THE PROGRAMME


The DASH Athletics Programme

DASH Athletics consists of two sister non-profit organisations: DASH Athletic Foundation & DASH Athletics Group Inc, incorporated in Jamaica and New York State respectively. Originally the brainchild of three former Excelsior High Track & Field teammates, the organisation was formed in 2009, with the vision of utilising Track & Field as a platform to develop student-athletes at the high school level into noteworthy citizens, given the socio-economic background of most of these athletes in contemporary Jamaica.

The DASH Programme is based on three developmental pillars: Academics, Athletics, & Personal Development, with core values of Discipline, Ambition, Scholarship, Honour (DASH). The three founders of DASH, Danny Clarke, Desmond Shakespeare and Garth Case (currently inactive) went about securing a school environment conducive to the implementation of such a programme. After approaching two corporate area schools and while in the process of making a decision, a call was received from another former teammate, Neville Myton, explaining that Excelsior High had just appointed a new Principal who was inviting us to return to our alma mater to resuscitate the nearly defunct track & field programme. After a short discussion we decided to inform the schools we had been in discussions with, of the impending situation and accept the invitation from Excelsior.

We met with the Principal, Vice Principal, & Sports Department Head and presented our documented programme to them including our vision, mission, and implementation plan. Mr Deanroy Bromfield, Principal took the DASH programme to the board of management which sanctioned it.

Once we got the word out of our mission at Excelsior, former teammates in North America, Hewitt Depass, Jeffery Simpson, Leighton Young along with Excelsior alumnus, Norman Nembhard decided they wanted to be part of the programme. They subsequently registered DASH Athletics Group in New York.

DASH Athletics has been working with the track & field programme at Excelsior High since September 2009. Since then we have invited 12 like-minded Alumni, now successful proffesional to a board of trustees, as well as appointed, with the sanctioning of the principal 4 coaches, three of whom are also alumni.

Over the past year DASH Athletics, working with school, have been able to implement and/or achieve the following:

·       Boys Champs Team have gone from zero points for 7 successive years  to placing 26th out of some 100 schools
·       Girls Champs Team placed 16th out of 101 teams; their highest placing in over a decade
·       Wining a Bishop Gibson Relay Championship (Girls Class IV Sprint) for the first time in school history
·       Placing 7 student-athletes in 6th Form
·       Hosting a first ever for Jamaican high school track & field award ceremony at which 4 student-athletes received bursaries to cover the cost of their education at Excelsior – This event was covered by Television Jamaica.
·       Hosting 2 residential training camps for a total of 18 days
·       Hosting of 8 personal development seminars in such areas as sports psychology, nutrition for athletes, self empowerment, & “On being an Athlete”, with such renown presenters as Glen Mills, Dr Heather Little-White, Carole Beckford, Dr Stan Warren & WNBA Champion, Simone Edwards.
·       Provision of tutoring services
·       Developed a Student-athlete & Parent/Guardian Handbook
·       Developed a Coaches Code of Ethics & Conduct Guide
·       Feeding of the two teams (Boys & Girls) daily lunches for the track season January to April.
·       Provision of track & field gear (uniforms, running shoes & spikes) for the teams
·       Assisting in the Renewal of the annual Wesley Powell Invitational Track & Field Meet
·       Securing two full scholarships for our student-athletes to the University of Technology, Jamaica
·       Development of a working relationship with the University of Technology, Jamaica whereby they will assist DASH in the implementation of its Academic Support & Counselling Programmes
·       Renovation of the former Industrial Arts Building into an Athletic Centre of Excellence, with the following facilities:
-        Strength Training Room
-        Separate Boys & Girls Changing Room inclusive of shower
-        Coaches Office
-        Coaches Bathroom
-        Equipment Storage Room
-        Academic Support Facility (Homework/Study Room & Air conditioned Computer Room) – (This latter facility is still being constructed).

It should be noted that given the successes of the DASH Athletics Programme, Principal Bromfield has invited its two directors, Danny Clarke and Desmond Shakespeare to sit on a Sports Council which will be charged with the oversight of all sports at Excelsior High School.