Riding on the back a few subtle but effective changes to their schedule the Bermuda School Sports Federation's (BSSF) team of Darrin Lewis and Manny Faria are again planning some new initiatives for this year to improve the sporting opportunities of Bermuda's schoolchildren.

Last year, in a move aimed at increasing student participation and spectator attendance, the High School Track and Field Meet was rescheduled to take place earlier in the year and later in the day. It was a bit of a risk but moving the event to the evening resulted in a runaway success.

"It was definitely the best high school track meet we've had in many years," says Mr. Faria, the BSSF administrator. "There was some concern that maybe the kids wouldn't want to show up but that wasn't the case at all. Student participation was greatly increased, as was spectator support."

The BSSF also introduced a new "high tech data collecting system" that allows students to be entered, assigned and tracked electronically and which has the double affect of building a database and producing instant results for individual and interschool categories.

"It just makes it a lot easier to run the event," confirms Mr. Lewis, the education officer for physical education and health. "And we're going to be doing a course for the schools so they can introduce the system at their sites."

As for this year, one major development is the completion of an indoor 25 metre swimming pool at the Sandys Secondary Middle School campus. Built as a community project by the Sandys 360 organisation Mr. Lewis says the pool, and adjoining gym, is a "first class facility with a qualified instructor" that will allow students in the Western end of the Island to complete the aquatics module of the curriculum.

"We're planning to take students from as far West as Port Royal out to the pool," he explains. "And then we're hoping to expand that in the future."

Mr. Lewis says that one of the ideas behind putting the pool in Sandys was to encourage other communities to look at doing similar projects and that, for instance, the land space up at Southside near the Clearwater Middle School would be suitable for such a development.

"It's really a matter of giving children in the public school system access to the facilities they need. We then hope to see a much greater involvement in swimming. It's just like what WaterWise does for the sailing. After we got these kids involved in sailing 30 percent of the national team are public school kids from the WaterWise programme, they may never have sailed without it."

These initiatives are also examples of how physical education is extending to include outdoor recreation. As an Island it is important for Bermuda's young people be aware of and comfortable in the water that surrounds us, and the outdoors in general.

To this end the Ministry last year arranged for every M2 (Middle School Two) student to go down and participate in the Outward Bound programme and, of course, there is the M3 Spirit of Bermuda programme where students do a five day expedition at sea.

"We've had tremendous feedback from the kids in school about that programme, of course the issue is always financing," concedes Mr. Lewis. "But the experience is invaluable and it is integrated into the curriculum with study of the weather patterns, social studies and maritime history."

Meanwhile Mr. Faria says the BSSF is gearing up for what will be another busy year in school sports.

This fall all PE teachers will be doing a professional development course to get their 'D' licences for coaching which will help in bringing all youth coaches to a consistent standard. This is an initiative between the Bermuda Football Association (BFA) and the Department of Education.

Also on the horizon is a new BSSF website which is in the final stages of development.

"The website will have all our events and results," says Mr. Faria. "We hoping to get lots of pictures up and be able to do player profiles during the year. We'll also put up all our rules and the code of conduct."

Finally, as with every year, the BSSF is in almost constant need of help with officials for games and events. Whether it be refereeing, score keeping or helping to manage the students, parents and other adults who can spare some time are always much appreciated.

"That is always the hardest part," admits Mr. Faria. "This year we are going to try and get companies involved by encouraging them to donate the time off work when their staff are willing to help out. We can't afford to pay people but at least they wouldn't have to take time off work."

Anyone interested in helping with officiating at events can contact Manny Faria at 535-3180 or efaria@gov.bm.