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Bernard, Hydel High school team imparting knowledge to prep athletes

Published:Saturday | June 17, 2023 | 12:53 AMDaniel Wheeler/Staff Reporter
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Rajeve Allison of Hydel Prep clears the bar at 1.55 metres to win the Class One boys’ high Jump on the second day of the JISA Prep Schools Athletics Championships at the National Stadium.
Ian Allen
Rajeve Allison of Hydel Prep clears the bar at 1.55 metres to win the Class One boys’ high Jump on the second day of the JISA Prep Schools Athletics Championships at the National Stadium.
JISA/Little Caesars National Prep Schools Athletics Championships Class One high jump winner Rajeve Allison of Hydel Prep, gets a congratulatory hug from his young ‘coach’ Zavien Bernard. Bernard won the girls’ Class Three high jump for Hydel High a
Ian Allen
JISA/Little Caesars National Prep Schools Athletics Championships Class One high jump winner Rajeve Allison of Hydel Prep, gets a congratulatory hug from his young ‘coach’ Zavien Bernard. Bernard won the girls’ Class Three high jump for Hydel High at the 2023 ISSA-GraceKennedy Boys and Girls’ Championships.
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Reigning inter-secondary girls’ Class Three high jump champion Zavien Bernard didn’t think that she would be stepping into the role of coach this early in her life. But she and other members of Hydel High have been imparting their knowledge to the...

Reigning inter-secondary girls’ Class Three high jump champion Zavien Bernard didn’t think that she would be stepping into the role of coach this early in her life. But she and other members of Hydel High have been imparting their knowledge to the next generation at the JISA/Little Caesar’s National Prep School Championships at the National Stadium.

Fourteen-year-old Bernard, who helped Hydel to their first ever ISSA-GraceKennedy Girls’ Championship title in March, was on hand to help power Hydel Prep to victory in her discipline. She guided Ruchelle-Lee Lewis to the girls’ high jump Class One title before engineering a first and third placing in the boys’ Class One high jump. Rajeve Allison won the event with a leap of 1.55m and Imaney Samuels was third with in 1.45

She is now operating in a different role at a track meet, as one who is imparting wisdom and she says her experience helped her to guide Lewis to victory.

“We just got out there and I told her just to do her best. I have the experience, so all I did was just give her some steps and she worked with it,” Bernard told The Gleaner.

The members of the Hydel team that were present among the prep schoolers included decathlete Zico Bennett and Class One girls’ double sprint champion Alana Reid who celebrated Lewis’s success with her. For Bernard, it is important that the high schoolers act as mentors to the prep athletes in addition to the support they receive from the parents.

SUPPORT

“It’s very important for past athletes because I like the support that they are giving and the parents as well. They came to the tents, they made sure that they have all the snacks that they need,” Bernard said.

Head coach Corey Bennett says he is proud of what he has seen from them in offering their support to the youngsters, showing how much they have learnt in their own training.

“When you have taught them well they should have enough knowledge to impart to others. I think we have taught them well. I think they are doing a great job.” Bennett said. “I think we have given them the knowledge of how to do it. So they can actually now go on teaching the younger ones in the proper way. It is great to see them in action so that we can relax a little bit.”

Bennett said that with the knowledge that they may have some future coaches in the making.

“It’s not about coaching it’s about teaching them. Once you teach them, they can pass it on. So I think we have some good future coaches in the making. It means that they have learnt the sport the right way,” Bennett said.

daniel.wheeler@gleanerjm.com