More than a dozen high-ranking youth sports officials throughout the Caribbean convened in Roseau, Dominica, over the weekend for the first-ever Caribbean Conference on Children's Sports.

 

The historic conference was highlighted by the worldwide launching of the National Alliance For Youth Sports' Game On! Youth Sports, a first-of-its-kind system that creates opportunities for children to participate in healthy physical activities that otherwise wouldn't have the opportunity to do so, with minimum adult involvement.

 

A unique aspect of Game On! Youth Sports is that it also provides specialized training for parents and administrators to help ensure that youth sports are properly designed and focus on the best interests of children at all times.

 

"Game On! Youth Sports will have far-reaching impact as we introduce children to sports and present them with opportunities to enhance their physical and emotional growth through their participation," said Fred Engh, founder and president of the Alliance. "This is just the first step in our journey to make a difference in the lives of children across the globe through the medium of positive sports experiences."

 

Delegates representing Anguilla, St. Martin, Grenada, British Virgin Islands, Netherlands Antilles, Bermuda, Antigua and Barbuda, Turks and Caicos, Bahamas, Dominica, Zambia and Mexico were on hand for the launching.

 

The conference also provided delegates with the opportunity to discuss the state of youth sports in their country, examine problems and issues affecting youth sports, and talk about solutions. The Alliance's Global Gear Drive and Sammy Wilkinson Memorial Fund were also introduced during the conference.

 

The Global Gear Drive collects youth sports equipment from U.S. recreation agencies and sporting good manufacturers and distributes it to children in need around the world; while the Sammy Wilkinson Memorial Fund provides financial support to needy countries to implement Game On! Youth Sports.