Development squad for athletes

Press, 24 December 1985, Page 30

Development squad for athletes

A track and field development squad is to be formed by the Canterbury Athletic Centre under the sponsorship of the New Zealand Permanent Building Society. Its primary objective will be to identify and assist young Canterbury athletes who show ability. One of New . Zealand’s greatest athletes, Vai Young, has accepted the position of director and Graeme Daly will act as the coaching liaison officer.

Young athletes will be invited, rather than < selected, to take part in the squad and to a large degree it will be left to the athletes and their coaches to decide what they want from the squad.

“The Commonwealth Games are coming up in Auckland in 1990. It is not inconceivable that some athletes selected for this will come through the souad,” Mrs Young said. The squad was similar to several functioning successfully in some other centres. Members of the national development squad would not be eligible, she said.

Those to receive invitations will be chosen by the six Canterbury junior and senior selectors under the convenership of the former Olympic coach, Mr Valdymars Briedis. Initially, between 16 and 20 will make up the squad, which will be announced early in the new year. By the end of the season it is expected to have up to 25 members. Coaching, clinics will be held for squad members, and there is the possibility of a squad trip, possibly to a meeting such as the West Coast championships at Greymouth at the end of the season.

The development squad will also be a testing and advisory body, and will work in with the national director of coaching, Mr Keith Roberts, and the various national coaches in Canterbury. As much as anything, the squad will be to reduce the drop-out rate from the sport after young people leave school. “We are playing it pretty much by ear,” said the president of the Canterbury Athletic Centre, Mr Graham Vivian. ’ ’