The latest beneficiary of such financial assistance is the St Kitts-Nevis Football Association (SKNFA) whose Male Under 20 National Team will be participating in the Caribbean Football Union’s (CFU) World Cup Qualifiers in Curacao on 26th October, 2016. Prior to travelling to Curacao, the team will be engaged in a 5-day training camp in St Marten from Wednesday 12th to Tuesday 18th October, 2016.

The SKNOC’s contribution to the team’s preparation and participation for this competition is in the tune of One Hundred Thousand Eastern Caribbean Dollars (ECD $100,000.00) which is being utilised in the purchase of airline tickets, accommodation, meals, ground transportation, uniform and other associated expenses of the team.

The entire SKNOC’s Executive extends best wishes to the SKNFA’s Male Under 20 National Team in their quest to win the tournament in Curacao and advance to the next qualifying competition.

Similar assistance has been rendered to the senior Beach Volleyball teams consisting of six players (4 males and 2 females) which recently returned to the Federation following a highly successful two-week training camp in the United States and Mexico. The players returned enthused having been exposed to a newer approach to the mechanics in the sport of Beach Volleyball.

Commenting on the assistance, Vice-President of the SKNOC, Mr Dennis Knight said, “The SKNOC continues to invest significantly in the development of sport in St Kitts and Nevis through the implementation of a wide range of Programs that benefit athletes, coaches and other key stakeholders. We remain very optimistic that our goal will materialise during this upcoming quadrennial”.

Speaking on the occasion of an official Press Conference organised on Friday by the St. Kitts-Nevis Football Association (SKNFA) to celebrate this achievement, Bridgewater said, “This is such an emotive day for Team SKN; we have talked about an historical milestone and indeed this is history in the making. I extend particular congratulations to the players of TEAM SKN, their coaches and technical staff for their steadfastness, resilience, loyalty, pride and discipline.

Congratulations are also extended to President Johnson and Secretary-General Stanley Jacobs, together with the rest of the Executive of the St. Kitts and Nevis Football Association (SKNFA) for their leadership exhibited throughout this quest. The die-hard fans and friends of football are also deserving of congratulations on this symbolic moment.”

Bridgewater concluded “The SKNOC commits to continue providing seminal and timely support to one of its signature and founding member federations with a view towards assisting TEAM SKN to climb even higher up the FIFA Listing.”

SKNFA General Secretary Stanley Jacobs, cited SKNOC in his sentiments, saying, “the achievement is more than that of the team. It is a national achievement, because the fans, the sponsors, volunteers, the Public and Private Sectors, the SKNOC and other contributors have all made it possible for the team to reach this far.”

About the FIFA Ranking

• The announcement represents the first time that Team SKN has ever ranked below 100-FIFA described the team as “one of the three best movers along with Chad and Guinea-Bissau.”
• The new ranking means that St. Kitts and Nevis is ahead of teams such as El Salvador #98, Canada #95, Guyana #133, St. Lucia #140 Grenada #157. Ahead of St. Kitts and Nevis are Antigua and Barbuda #85, Jamaica #54, Costa Rica #25, Brazil #7 and Argentina #1.
• The Ranking increases media exposure to create a spotlight on SKNFA and St. Kitts and Nevis in general while further developing St. Kitts and Nevis as a Sports Tourism haven
• A FIFA Ranking under 100 means
  • Players will now have better opportunities to work in Europe
  • Scouts will have keener interest in St. Kitts & Nevis Players
  • Players now have the opportunity to be selected as athletic scholars

The St Kitts Amateur Basketball Association (SKABA) and the St Kitts Nevis Football Association (SKNFA) are the recent beneficiaries of such technical and development support.

In August 2012, twenty five (25) SKABA coaches successfully participated in an Olympic Solidarity Level 1 Basketball Coaching Course. Earlier that same month another twenty five (25) SKNFA Coaches successfully participated in a Youth Level Football Coaching Courses. The SKNFA is also presently benefiting from an Advanced Football Coaching Course that is being facilitated by Mr Rodrigo Johnson from Costa Rica. The course is being held over the period October 19th to 28th, 2012.

Coming on the heels of the Basketball Coaching Course, Basketball Coach and Referee, Mr Elvis Williams, travelled to Budapest Hungary on September 19th, 2012 to participate in a 3 months coaching course offered by the Semmelweis University, Institute of Coaching and Sport Education in Budapest, Hungary. The cost of his participation in the course is about U.S $9,000.00. Mr Williams is the 15th coach in the Federation that has benefitted from this kind of scholarship.

The SKNOC also facilitated and sponsored the participation of Dr. Regional O’Loughlin, Senior Doping Officer of the National Anti-Doping Organisation (NADO), in a Caribbean Sports Medicine Conference organised by the Jamaica Association of Sports Medicine over the period September 8th and 9th, 2012.

Amongst the pivotal topics covered at the conference were:

• The diet of an athlete.
• Detection of life-threatening conditions.
• Detection of conditions that can influence to injuries.
• Detection of conditions that can limit performance
• Treatment of athletes, etc.

In related SKNOC news, Ms Tehanai Baley, Chairwoman of the SKNOC’s Women in Sports Commission, will travel to Mexico over the period October 25th to 30th to participate in a 3 days seminar in leadership for NOCs of the Americas.

The NOC wishes the coaches and individuals all the best as they continue to reap the benefits from active involvement in sports.