The primary school volleyball competition has been going for two months and today the 12 best boys and girls teams from each district converged on the civic center for the national finals. It's an event not usually attended by much fanfare – or media, but today National Sports Coordinator Charlie Slusher told us primary school sports is a new focus for the Sports Council. He says he knows very well how important it can be in a child's formative years.
Charlie Slusher, National Sports Coordinator
"I think I am a living testament of the importance of sports in any
child's life, especially at this level. Probably because of sports I am basically here where I am today. Maybe I would have been under the ground or probably behind bars because I grew up in a rough neighbourhood and all the other stuff that comes along with it. So I am very passionate about this and the post that I have and I am very passionate about trying to get our kids to have a more positive alternative which is sports.
We want them to enjoy, especially what they are doing and at this level they might not know how much these activities will help them in their lives down the road but like I said, just encourage them to be a part of this process, to be competitive. I think it will make a difference in a child because if we don't start here then it is very hard to curve or to influence most of the college kids or the college youths. When they reach that age it is very difficult to instill positive influences in their lives so this is where we need to start and I am hoping that we can do much more for these kids at this level than we have done in the past."
At the end of the day, the south ruled as Toledo's Christian Academy won for the females and Stann Creek's St. Alphonsus R.C. won for the males.
