Launching of the Seychelles Youth Sports Academy-Programme’s success depends on athletes, says Minister Pool |08 July 2006

The Seychelles Youth Sports Academy (SYSA), launched Friday July 7 in the afternoon at the new football house at Roche Caïman under the theme “On the way to the 2016 Olympics”, will provide the right environment for talented Seychellois athletes to progress in their chosen sports.

President James Michel, Sports Minister Sylvette Pool, officials of the National Sports Council (NSC) and the Sports Division, athletes, parents and coaches witnessed the launching of the academy which falls under the High Level Department within the NSC.
Giovanna Rousseau is the High Level Department director.

President Michel presented certificates to all the athletes chosen to join the academy while Minister Pool gave each of them a sports bag and T-Shirts.

Speaking at the launching ceremony, Minister Pool said that the project, which reflects Seychellois youths’ aspiration, has been financed by the Children’s Fund and has cost R1.2 million.

On behalf of the Seychelles sports family, Minister Pool thanked President Michel for the special attention he gives to the Seychellois youth.

The SYSA, she said, “will help bring Seychelles Sports to new heights and at the same time give athletes the opportunity to train and study.”

With all the support coming from the Seychelles government, NSC, the sports ministry, sporting federations and associations, schools and parents, “the success of the programme will depend on you athletes,” said Minister Pool before thanking all those who played a key role in the setting up of the academy.

On behalf of all parents, Marguerita Benstrong, the mother of young female table tennis player Anissa Benstrong, said that with the setting up of the SYSA “more young talents will be identified and will be given the opportunity to prove themselves in their chosen sports.”

She added that “Seychelles can now count on a greater reserve of athletes to be produced by the academy” before calling on all the “athletes to prove their worth.”

The SYSA regroups most of the country’s top young athletes in individual sports.

According to Robert Auguste, the assistant director for scientific support within the High Level Department, the main objective of the academy is to detect and nurture young Seychellois sporting talents so that they develop fully in their respective sports and academically.

All athletes chosen to join the academy will sign a six-month contract and they will have to abide to SYSA’s rules which include keeping a good disciplinary record, training and competing hard as well as having a good academic level.

Athletes whose academic potential is not up to the targeted level are to receive additional tuition so that they improve.

All athletes will train twice daily – in the morning and afternoon. Transport will collect the athletes at their homes in the morning to bring them to their training sites and later to their respective schools. They will be provided with breakfast after the morning sessions. After the afternoon training sessions, athletes will be driven home.

The door of the academy remains open to other athletes who burst onto the national scene during the course of the year and Minister Pool noted that “athletes can benefit from different scholarships as they progress.”

To facilitate things in the future, all athletes, including those from Praslin and La Digue, chosen to join the academy where they will follow advanced and specialised coaching, will be schooled within the central region of Mahe.

When the SYSA gets its own building, it will operate on a residential basis.
Between now and 2016, the athletes are expected to follow 10,000 hours of training which, according to experts, are enough to produce world champions. It is hoped that athletes coming from the academy will become world champions.

The 32 athletes chosen to join the academy are:
Christopher Laurencine, Janet Boniface, Nathanielle Cherry, Phylis Labonne (athletics), Cynthia Course, Danielle Jupiter, Joel Dubel, Richie Course (badminton), Leroy Labiche, France Anacoura, Andrew Payet, Raoul Gomme, Leslie Siméon, Edward Pothin (cycling), Darren Ballette, Nol King, Tahiri Nicholas, Benefica Young (judo), Shannon Austin, Natasha Talipan, Fabio Bastienne, Shane Mangroo, Liza Mangroo, Claude Adeline, Angelique Banane, Ryan Payet, Julio Smith (swimming), Anissa Benstrong, Hughes Fostel, Yannick Nicette, Bernadette Marie (table tennis) and Dominique Ferley (weightliftling).

G.G