Coach, Trevor Graham. - ANTHONY FOSTER PHOTO
TREVOR GRAHAM, one of the world's most successful sprint coaches, donated several pieces of track and field gear to Papine High School yesterday.
Graham, who has coached several Olympic and world champions including Marion Jones, Justin Gatlin and Shawn Crawford, handed over sweat suits, track shoes, spikes and T-shirts to Papine, his former school.
According to Graham, he will continue his contribution with the aim of building a programme at the school.
"When I came last year, I looked at the facilities and I saw where there were about three or four students on the team."
However, on his visit yesterday, Graham, an Olympian, said: "I have seem a big improvement so far.
BUILD A TRACK TEAM
"I told the coach and principal that I will try to help them to build a track team that will be competitive like all the other schools."
With a second set of gear, bearing the Papine emblem set to arrive in March, Graham, who was accompanied by Olympic 200m champion Shawn Crawford and other members of his Sprint Capitol track team to the school, took another look at the facilities.
He said he would attempt to provide the school with a weight-training room and also promised some help in lifting the level of coaching.
He also visited several other areas of the school's playing area including the long jump pit, which was woefully inadequate.
Graham said he would be seeking donations to help upgrade the facilities at the school.
Papine's coach Errol Messias was very happy for the contribution: "I am more than happy because, honestly speaking, nobody knows Papine, nobody has been looking out for Papine High School."
He said the school had nothing in terms of training equipment and the gear presented by Graham will go a far way.
"We really appreciate what he (Graham) brought for us," Messias said.
The Papine coach said he hoped the school could return to the glory days when they dominated secondary cham-pionships.
- A.F.
