Glen Mills - File
Top local track and field coach, Glen Mills, said on Tuesday that the goal of the Racers Track Club is to develop top-class performers and to help them towards a balanced development.
Mills, who is the president of the club, was speaking at its official launch at the Jamaica Trade and Invest Building on Tuesday.
The club, according to Mills, hopes to maintain the standards by which Jamaica has been judged in the international arena in track and field.
Speaking to a capacity audience, Mills, the coach of triple gold medallist Usain Bolt, said their task was not an easy one but the club had in place a structure to meet its technical, administrative, financial and social needs.
"I am proud to head an organisation where young athletes have the opportunity to access top-quality coaching and technical assistance," Mills said.
Club objectives
The club has as its objectives the development and expansion of the coaching staff, expansion of the women's programme, and establishing a permanent training facility to include an administrative office.
"Our reach is far and wide, and while we are here in Jamaica we have attracted membership from our regional neighbours, Antigua and Barbuda, Trinidad and Tobago. We are proud of our current membership of athletes," Mills said.
Over 21 athletes are now members of the club. They include Andrew Wright, Assert White, Daniel Bailey, Empanel Calendar, Gregory Little, Jermaine Gonzales, Kenny Anderson, Quern Robinson, Kerry-Ann Stewart, Late King, Maria Frothy, Margin Anderson, Rayon Lawrence, Remould Rose, Ricardo Chambers, Ricardo Francis, Sander Pencil, Sonata Sutherland, Bolt, Xavier Brown and Yohan Blake.
Other club members
Simon Macaque from South Africa, Isaac Jones and Suwaibou Sane from Gambia are also members of the club.
Mills' executive includes Carole Beckford (marketing), Cynthia Coke (general secretary), Danielle Archer (legal), Norman Peart (finance), Richard Shaw (finance), Patrick Damson (technical) and Yolanda Davis (marketing).
Major sponsors include Guardian Life Limited, National Health Fund, Supreme Ventures and World-Tron.
Confident and humble
Neville 'Teddy' McCook, area representative of the International Association of Athletics Federations, said Mills must be commended for his efforts over the years, as he has been around long before Bolt.
"Mills is so confident and humble. He has no problem in sharing his knowledge with anyone," McCook said. "I have seen him tell other athletes the same things he tells the athletes under his charge. It is the sign of an individual who has a level of integrity that we don't see in our country on a day-to-day basis,"he said.
President of the Jamaica Amateur Athletic Association, Howard Aris, said there were times in Mills' life as a coach that he thought of quitting but was encouraged to continue.
"I am very proud of you, not because of Beijing, but because many have come and gone and so many people would have given up, but you have reached a point in your life where you are being yourself and being recognised," Aris said.