Times of the Islands Fall 2023

The Turks & Caicos Islands are a small nation made
up of approximately 40,000 people, yet we audaciously
go up against formidable forces like Jamaica and The
Bahamas to fight for a spot on the podium. We have seen
successes in the past with athletes like Delano Williams
in Track and Field and more recently Kurt Rivers in Golf.
However, due to our archipelago’s layout—along with
other realities—funding, equal access to facilities, and
coaching expertise continues to be a challenge.
Great athletes all have similar things in common—
talent, determination, support, and adequate funding.
Many countries around the region are heavily supported
by the Olympic Solidarity Fund along with a national sport
funding system. However, the TCI currently is not an associated
member of the International Olympic Committee
(IOC), nor do we have a national sport funding system.
We, therefore, found it important to find a way to provide
additional resources to our sports organisations and
athletes through the creation of the Athlete Development
Fund (ADF).
What is the ADF?
The Athlete Development Fund (ADF) was established
by the TCI Sports Commission with the support of key
stakeholders in the community who have an interest in
youth development through sports. With funding now
available, the ADF was first launched in June 2022, coinciding
with the Turks & Caicos Islands’ first Long-Term
Athlete Development Symposium. This launch sparked
the partnership between the private and public sectors
for sport funding.
Funding is provided to eligible organisations for programming
that supports long-term athlete development,
with an emphasis on high-performance development.
The ADF’s objectives are to:
• increase opportunities to participate in quality
sport activities for all Turks & Caicos Islands, including
under-represented groups;
• increase the capacity of the Turks & Caicos Islands
sport system to systematically achieve world-class results
at the highest international competitions;
Above: Antwon Walkin and his mother Robin Cox-Foster celebrate his achievements at the Track and Field CARIFTA Games 2023 in The
Bahamas.
Opposite page: Standout basketball player Dylan Morris dunks at the TCISS Inter-High School Basketball Championships 2023.
50 www.timespub.tc