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Shawnor Joseph, the newly elected first female president of the Antigua and Barbuda Athletic Association (ABAA), has wasted no time in outlining her vision for the organisation, revealing both ambitious plans and the mentorship that helped prepare her for the role.
In a recent radio interview, Joseph disclosed that her path to the presidency began two years ago with the encouragement of outgoing president Mr. Everton Cornelius, who not only supported her aspirations but actively prepared her for the position by inviting her to Congress meetings over the past two years.
“Two years ago, I said to him that I wanted to run for the position of the president, and he said to me go for it,” Joseph recalled. “I said to him then you need to include me in Congress meetings because I need to know these things and he said no problem.”
Cornelius didn’t sugar-coat the challenges ahead. Joseph shared his frank advice: “He said to me it’s not going to be an easy task. It’s not going to be an easy road and he says remember the buck stops with you. And whenever anything happens it is always the president.”
With the association’s financial challenges well documented, Joseph has placed fundraising at the forefront of her administration. Second Vice President Patrice Skerritt will chair the finance committee, and the plans are already taking shape.
“She’s already said that she’s going to be creating during the development meet like barbecues, fish fries and also planning a telethon.”
The president emphasized that these initiatives will be strategically scheduled to avoid overwhelming the community with too many events at once, while also targeting corporate Antigua for support.
As part of her technical committee’s work under First Vice President Jameil Nelson, Joseph plans to implement an incentive system for young athletes participating in development meets.
“We’re going to implement some incentives for the athletes by giving certificates, medals, vouchers to motivate them,” she said, highlighting the importance of encouraging youth participation in the sport.
Taking inspiration from Jamaica’s expanded insurance program, Joseph revealed plans to broaden coverage for local athletes beyond just international competitions.
“I saw in Jamaica they are expanding their insurance scheme where it goes beyond just international meets. They will also cover the athletes for local meets and regional meets,” she noted, adding that conversations with different insurance companies are planned to address this gap in athlete protection.
When asked about plans for students from the Adele School, Victory Center, and the School for the Deaf and Blind, Joseph was refreshingly honest about the work ahead.
“I’m going to answer you honestly, there’s not a plan in place. There’s just talks about having discussions,” she admitted. “We need the schools to come on board. So, we’re going to have to speak to the principal of these schools and we’re going to have to find a way for us to work together.”
She noted that the First Vice President is heavily involved in the Special Olympics, which could prove valuable as the association develops its inclusion programs.
The season is set to begin on January 10th with the body’s first development meet.
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