BY ROMULUS HUTA
THE Readiness Assessment Tool (RAT) workshop held in Honiara last week for local sporting federations’ administrators was timely and helpful.
This was according to Former Chef de Mission to the Pacific Mini Games 2017 and Secretary to the Solomon Islands Athletics Commission (SIAC), Mrs Lysa Simeon.
Mrs Simeon was among participants and members of the National Olympic Committee of Solomon Islands (NOCSI) who took part in the workshop.
In an interview with SunSPORTS yesterday, Mrs Simeon said the workshop was very useful and it taught her how to manage a sporting organisation.
Ms Simeon stated it was a timely training that will help develop skills in sport administration and generic coaching.
“The workshop was very useful, I learnt how to manage a sporting organisation.
“The workshop highlighted fundamental principles I must fully understand when working in a sports organisation, for example, knowing the processes and structures that must be in place to effectively support our athletes.
“Understanding the constitution and ensuring that the organisation and its constitution is guided by good governance principles as demanded by International Olympic Committee (IOC). And most importantly be able to action these principles through our strategic plan in our daily work. In this way, we will be able to provide better services to our athletes,” she highlighted.
The RAT Scheme is purposely designed for developing sport organisations and the workshop was organised by Oceania National Olympic Committee (ONOC) through its educational program known as the Oceania Sport Education Program (OSEP), facilitated by Coordinator Sainimili Talatoka of Fiji.
Since the past decade, ONOC have directed significant resources towards addressing the perceived deficiencies in sport development infrastructure among its member national Olympic committees and their respective national federations through the RAT method.
Mrs Simeon added that: “Understanding what standards need to be in place to become an effective sports organisation will help me contribute effectively to NOCSI to bring the change it needs to become effective and functional. That is, helping put in place processes and structures to improve our work within the sports organisation. By being effective and functional – we will be able to ensure athletes access and benefits more.”
Along with that, the workshop will also enable her to make decisions within the NOCSI guided by the knowledge and principles learnt from the workshop, she stressed.
“ONOC through the OSEP program will continue to provide this training for all National Federations, I encourage all to take part, as this is an important opportunity to build our capacity to support our athletes reach their full potential. Let us prepare ourselves to be able to contribute effectively to hosting SOL2023.”
