Molly McManamon here, I am currently a Senior at Mason completing my 12-credit internship requirement... in style. I'm interning with the Sacred Sports Foundation in Saint Lucia, and island part of the West Indies in the Caribbean. Sacred Sports Foundation is a non-profit organization that aims to empower and involve the youth on the island through sports. Started by two siblings, Delroy and Nova Alexander, Sacred Sports is under the umbrella organization of Sacred Cows PR. Both Nova and Delroy have extensive experience in the world of PR, marketing, and media relations, and now they are conquering the sports world.
Joining me in my endeavors as an intern is Erin Crawford. Erin graduated from the College of Charleston, and obtained her Masters degree at the Citadel. Erin has been an awesome roommate and partner-in-crime. We are two months in, and loving every minute.
Now that there is some background, I'll give you a taste of what we have been doing here at Sacred Sports besides soaking up the rays (which we also do). I have been put in charge of two programs to run and organize while I am here. The first is an after-school soccer (referred to as football from here on out) program with a local secondary school, Sir Ira Simmons. The boys of Sir Ira Simmons have quickly stolen my heart, with each training session. We train Tuesday-Thursday after school, and I am accompanied by a highly touted under-20 national player Dwight Degazon. Dwight and I team up to coach the kids and try to instill some life lessons along the way. Most of these boys can't afford cleats, and sometimes they can't afford regular sneakers or athletic shorts to participate. I have taken to lending out my clothes and shoes to some of the boys for practice. They just want to play, it doesn't matter how they look or what they wear while doing it. The field has definitely seen better days, and with each 10 minute down pour of rain that they island is accustomed to, it doesn't get any better. However, I think the most fun session we've had thus far involved just 12 boys, a massive amount of rain, dozens of muddy shirts and shorts, and one game of football. It is important to note that we aren't just coaching these kids in football, each session we try to incorporate life lessons and team building exercises for the boys. Sport has always been attributed to character-building, which is exactly why sport is the perfect vehicle to promote good decision making for these kids in life. With sky-rocketing teen pregnancy rates, secondary school drop-outs every day, and immense poverty across the island, these kids have experienced more than I have in my lifetime. It is important to give them a constant in their life- even if it is just football. The consistent practice regime, and goal-oriented exercises help to give the boys a more stable environment, even if it is just after-school. I have loved every crazy minute with these boys, they have the biggest personalities imaginable, and an insatiable passion for football.
The second program that I am responsible for is a student-athlete initiative. This is a fledgling program that is still getting off of the ground. We are working hard to lay the groundwork for future generations of student-athletes from Saint Lucia. Basically, we are working to set up a scholarship for student-athletes from Saint Lucia that want to further their education abroad. There are several issues that face students from Saint Lucia trying to pursue their education in the US in particular. Funding is just one in the laundry list of hurdles that students have to tackle before being granted admittance into a US college or University. The unique education system in the Caribbean can be difficult to translate to schools in the US. This is made even more difficult when adding athletics into the equation. The SSF is hoping to set up a scholarship for potential student-athletes to help offset the cost of taking the SAT and applying for the NCAA eligibility center, as well as costs associated with school. This is an extremely important initiative, and I am excited to be helping out, just knowing that I am helping to pave the way for Saint Lucian kids to continue their athletics through education.
When we aren't working, we are taking in all of the sights and sounds Saint Lucia has to offer! This includes lots and lots of sun, markets, and beaches! We have hiked Pigeon Island National Park, a famous landmark on the island, and we have plans to hike the Piton mountains next week. There is plenty to do around the island, and especially in the area we are located (Rodney Bay, if you are curious). The people are unbelievably kind in every way, and so helpful. This would make an amazing spot for a vacation, and it's even more amazing for my extended stay.
Living it up- Island Style
