WHERE HAVE THEY ALL GONE ?
Since the Athletics version of the 2008 bi-ennial Runga (Inter-Island Games) on Nov. 07-08, not much has happened in the way of on-going preparation for 2009 and after. There are several reasons for this.
The major international school examinations did not finish until Nov. 14. Most of our senior athletes are still at school, although an encouragingly increasing number are recent school-leavers. Thus they were busy thinking about and studying for their futures until after "Graduation" within their own school, mostly following those exams.
Subsequently a number have been "getting home" to their home islands in Kiribati or travelling overseas to go on holiday. Studying and taking external exams. for scholarships, arranging temporary employment or work experience, or just "having a break" - all are worthy distractions from regular training.
However, there are (after the 37th. World Cross-Country in Jordan in March) five other international Athletics Meetings in 2009, starting in July (8th. - 12th.) with the 6th. World Youth Championships in Bressasone, Italy - a beautiful Alpine setting ! - so those who are keen to travel need to prepare from NOW. (Unfortunately, as it always does, this clashes both with the annual Inter-School Meeting and also with Kiribati Independence celebrations !) If it is not too late for entry dates, our annual National Championships in May will be vital in establishing a competitive "pecking order" for later in the year. We will continue to offer training three times per week and a regular monthly Trials in a variety of events.
NO TRI-RIGGER ! - maybe a POSTAL COMPETITION !
Another problem, removing an incentive for training, is our inability to get to Nauru for the second running of the "Tri-Rigger Championships" (Kiribati, Nauru, and Marshall Islands) which started in 2007 in Kiribati. We could do it very expensively via Fiji and Brisbane, but not with a team. Similarly it is not possible to get direct from Majuro to Nauru. We have suggested having a "Postal Competition" and the results from our Runga Meetings have been sent to Nauru (as this year's hosts). They propose to hold their own competitive Meeting next weekend. However their senior athletes have also lost their incentive to compete in a "LIVE" head-to-head with our athletes - understandably thinking that "it will not be the same" ! So the Nauru Meeting will feature their junior athletes who are just returning from participating in the Pacific School Games.
DISAPPEARING COACHES !
After the KAA AGM back in March, we had up to five coaches assisting at all training sessions. Apart from coming together to assist at the Runga Meetings, the majority of them have "found other priorities". This is unfortunate from two points of view. A number of the coaches each had a small group of athletes who trained regularly with them - but no coach soon means no athletes. Also it breaks the habit of regular training which we have been trying to establish as "NORMAL" for the last seven or eight years ! The loss of the Tri-Rigger has also removed a target for coaches and uncertainty about Tri-Rigger has resulted in poor attendance at training since before Beijing.
This fact also calls into question the value of sending people on expensive Coaching Courses overseas, if their skills and knowledge are not constantly being cascaded to the athletes and to other coaches. Of course everyone needs/deserves a holiday at some point. It is to be hoped that this holiday does not last until March 2009 !
REGULAR TRAINING RE-COMMENCES THURSDAY DEC.11th.
There will only be a SHORT break for Christmas-New Year !!
OTHER DATES TO PREPARE FOR !
Following the WYC, there will be:-
August 05 - 09. Oceania AA Grand Prix on Gold Coast (with Melanesian Champs.)
August 15 - 23. 12th. IAAF World Championships in Berlin. (With new-style Marathon !)
Sept. 21 - Oct. 02. 8th. Pacific Mini Games in Rarotonga, Cook Islands.
December 11 - 12. Micronesian Championships in Palau - if we can get US visas ! - and a flight !
Last Modified on 09/12/2008 11:09