Competing hard at the recent Powerade Barbados Secondary Schools’ Athletic Championships was important, but managing the athletes’ recovery over the next week will also be key.
This is the view of Alwyn Babb, head coach of the Barbados team to the 2012 CARIFTA Games.
“We don’t have much time in terms of team dynamics, so the fitness that they brought to Inter-School Sports was very important. This week is for recovery and we travel next week,” Babb said.
The coach said that while several athletes were strapped or taped during last week’s competition, it wasn’t always a case of serious injury, but a preventative measure.
He explained that if one of his athletes, for example, complained of tightness at the back of the leg, he would strap to avoid further injury.
“After the hectic schedule at Inter-School Sports, the important thing would be icing, hot and cold and visits to the physio- and athletics therapists.
“The workload at Inter-School Sports would see them compensating for CARIFTA Games.”
Babb said Saturday’s meet – Juniors vs The Rest – at 2 p.m. at the National Stadium was also important because other countries like Jamaica and Trinidad and Tobago were also staging meets to give athletes the competitive edge.
It will also be used as further qualification for Central American and Caribbean Juniors later in the year.
The 35-member team has several newcomers, including Under-15s like Allana Ince and Tiana Bowen and promising Under-17s like Mario Burke, Ramarco Thompson, Akeem McCollin, Ariko Small and Michael Nicholls.
“It reflects those persons who are at the top of their division in the respective events.
“In spite of the increase in the standards, they gave of their best in the meets leading up to selection, and with that attitude, they should give a good account of themselves at the CARIFTA Games,” Babb noted.
“I saw some good, keen performances coming out of Inter-School Sports. If we look back at some of the results from the last CARIFTA Games, they will be very competitive. A lot of them will be getting out of the first round and to the finals.
“I am hoping that the weather in Bermuda, which tends to be very unpredictable, is favourable. It gets as high as the mid-20s and as low as the mid-teens in the evening. That will be a factor.
“We have to look at that and prepare them mentally to perform under those conditions,” he said.
The CARIFTA Games will be held in Hamilton, Bermuda, from April 7 to 9.
