Moore keen to impart what he learnt in Hungary
By Leeron Brumell
Guyana Chronicle
January 1, 2004
IN what people would say is a wise move to develop Guyana’s sporting disciplines, one coach is raring to go -- to impart what he was taught at an International coaching course a few months ago.
Postmaster at the Bourda Post Office, Clifton Moore, is wasting no time in trying to develop the disciplines of weightlifting, power-lifting, bodybuilding and boxing in his area and around the country.
Moore recently returned with a distinction from a three-month International Coaching course that was held in Hungary. He secured three ‘A’ grades and four ‘B’ grades.
Owner and manager for the Barim’s Gym, which is located at Tuschen on the East Bank of Essequibo, Moore has begun to work assiduously with his members, totalling some 40 men and women involved in the disciplines.
He said they are as young as 10 years old and go until about 35 years.
Over his eight years of coaching, starting in 1995, he has produced national champions in Orin Williams, who has represented Guyana at international events and Quason Boodie, a 19-year-old lifter who is making waves on the local weightlifting scene.
On the distaff side he has groomed past national lifter Odessa Clarke and Fatima Khan who is still in the game, while having as his hallmark the reigning Miss Guyana Universe Odessa Phillips as a member.
The course in Hungary had some 27 other participants from the six continents and offered training that can be applied to all sporting disciplines.
Moore noted that the crucial areas were sports sociology, sports and nutrition, training theory, conditioning, sports specialisation, sports and research, sports management, and sports pedagogy (the science of teaching) among others.
The unbeaten lifter, who has been competing since 1984 in the bantamweight and featherweight categories, said his main aim is to share what he was taught.
“It’s not difficult to start reaching out because I have a gym. My aim is to qualify weightlifting coaches and also boxing coaches to educate them based upon new information, techniques and strategies and then to work with a wide cross-section of gyms and coaches.”
In this light, he said that he had spoken to the secretary of the Guyana Amateur Weightlifting Association (GAWA) requesting that a programme be designed so that he can work with these gyms.
“I will be working with them both physically and theoretically and I will also be making visits to get feedback on how they’ve progressed,” the former national boxer said.
He said the first step for coaches is to get persons into gyms at a tender age to develop techniques, strengths and form so that they can move step by step until they get to that peak period.
Moore is of the notion that his major difficulties in teaching will be indiscipline and one’s way of life (culture).
He said that these two would cause some problems.
Boxing since the age of 15, Moore said that the Guyanese way of life would hinder development.
“If a young person gets $20 000, the first thing he’ll do is to buy a brand name boots. He will not think about what comes first … that is purchasing his supplements and getting his necessities.
“Likewise if you are required to sleep at least eight hours a day, they’ll sleep less, because they want to lime on the corner with their friends,” he said while linking the culture to indiscipline.
“If we can work with our youths step by step we will not be forcing a lot of work on them later in life.”
Moore said that genetically, Guyana is on par with the world, but the problem lies technically.
“We are vastly lacking technically. Our culture, our hard upbringing, running up and down is good, but we don’t have the techniques, knowledge and facilities to work with.”
He said that the young boxers he has in training could whip any of the bigger built junior boxers in Hungary, where the course was held.
“We are lacking because sports is not a part of our culture, we don’t have nutritionists to work with and other necessities.”
Moore is of the view that Guyana has a bright future ahead.
“I think we have a very good future in Guyana if we can make sports a part of our culture, because it can be good for our standards.”
Moore participated in the course under the auspices of GAWA and the Guyana Olympic Association (GOA).