ATHLETES hoping to qualify for this year's Carifta Games in St. Lucia will get the chance this weekend when the Pacers Track Club stage the first meet of 2009 at the National Sports Centre.

Pacers coach and meet director Cal Simons said: "The Pacers are putting the meet on but it is sanctioned by the Bermuda Track and Field Association. We expect a number of young athletes who want to try and qualify for the Carifta Games to compete."

Events which will be staged will include 100m, 200m, 400m, 800m, 1500m, 3000m and 5000m as well as field events like discus, triple jump, long jump, high jump and shot put. Entry cost is $5 and Simons said: "It is open to all athletes in Bermuda ¿ not just those with the national programme or with the Pacers. We hope a lot of school kids come out as well to get ready for their Inter-School Sports Day."

On Saturday the action starts at 12.45 p.m. with the discus for male and female athletes over 13 years old. On Sunday the first event of the day will start at 1.30 p.m. with the 200m race for male and females.

Simons, who is also Government's Senior Sports Development Officer, said that next Saturday, January 31, the 25th Annual Sports Conference will be held at the Elbow Beach Hotel.

The day-long conference is primarily aimed at those with the National Sports Governing Bodies but Simons also said anyone with a keen interest in sports is also welcomed. "We would like to see PE teachers there as well. I think they will find the conference very helpful," added Simons.

The large number of subjects will be covered by the numerous speakers.

"The keynote speaker is Fred Engh who is the founder, president and CEO of the International Alliance for Youth Sports (IAYS)," said Simons.

Engh recently was identified as one of the 100 most influential sports educators in America.

His long-proven programme to train and certify volunteer youth coaches, first utilised by the Okeeheelee Youth Baseball Association in 1983, has been featured on all the major TV networks.

Besides the work Engh has done in the US with the National Alliance for Youth Sports, the IAYS (which is an arm of the NAYS) has established a presence around the world ¿ from Africa, Asia, Latin American, Europe to the Caribbean.

The Game On! Youth Sports focuses on providing youngsters with programmes and equipment to play so they can build healthier lifestyles.

Engh has been involved with youth sports for more than 40 years as a coach, athletic director and sports educator.

He is also the author of the book Why Johnny Hates Sports in which he argues that children should be allowed to have fun and learn the fundamentals of the game without the pressures of overzealous parents, coaches, and administrators looking to mold the next Ken Griffey or Kobe Bryant. He calls for a return to fair play, teamwork, and enjoyment, a novel idea in these days of pushing children to achievements beyond their years. The author offers examples of how pressuring children, whether intentional or not, can prove disastrous on the field. Perhaps worse is the loss of sports as a healthy outlet to kids who are turned off by bad experiences at an early age.

Also at the conference next weekend will be Sports Minister Glen Blakeney who will give his vision for sport in 2009. Among other topics will be the WADA regulations and what they mean to the sports governing bodies in Bermuda. There will also be question and answer sessions after each speaker.

The deadline to sign up for the conference is today and the cost is $40 per person which will cover the materials used, breakfast and a buffet lunch at the Elbow Beach. For more information contact the Department of Youth and Sports (295 0855).