The start of the new term for student athletes
They were the first to return to school. On Monday 24 August, the student-athletes from the Centre for Excellence and Education through Sport (CEES) began their induction week in the stands at Soualiga Secondary School, accompanied by their parents. For its fourth academic year since its creation, the CEES is expanding the range of sports on offer at the Regional Sports Centres (CST) and is launching a new programme dedicated to women’s sport.
This early start enables all pupils selected by their committees or clubs to join the programme within a shared framework before the start of the school year. A week to build team spirit, but above all to lay the foundations for what lies ahead throughout the year as they pursue their three-pronged programme: academic, sporting and civic. In this regard, the president of the CEES, Marc-Gérald Menard, emphasised that everyone must set an example: “You are not like other pupils; you have the talent – now it’s a matter of the finer details.” For beyond their sporting discipline, these young talents have a duty to represent their island and also to succeed in their academic careers.
A week to set the framework
The week therefore began with a meeting to introduce the CEES teams, outline the year’s objectives, explain what is expected of the programme, and go over the house rules. By inviting parents to attend, the CEES also aims to involve them, because, as Charles-Henry Palvair, director of the CEES, pointed out, without their support and involvement, the programme is in vain. Throughout the week, the student-athletes are taking part in a series of educational workshops: mental preparation, personal development, communication skills, injury prevention, and so on. These sessions help them gain a better understanding of the support framework in place, as well as their rights and responsibilities. This induction week will conclude this Friday with a CST Challenge, dedicated to cohesion and team spirit, but in a fun format organised by the Soualigan Slangs association. These are important foundations for the rest of their journey. As Aristide Conner, president of the Saint Martin Football League, pointed out, the aim is “not to create champions, but to give them the chance to be spotted at regional or national level”. Indeed, depending on their individual plans, the CEES will enable them to secure the Sports Mobility Grant or the Support Grant for High-Performance Athletes and, on an ad hoc basis, financial assistance for national and international competitions.
Baseball and women’s sport
This year, 47 pupils, from primary school to sixth form, will join the CSTs in seven disciplines: gymnastics, football, beach tennis, sailing, cycling, basketball and baseball. Baseball is thus making its debut at the CEES. It is a sport that is on the rise in France and seeking to expand. The president of the federation, which has nearly 14,000 registered members, was also present in Saint-Martin this week. Athletics, which is currently undergoing a major overhaul with the creation of its Committee, is not among the disciplines offered within the CSTs this year. The other new development this academic year is the creation of a programme entirely dedicated to women’s sport. In its first year, the Women’s Training Centre (CEF) is launching with basketball and welcoming 22 young women. As Charles-Henry Palvair points out, women account for only a quarter of the sporting population in the territory, hence the desire to further develop women’s participation in sport. The CEF is based on the same principles as the CSTs, but with different objectives. The CEES hopes to expand this programme to other sports in the future.
