Sports workshop to strengthen national federations

The Northern Marianas Sports Association will host a three-day workshop, beginning today for national sporting federations in support of preparations for the Northern Marianas Pacific Mini Games next year.

A three-member team is on island to deliver the “Management in Sporting Organizations” course under the Oceania Sports Education Programme managed by the Oceania National Olympic Committees.

MISO is a competency-based assessment course that includes modules on Governance, Facility and Event Management, Planning for Development, Marketing and Public Relations and Financial Management.

OSEP is an innovative Pacific-led sport education program that has transformed and complemented capacity and capability development within the sports sector in the Pacific region.

NMSA president Jerry Tan said that this training was in NMSA’s pipeline last year, however, COVID-19 created a few setbacks.

Miranda

“We are grateful to the support we’ve received from the Oceania National Olympic Committees and the Guam National Olympic Committee and in particular ONOC secretary-general Rick Blas for the presence on Saipan this week of Joey Miranda III, board member and sport development officer for GNOC; Meli Cavu, officer-in-charge and chief administration officer for ONOC; and Inoke Bainimarama, chief communications officer for ONOC.

Miranda who is the lead facilitator for the three-day course is also OSEP’s regional master educator in Guam and has the support this week of Jubilee Kuartei, regional coordinator for OSEP based in Palau, and Guam master educators Tara Tydingco and Melanie Torre.

“The broader learning outcomes will include a better understanding of good governance and structures to ensure proper compliance as well as the synergies between local government, national federations and the Games Organizing Committee,” Miranda explained.

Miranda said the module on Facility and Event Management will assist all national federations and clubs in particular the nine national federations responsible for competition delivery in the Pacific Mini Games in June next year.

“This will include a list of required objectives for hosting a sports event and the development of competition schedules that are inclusive of COVID-19 countermeasures.
“The Marketing and Public Relations module explores strategies for fundraising and sponsorship to ensure sports federations work towards becoming self-sufficient,” Miranda explained.

The three-day training, coordinated by NMSA’s executive director Carline Sablan, will be held from Sept. 16 to 18 at the Gilbert C. Ada Gymnasium.

NMSA is one of seven associate members of ONOC. Its president is Jerry Tan and its secretary general is Valerie Hofschneider. The NMI participates in the Micronesian Games, the Pacific Games, and the Mini Pacific Games at regional level. (PR)