Established in 2019, the Saint Lucia Sports Academy has reached its six-year milestone, reflecting a period of growth, scholarship opportunities, and renewed optimism for the island’s athletes.
The Academy was launched at a time when many Saint Lucian athletes struggled for recognition and support, but today, it stands as a beacon of development for sports and education alike.
Delia Charles, representing the Academy, emphasized that success extends beyond medals and trophies.
“Excellence is not limited to medals and trophies. Excellence is a way of thinking, a way of living. It is doing your best consistently, whether in the classroom or on the field of play,” she said.
“Sports administrators, excellence means having the right structures, resources, and policies to support the athletes from grassroots to elite levels. It is about ensuring that competitions are fair, coaching is of a high quality, and athletes are physically and mentally prepared.”
Rohan Lubon, Deputy Permanent Secretary in the Ministry of Youth and Sports, urged students to embrace preparation and discipline as essential to success.
“No matter what the academy puts in place for your success, if you do not want to make the sacrifice or if you do not have the mindset to prepare yourself to move forward, you will miss the boarding call when the train to success passes by,” Lubon cautioned. “Every student in this academy must know you have within you the power to be more, to achieve more, and to inspire more. Do not settle for being average when you have the potential to be outstanding in everything that you do.”
Looking to the future, District Education Officer Cyrus Cepal outlined ambitious plans for the Academy’s tenth anniversary, signaling a broader regional and international presence.
“The 10th anniversary will be something which will be so huge that we are going to invite other sports academies around the Caribbean, and probably North America,” Cepal said.
“That ceremony will lead us into one big event between the sports academies. And then everybody will be asking, who is that sports academy? Internationally, we are going to compete and we will continue to compete. Our students will continue to rise. Our students will continue to stand above board. And as was said this morning, discipline is key.”
As the Academy continues to develop Saint Lucia’s athletes, it remains committed to fostering both academic and sporting excellence, ensuring that students not only perform on the field but also grow as disciplined, empowered individuals in all areas of life.
