Governor General Challenges Fellow Awardees To Continue Being Change Agents

Governor General Dame Marcella Liburd is challenging female coaches to continue to be social change agents. Her Excellency issued the challenge while commending twenty female coaches, herself being an awardee, for their dedication to sport, through coaching.

The female coaches were honoured by the St. Kitts and Nevis Olympic Committee/ Commonwealth Games Association (SKNOC/CGA) Women in Sports Commission, for their outstanding contributions to coaching. Their recognition coincided with International Women’s Day (March 8) celebrations. This year’s theme is #EmbraceEquity. The women coaches were celebrated in a brief ceremony at Olympic House, as part of global observance of International Women’s Day.

“Coaching is not an easy task. You must continue to be role models for the athletes/ students under your stewardship. Additionally, while imparting the technical skills, you must be able to provide the requite motivation for each athlete,” Dame Marcella, St. Kitts and Nevis only female Governor General, admonished.

Her Excellency disclosed that from her coaching experiences, a positive style of delivery to prepare athletes for coping with adversity is critical to measure coaching success.

The twenty awardees are:

Bernice Morton and Roatter Johnson-  Athletics

Theresa Gomez and Shawna Lake-  Tennis

Lizbeth Burrell and Danielle Connor –  Sailing

Antoinette Henry and Brenda Allen-  Volleyball

Govanie Manners Hendrickson and Azariah Vanterpool-  Handball

Kaneisa Byron and Kalia Huggins-  Football

Maliesha Caesar and Jaekeeda Thomas-  Basketball

Jacquelyn Lewis-Bassue and Vera Herbert – Netball

Thelma Gumbs and Kishanna Huggins-  Cricket

Angelisa Freeman-  Table tennis

Dame Marcella Liburd-  Netball

President of the SKNOC/ CGA Alphonso Bridgewater, who is off island but who participated via conference call, and Acting President Dennis Knight congratulated the recipients of the awards and challenged them to continue to effect positive change, through sport mentorship, in society.

The ceremony was hosted by the Chair of the SKNOC/CGA Women in Sport Commission, Jennifer Nero. She was supported by Glenn Quinlan, Chairman of the National Sport Council; and Grassroots and Community Sports Organizer Ermelin Duggins.