Poole to participate in IBA...

FROM BACK PAGE the world as well as to broaden the knowledge of coaches, doctors, and physiotherapists about hand wrapping techniques and facial injury care of the athletes,” the correspondence stated.

The course is only eligible for officials affiliated with the national federation and who are already registered for the impending Men’s World Championship in the capacities of team coaches, doctors and/or physiotherapists.

With the removal of head guards, IBA states that the importance of experienced cut-men to assist boxers cannot be understated.

Thus, the world governing body has crafted a course that will train and equip cut-men with the requisite aptitudes to prepare combatants before, during, and after fights.

The programme will comprise one theoretical section and extensive practical segments, which will be followed by respective assessments.

Blake, who is part of a small cadre of three-star coaches in the Caribbean, is the first-ever Guyanese to participate in and successfully complete the programme, which occurred at the Women’s World Championship in New Delhi, India from March 15-31. Blake scored in the 90th percentile.

GBA President Steve Ninvalle said, “This is the development of our human capital, and this is how you cultivate the dis- cipline from a personnel perspective. The advancement of the sport, and by extension, the athletes can only occur if the teachers, essentially the trainers and coaches, possess the requisite and ever-evolving knowledge to impart to their students. We envisage creating an assembly line of qualified and knowledgeable coaches.

That is the vision of the GBA. We anticipate as in the historic case with Blake, similar success for Poole which is to the benefit of the overall boxing eco-system.”