trainer coaching clinics, followed by hands-on application of the principals with the athletes. in the afternoon. We finished it off with a friendly competition. In addition to the training we provided the coaches and the children were able to experience a state of the art facility. with the support of the Haitian Track and Field federation(Fédération Haïtienne d’Athlétisme Amateur) we held the workshop at the new Olympic training center in Port-au-Prince. The Sport for Hope Centre features two large indoor practice halls, an indoor competition hall with a spectator capacity of 2,500, and a number of outdoor courts and pitches. In all, 14 Olympic sports practice at the Centre: football, rugby, athletics, volleyball, basketball, handball, tennis, judo, taekwondo, boxing, karate, badminton, table tennis and weightlifting. Our workshop was the first time these coaches and athletes were at the facility and used it.

Olympic medalist, Olympic Coach and National Record Holder volunteer to pass on the Olympic spirit to the youth of Haiti.

The coaching staff was only part of what is required to have a successful event. We want to thank the other volunteers that came along. Ralph Louissaint our photographer and translator. Dominique Louissaint our nurse lead for the medical staff she provided an intro to first aid and injury treatment. We also want to thank the local volunteers who helped with the food and water as well as timing and measuring during the competition

We want to thank Nike for donating t-shirts for the attendees. Accusplit provided stop watches for the workshop. The staff at Loma Linda Hospital supplied us with various First aid kits.

We were pleased with the outcome of the workshop. The feedback from the participants was extremely positive and grateful for our presence. Most of these coaches had never received formal coaching education so for them to be able to ask questions and tips of an Olympic coach meant the world to them. The children were full of life and potential. We weren’t able to bring any cameras and tablets to leave behind for the coaches to use in their training but that is something we want to provide next time we hold a workshop as a training tool.
One of the biggest realizations was the need for proper training equipment for the children. The majority of the kids came in their school attire and barefoot. The need to ensure they have proper training attire and gear in the future is paramount. All in all with a small budget we were able to touch close to 250 lives and we hope to have a bigger impact in future workshops.

Thank you, until next time!

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