Education for Career Athletes and tomorrow's realities
Updated Date: 30th November, 2022
Comprehension of your own value, the importance of being an athlete and how to convert your today’s excellence to your career of tomorrow – a workshop to educate the athletes’ multiple subjects as well as create opportunities to think about their post athletic-careers named ‘Education for Career Athletes’ was held at Hemasiri Fernando Auditorium at NOC Sri Lanka, yesterday.
The National Olympic Committee it its line of activity are conducting multiple projects beyond sports such as education programmes, environmental activities, safe sport projects to keep the athletes at heart of the Olympic movement and make sure their safety.
During the session Programme Director of the National Olympic Committee of Sri Lanka Dr. B.L.H. Perera pointed out the importance inculcating the above and the understanding the five core Olympic values. He said that without a proper grasp of the values above mentioned, an athlete would be incomplete and the chances of them achieving a commanding future in they may be at peril.
Former Olympian Reshika Udugampola who is also a member of the NOC SL Athletic Commission said that while comprehending core Olympic values it is very important to have a proper command of the English Language. She stressed upon the gathering of young athletes when you have a good command of the language you are in position to usurp thoughts and way the other competitors move about with their disciplines on and off the track. At the same time the athletes would be in a better position to converse and build long-lasting bonds with co-athletes of other nations.
The Athletes’ Commission of NOC Sri Lanka was established in 2018. In the last two years, the Commission has successfully conducted a sequence of educational programmes on Nutrition, Olympic Values, Safe Sport and English Language for athletes. In addition to that, the Commission assisted dry rations for 100 athletes during the lockdown due to the Covid-19 pandemic in Sri Lanka.
The Athletes’ Commission was very keen in conducting a one-day workshop for the current athletes to educate multiple fields in sports to create an awareness under the auspices of Olympic Council of Asia. Some of the retired athletes were involved to share their successes in their career during the programme.
Objectives
The key objective of the programme was to educate multiple topics which were inherent to the athletes in their retirement stage and guide them in their life after.
The objectives of the programme were to deliver lectures on the following subjects by erudite scholars. The subjects were as follows:
• educate athletes on different topics to help them develop during and post-career;
• train athletes on how to succeed in life;
• raising awareness;
• athletes’ engagement;
• create equal educational opportunities for athletes;
• give confidence to the athletes and their future careers
As the legacy of the programme, the Commission guided them how to educate them in English and Information Technology as both of them are important in today’s life for anyone. The Commission would also conduct English classes for athletes.
The Olympic Education for Athletes will be a one-day workshop consisting of six sessions with multiple methods of delivery such as lectures, practical activities, retired athletes' experience - videos, awareness through posters, leaflets and Q and A.
The target group was the active athletes and athletes who are about to retire from their athlete-career. All the national federations affiliated under the National Olympic Committee of Sri Lanka and the sports which are included in the Asian Games 2022 were informed about the programme and requested to nominate four athletes (two male, and two female).
Besides, the president of the National Olympic Committee Suresh Subramaniam, General Secretary NOC SL Maxwell de Silva and Treasurer NOC SL Gamini Jayasinghe were also present at the event.
At the conclusion of the meeting Buwaneka Gunatilleke a participating athlete at day’s proceedings said “I really was not aware about many things like Harassment and safe sport I am really thankful to the NOC SL for providing this opportunity and I also thank that there should be more insightful events in the future”.
