FIG Level 1 Academy for Men’s and Women’s Artistic Gymnastics
Port of Spain (TRI), July 18 – 25, 2010

LAUSANNE (SUI), FIG Office, July 28: In the mid-July, the Gymnastics Federation of Trinidad and Tobago hosted a Level 1 Academy for Men’s and Women’s Artistic Gymnastics at the Wood Brook Youth Facility in Port of Spain. One year ago, this federation hosted an FIG Foundations Course, which did indeed serve as a foundation for the Level 1 Academy.

Although all of the English speaking member federations of the region and of the Pan American Gymnastics Union (PAGU) were invited, only Barbados from outside attended. But the Academy was an enormous success with 32 coaches in attendance.

The course leader was Chris Evans of Great Britain who has served as an expert for theory lectures, as course leader and as Women’s Artistic Gymnastics expert at multiple Academies. At this Academy he taught all of the theory lectures. Paul Hall also of Great Britain and coach of that country’s best male gymnasts served as expert for the men’s apparatus. Kelly Manjak, former coach of Olympic Gold medalist Kyle Shewfelt and now one of Canada’s top women’s coaches served as the expert for the women’s apparatus. A special delight was to have the services of 1980 women’s All-around Olympic Champion, Jelena Davydova (RUS) present to teach artistic preparation, choreography and Balance Beam. 

The candidates benefited greatly from having experienced the FIG Foundations Course the year before. The highest results on the combined theory and practical examination were shared by Alison Jackson of Barbados for Women’s Artistic Gymnastics and by Joel Lee Jackson of Trinidad for Men’s Artistic Gymnastics.

This 84th FIG coaches’ Academy was hosted with high standard and incredible enthusiasm by the Gymnastic Federation of Trinidad and Tobago. Special thanks must go to its President and Men's Artistic Technical Director Ricardo Lue Shue and Frances Dow, the federation's Secretary General and Education and Event Programme Coordinator, as well as their team of workers.

Other Academies for Artistic Gymnastics in 2010 will include an French language Level 2 in Senegal in August, a Spanish language Level 2 in Peru in November and then a series of Academies for all three levels in South Africa during November.