LANCE WALKER, Global Performance Director, at the Michael Johnson Performance (MJP) Center, urged his listeners to become rebels by thinking big, being passionate and creating solutions instead of complaining. Walker was speaking during the closing session of the two-day bpTT/TTOC MJP High Performance workshop which concluded at Olympic House in Port of Spain, yesterday.

Participants also heard from MJP founder and Former World and Olympic champion Michael Johnson who said: “Teaching athletes is an important component of coaching athletes”.

During the afternoon period, Drew Cuffee (regeneration and recovery specialist) engaged attendees in a practical session; introducing the MJP system that focuses on exercises surrounding dynamics, power, movement, force, metabolics and regeneration.

TTOC President, Brian Lewis, told the workshop that the TTOC is determined to create regular learning opportunities for high performance coaches and trainers in Trinidad and Tobago.

“Like Lance (Walker) said, we need to be a network of rebels not troublemakers for there to be transformation in TTO Sport” said Lewis.

Lewis pointed out that a similar type of workshop would cost between $2,000 - $5,000, but the TTOC offers the workshop for free as the focus is on capacity building.

The workshop was well received by participants.

“It was impressive and first world with lots of invaluable information. I will be tapping into the resources offered. Thank you, BPTT, MJP, Drew, Lance and TTOC for the opportunity” said Claire Orr, TT Cycling Federation assistant general secretary.

Those attending the High Performance Workshop which had as its theme: “Perfecting Performance – Striving for Excellence – Faster, Higher, Stronger” received a certificate of participation.

The participants were: Nicole Fuentes (TT Gymnastics Federation), Sean Morrison (TTVF), Gerard Franklin (Tobago), Mark Alexis (Tsunami Swim Club), Rheeza Grant (TTVF), Brij Parasnath (Caribbean Sport Specialists), Shurland Hartley (West Penn Athletics), Claire Orr (TTCF), Roger Frontin (TTCF), Edward Marchan (Paralympics), Josiah Morales (Eagles Aquatics), Curtis George (West Penn), Jenelle Nedd (MOS/NAAA), Ronald Rogers (UTT/TTCB), Kiron Simmons (UTT), Angel Ottley (UTT), Reynold Lovell (UTT), Shayne Cooper (NAAA), Rodney Liverpool (TTDF), Terron Abner (Marabella Family Crisis Centre), Jo-Ellen Redhead (MOS), Antonia Burton (NAAA), Gregory Seale (Movement Mechanics), Ashlee Alonso (Movement Mechanics), Courtnee-Mae Clifford (TTVF), Nataki Akii-Bua (Ventures Hockey Club), PaulVoisin (NAAA), Colin Syriac (Bike Smith Cycling Club), Jeffrey Claverie (QPCC) and Kelton Thomas (TTBBFF).

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Each of the 2015 International Swimming Federation (FINA) World Cup events will provide qualification opportunities for the 2016 Olympic Games in Rio, the sport’s governing body has announced.

FINA have also revealed that the competitions in the eight event series will be held in Olympic sized 50 metres pools rather than the short-course 25m pools which are usually used for the World Cup.

The change has also been made in order to increase participation among National Federations and athletes alike, and the World Cup calendar begins on August 11 and 12 with the first meeting in the Russian capital of Moscow.

That event starts just days after the conclusion of the FINA World Championships in Kazan, which will also offer swimmers the chance to qualify for Rio 2016.

“Our main goal is to continuously improve the value and the exposure of the FINA Swimming World Cup, held in great venues and prestigious cities around the planet,” FINA President Julio Maglione said.

“The increased opportunity for the Olympic qualification will constitute in 2015 an additional motivation for our swimmers.”

Following the opening competition in Moscow, the World Cup series is due to move to France for the brand new leg in Chartres-Paris from August 15 and 16, rounding off the first of three clusters.

The second cluster is scheduled to commence with a meeting in Hong Kong on September 25 and 26, before the World Cup travels to the Chinese capital Beijing from September 29 and 30.

Singapore then plays host to the last event in the middle section of the calendar from October 3 to 4.

The third and final cluster begins in Tokyo on October 28 and 29 before it switches to the Qatari capital Doha on November 2 and 3.

The 2015 World Cup series finishes in Dubai on November 6 and 7.

The Asian heavy programme is similar to the 2014 version, with the French leg replacing last year's event in Eindhoven.

This year's series holds a prize pool of $2 million (£1.32 million/€1.69 million) across the eight meets.

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Former World and Olympic Champion Michael Johnson interacted with over 30 coaches and other individuals involved in sport and the development of local athletes when the two-day Michael Johnson Performance workshop on concepts and approaches to improving athletic performance concluded yesterday at the Trinidad and Tobago Olympic Committee house on Abercromby Street, Port of Spain.

Johnson interacted with participants for about 45 minutes through a live Internet stream.

The workshop is a collaboration between the TT Olympic Committee (TTOC) and BPTT.

Tied to the TTOC's drive to achieve ten Olympic gold medals by 2024, the workshop, the third of its kind, has as its theme ?Perfecting Performance-Striving for Excellence-Faster, Stronger, Higher.?

Drew Coffee, one of two MJP facilitators, is on his third such mission to TT; he explained MJP's role as one of exposing the participants to new approaches and ideas.

?It's just about revamping the coaches, enhancing it, not necessarily changing it,? the former Abilene Christian University football player said. He added that he expects the workshop will serve to ?expose a systematic approach to training, and overall, improve athleticism.?

Having done two previous stints in TT in 2014, Coffee observed the approach to preparation and training is not nearly as intense as what is the norm in the US. ?Ideally, if you're talking TT and the Carnival season is approaching, you can see that there's a high-performance mentality toward getting ready for Carnival,? he argued. ?So if we could just use some of that same mentality to, not necessarily train, but drag that into sport, I think that would help reach our goal of ten gold medals by 2024.?

Coffee's co-facilitator, MJP's Global Performance Director Lance Walker could not make the trip; yesterday, Walker delivered an online presentation on the qualities a coach ought to possess.

Coffee, a Regeneration and Recovery Specialist, said it was not that MJP had it all figured out. ?There are certain things that people are not gonna agree with,? he admitted. ?But exposing them to what we deal with is a big thing, because then you can now take that back with you to whatever athletes you're working with, you can share that with them, with other coaches in the field on the island.?

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Brian Lewis, president of the Trinidad and Tobago Olympic Committee (TTOC), believes this country can market itself to be the Beach Games capital of the world.

In a media release, Lewis revealed that the TTOC National Beach Games is on the drawing board and believes the scenic beaches make TT perfect for these types of tournaments.

“Trinidad and Tobago’s participation at the inaugural World Beach Games is the goal. Last year the General Assembly of the Association of National Olympic Committee (ANOC) approved a proposal for the first World Beach Games,” he explained.

The Beach Volleyball will be one of the marquee sports at the World Beach Games and with this country recently hosting the Rio 2016 Olympic Games Caribbean Zone Men’s Beach Volleyball Qualifier which was won by TT, Lewis is encouraged.

Lewis noted the Olympic Qualifier, hosted by the Trinidad and Tobago Volleyball Federation (TTVF), was “not only important for the teams contesting for qualification for the Rio Olympics, but it was an opportunity for Trinidad and Tobago to showcase its ability to host a high profile Beach Volleyball event.”

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Lance Walker, Global Performance Director, at the Michael Johnson Performance (MJP) Center, highlighted the difference between troublemakers and rebels. He urged the participants to become rebels by thinking big, being passionate and creating solutions instead of complaining. Walker was speaking during the closing session of the two-day bpTT/TTOC MJP High Performance workshop which concluded at Olympic House, 121 Abercromby Street, Port of Spain, yesterday.

Participants also heard words of wisdom from MJP founder and Former World and Olympic Champion Michael Johnson who said, “Teaching athletes is an important component of coaching athletes”.

During the afternoon period, Drew Cuffee (Regeneration and Recovery Specialist) engaged attendees in a practical session; introducing the MJP system that focuses on exercises surrounding Dynamics, Power, Movement, Force, Metabolics and Regeneration.

TTOC President, Brian Lewis, told the workshop that the TTOC is determined to create regular learning opportunities for High Performance coaches and trainers in Trinidad and Tobago. “Like Lance (Walker) said we need to be a network of rebels not troublemakers for there to be transformation in TTO Sport” said Lewis.

Lewis pointed out that a similar type of workshop would cost between $2000 - $5000 TT dollars, but the TTOC offers the workshop for free as the focus is on capacity building.

The workshop was well received by participants who expressed the view that it could have been longer, given the volume of information on offer.

“It was impressive and first world with lots of invaluable information. I will be tapping into the resources offered. Thank you, BPTT, MJP, Drew, Lance and TTOC for the opportunity” said Claire Orr, TT Cycling Federation Assistant General Secretary.

Those attending the High Performance Workshop which had as its theme: “Perfecting Performance – Striving for Excellence – Faster, Higher, Stronger” received a certificate of participation.

The TTOC expressed thanks to High Performance partners Michael Johnson Performance, Bp Trinidad and Tobago and Adidas for their continued support in making the ongoing High Performance Workshops possible.

The participants were:

Nicole Fuentes (TT Gymnastics Federation), Sean Morrison (TTVF), Gerard Franklin (Tobago), Mark Alexis (Tsunami Swim Club), Rheeza Grant (TTVF), Brij Parasnath (Caribbean Sport Specialists), Shurland Hartley (West Penn Athletics), Claire Orr (TTCF), Roger Frontin (TTCF), Edward Marchan (Paralympics), Josiah Morales (Eagles Aquatics), Curtis George (West Penn), Jenelle Nedd (MOS/NAAA), Ronald Rogers (UTT/TTCB), Kiron Simmons (UTT), Angel Ottley (UTT), Reynold Lovell (UTT), Shayne Cooper (NAAA), Rodney Liverpool (TTDF), Terron Abner (Marabella Family Crisis Centre), Jo-Ellen Redhead (MOS), Antonia Burton (NAAA), Gregory Seale (Movement Mechanics), Ashlee Alonso (Movement Mechanics), Courtnee-Mae Clifford (TTVF), Nataki Akii-Bua (Ventures Hockey Club), Pau Voisin (NAAA), Colin Syriac (Bike Smith Cycling Club), Jeffrey Claverie (QPCC), Mark Pouchet and Kelton Thomas (TTBBFF).