Dirt Under the Nails with Athletic trainer Asha De Freitas-Moseley

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Dirt Under the Nails with Athletic trainer Asha De Freitas-Moseley



Living in a real world
Published: Friday, May 30, 2014
Asha De Freitas-Moseley (T&T Guardian)

Often people think sports and they think “fun” or “anything goes” but the sports and sports medicine industry is a business like any other industry and in T&T is not an easy one to manoeuvre within, much like any other industry here. Many young graduates return home with visions and dreams to do their part to make things better here, only to find themselves either changing careers or searching for any opportunity to leave.
 
Most people would have heard the story about the two shoe salesmen. Two shoe salesmen from competing companies were sent to a foreign country to assess the market potential for selling shoes there. They both did their research and came up with the same conclusion: nobody there wore shoes. Both went to the same telegraph company with the same assessment except the message of shoe salesman one said that there was no opportunity because no one in the country wore shoes while the other sent that it was a fantastic opportunity because no one in the country wore shoes.
 
Isn’t this what life is usually about? Perspective! When two authorities on a topic disagree on a point it is often about perspective and what influences that perspective. In the story of the two salesmen, the conclusions arrived at by each salesman was based on their strengths and their ability to deliver successfully within the given environment.
 
On a blog I came across, I read one man’s account of the rest of the story. Apparently salesman number one returned home and went on to build a successful business in ladies dress shoes in a new marketing territory that included another first-world country, France. He became extremely wealthy and lived a secure and comfortable life.
 
Salesman two set up shop in the foreign country in pursuit of his vision. He projected sales of 15,000 in his first year of business but was disappointed to realize less than 100 sales. The project was in jeopardy. Payroll cuts were made, threats of abandonment made by home office, the general atmosphere in the company was anxious and depressed, etc. By all standards, the first year appeared to be a failure.
 
Wait! The story goes on. During that first year, salesman two, being the type of entrepreneur-minded individual he was, spent the year monitoring the market’s behavior—some things that he had missed when he first researched the market.
 
He learnt that many liked the “idea” of shoes but found them to be claustrophobic and did not like having to constantly stop to empty the sand from them. So, he started to bring in sandals. Another segment of his market had no interest in wearing shoes and rather enjoyed being bare-footed. However, they would often cut their feet on rocks and debris. So, salesman two found a lotion made by a German firm that would toughen up the soles of the feet. In an area completely unrelated to feet, he started to bring in straw hats and walking sticks for this population that spent many hours in the hot days, walking.
 
Year two he broke even. Year 3 was a little better again. The hats were a hit, he could not keep enough of the lotion in stock and he had developed a niche market for his shoes. It wasn’t until seven years later that salesman two became a millionaire.
 
In T&T, the same scenario seems to play out all the time in the sports industry. New generations of professionals, energetic and eager return home only to realize how differently things operate here from the world they trained in and how unreceptive it is. Feelings of frustration and despondence step in quickly. They become misunderstood and accused of being pompous when they come with only good intentions. Still, this is the real world. School does not prepare you for this part.
 
To be adaptable does not mean you have to lower your standards but it does mean humbling yourself to understand your new environment. There is a lot of trial and error involved which is why alliances are important but it is possible to gradually develop a niche. Like salesman two, diversifying may be necessary which brings new opportunities for learning but embrace such challenges and as best you can and never stop believing in the change you can make.
 
Often the young graduate says, “I need to unlearn everything I learned in school,” but this is not the answer. It is more about building on that knowledge and applying it appropriately, like salesman two did. He did not give up, he just remained diligent.
 
Asha De Freitas-Moseley is a certified athletic trainer with the National Athletic Trainers’ Association of the USA. She has over 11 years of experience rehabilitating athletes and members of the active population from injury to full play. She can be reached at Pulse Performance Ltd., located at #17 Henry Pierre St., St. James. Tel: 221-2437.

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Dirt Under the Nails
Sports medicine—too often overlooked
Published: Friday, July 11, 2014 (T&T Guardian)

By Asha De Freitas-Moseley

“Your wealth is your health.”
 
In the most literal of senses this statement applies in the sports industry. Individuals who make their living by physical means versus sitting behind a desk learn sooner or later that without their physical well-being their ability to perform and therefore earn their living is compromised—a fact which in turn will affect other aspects of their life and business.
 
Unfortunately, sports medicine is an area that is too often overlooked or under-budgeted and yet, with the cost-cutting approach, the expectations of high athletic output and performance ironically and idiotically remain. It is the most directly conflicting approach possible. Is it feasible to expect any piece of equipment such as a car, a tractor or a blender to perform the same way if it is not serviced or cleaned? Obviously, it isn’t! The human body is a human machine and much like the inanimate machine, if you neglect to take care of it, it will fail to perform as expected.
 
There are ways of implementing a basic sports medicine programme that can be cost effective. It may not be the gold standard of sports medicine programmes but if you start with a good foundation that comprises standard protocols for athlete care and communication, even a simple system can have an impact on a team but even this will require some investment.
 
Consider the following. According to www.collegecalc.org the average annual out-of-state cost for a bachelor programme in athletic training/therapy costs over US$30,000 with an estimated average total four year degree costing over US$130,000.
 
Continuing education units are required once you have received certification and these can be very pricey, particularly for athletic trainers located outside of the USA who need to budget for travel, accommodations, meals and transport aside from the actual cost of the course, materials and such. It is not uncommon for a four day course in a manual technique to cost over US$2,000.
 
Compared to some other professions, these figures may not be flabbergasting but this does not negate the fact that they are pricey and in order for athletic trainers/therapists to be able to realise their potential to be the best they can be and to provide the best possible outcomes, they need to generate a fair income to keep up with the latest techniques. As such, the cost cutting approach to the sports medicine area that tends to exist at the club and federation levels in Trinidad and Tobago certainly does not mesh with the idea of providing the best levels of athletic healthcare.
 
Investment comes in many forms. While yes it is about money, it is not ONLY about money as people are often quick to assume and accuse it is when approaching not just athletic trainers/therapists but also properly qualified strength and conditioning trainers. Particularly in the initial stages there are ways to make up for financial limitations, should it fall short—that is what negotiations are for. Creative problem-solving comes in there. But the problem that runs a close second place to the insufficient funding is the allowance for time—time to meet; time to discuss and understand.
 
Perhaps it is because good healthcare exists in the background and is not seen on TV when the athlete is competing along with the sneakers he/she is wearing or the bat they are handling, that the assigned value to sports medicine is quickly dismissed or underestimated. The fact is, no one wins by this witlessness.
 
Meeting with competent sports medicine personnel will quickly and easily reveal what is required to keep a team healthy. A resume and years of experience are strong indicators of their competency level. Without making that time to educate oneself, as the person sitting at the head of the table, is failure to truly seek the returns on your investment i.e. the athlete/team.
 
It is to show that the only interest that exists is in using athlete and the sport for short-sighted gains and have little to no interest in the development and well-fair. The most successful companies in the world know that they will lose their employees if they do not take care of them.
 
Club and Federation administrators, it is time to open your eyes and stop pretending to not know or to not recognise the value of sports medicine. To be able to expect the best from your athletes, you have to be willing to invest in their heath because their health isn’t just their wealth, it is your wealth too.
 
Asha De Freitas-Moseley is a certified athletic trainer with the National Athletic Trainers’ Association of the USA. She has over 11 years of experience rehabilitating athletes and members of the active population from injury to full play. She can be reached at Pulse Performance Ltd., located at #17 Henry Pierre St., St. James. Tel: 221-2437.

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Dirt Under the Nails
Creating well-rounded athletes a huge investment
Published: Friday, February 13, 2015
Asha De Freitas-Moseley (T&T Guardian)

As someone who works in the sports medicine industry, I strongly believe in proper youth development and exposure. Keeping it as broad as I can, my eight-year old has tried football, cricket, lawn tennis, golf, skateboarding, triathlon training, table tennis, some trail biking, even some yoga and stretching. My four-year old has tried a little football, gymnastics and ballet in structured settings but I allow her to climb everything and anything possible and ride her bike regularly. My objective is to expose them to as many sports, for as long as possible to avoid the curse of “early specialisation.”
 
I know two fathers who had or have their son in gymnastics or hip hop dance. One father told me that he put him in gymnastics so that when his son scored goals in football, he would be able to celebrate with flips. The other father just thought that dance would help with his footwork and coordination. Regardless of the reason, these fathers did their sons a huge favour in their “out of the box” thinking.
 
One couple I know, having learnt the hard way through two of their older offspring, has taken it on themselves to invest in two of their teenaged sons from now. Seeking the help of proper professionals, a programme was devised to take the boys through a three-month programme that would expose them twice a week to some habits that will serve in their best interest throughout their athletic life. I really commend these parents on this insightful move as their children have frankly stated that they are committed to taking their sporting careers as far as they possibly can–Olympics not being out of the question.
 
It is never too early to start instilling good habits in the lives of young athletes. Full body training, proper warm-ups, proper stretches as part of the cool down, good rehydration habits, eating right, training the mind…. Creating even a single well-rounded athlete is a huge investment of time and money—something that we do not do much of here, making it quite the phenomenon when an athlete or a team conquers the odds and makes it to the highest levels of their sport.
 
Injuries in sport are inevitable so it is only common sense to do as much as possible to avoid the avoidable ones. I can remember during the days of Tiger-mania when people talked up his amazing strength and conditioning regime and how this played such a huge factor in his professional performance as a golfer.
 
However, Tiger has now taken a leave of absence to allow himself time to work on his game, returning only when he believes he has returned it to a healthy competitive level—how long that will take he does not know. A scroll through his laundry list of injuries will unveil that this $600 million net worth athlete has been dealing with injuries since 1995 during his college days and has had surgeries done on several parts of his body including his knees, elbow and back. It would seem that Tiger is a victim of early specialisation, as he is said to have focused on golf from a little boy.
 
The truth is, most sports are late specialisation sports and they are categorised as such based on a number of factors—kinesthetic awareness, the visual tracking component, and the physical requirements of the sport which is developed from a foundation of general athleticism. Most team sports fall into the category of “late specialisation.” Not to be confused with or to discount the importance of “early exposure” which encourages a less intensive means of familiarisation, “early specialisation” is the deliberate act of honing in on the development of athletic skills as is relative to a particular sport. Increasingly it is being proven that early specialisation is unhealthy both physically and mentally for individuals, especially in the long-term.
 
Some interesting reading I picked up although not a formal study that was done, involved the selection of the top ten North American athletes across the four popular sports of that culture, according to ESPN ratings.
 
They found that only 7 of them seem to have been single-sport athletes. They were able to find information on the other 82 per cent of the athletes as having participated in sports outside of the one they eventually went pro in. So keep it real and keep it broad if you want your kids to thrive in their sports. Don’t get caught in the hype.
 
Asha De Freitas-Moseley M.S. A.T.C., A. has been an athletic trainer/therapist with the National Athletic Trainers’ Association (NATA) for the past 12 years. She specialises in the rehabilitation of injuries experienced in the lives of active and/or athletic populations applying active release technique (ART), facial stretch therapy (FST) and contemporary dry needling to complement her training as a certified corrective exercise specialist. If you would like a consultation or have an injury, she can be reached at Pulse Performance Ltd., located at #17 Henry Pierre St., St. James. Tel: 221-2437.​

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Dirt Under the Nails
Sport has value on and off field
Published: Friday, March 6, 2015
Asha De Freitas-Moseley (T&T Guardian)

There is an NFL athlete with the Seahawks named Marshawn Lynch who has said he does not like to talk a lot, especially to the media - and during the Super Bowl this year, he actively boycott the media interviews. During the Super Bowl he showed up to his interview only to avoid being fined but said nothing of any significance to the reporters. On media day he repeatedly answered reporters’ questions with “I’m just here so I don’t get fined” for the entire four and a half minutes. Of course, this clearly frustrated the reporters.
 
After watching several interviews where he met the minimum requirements of his NFL contract, it became quite comical to watch. The reporters were frustrated but fans have been loving it! Marshawn has a clothing line called “Beast Mode” and if you go on his website you will see that every single item for both men and women as well as every cap – everything is completely sold out!!
 
But Lynch is more than just a rebel or what would seem to be a selfish child. He just does not like to do the interviews, being asked the same questions repeatedly. What he likes doing is playing football and helping the community he grew up in. When you look beyond the boycott, he is a simple man and an entrepeneur.
 
Everyone has probably heard it said that “any publicity is good publicity,” be it good or bad. Whether you do something right or something regal, if it is something that people are talking about, it is good publicity because your name is being said and people are listening.
 
Chris Gayle recently received disciplinary notice from the WICB disciplinary committee for what some refer to as his “public outburst” against the exclusion of Kieron Pollard and Dwayne Bravo by the team selection committee. Gayle mentioned victimization as the reason for it following the walk-out during the India tour in October last year when Bravo was the team captain. Since then I have read articles and listened to interviews by athletes past and present and fans with their opinions on the whole scenario.
 
Now step back and look at the two scenarios ie. Lynch with the NFL versus Gayle with the WICB or even Bravo/WICB and observe the profound difference in the public relations – the media reaction, the cultural distinctions and the capitalist drive. In both instances the athlete is behaving in a fashion that “goes against the grain.” Expressing how they feel but maintaining composure.
 
In Marshawn’s case, the media at first scorned him for it but eventually they accepted it. Culturally, his fans rallied behind him and as capitalists do, there was money to be made through the “Beast Mode” brand and the sports industry continues to thrive.
 
So far, the media has mainly served as commentators in a tennis match. There has been no depth or creativity to build fanaticism in the midst of all this publicity. Our athletes get labeled “money-hungry cricketers” because of decisions they have made since withdrawing from the tour in India last year, a label I believe to be unfair and inaccurate. There is a lot more to these athletes and it would be nice to see the media delve into this aspect of these men. Build the fan support for the sport, regardless of what side the opinions lay. The bottom line is there is room for more.
 
Sport is the entertainment business and there is value in it both on and off the field. As one reporter explained about Lynch – he is not one of those athletes who got into football for the stardom; he simply enjoys playing football and is good at it. He does not like to talk about his feelings – it is not who he naturally is inclined to be as a person. He does however, really enjoy giving back to the community he came from. He is happy to speak about what he is doing to make life better for people who live under stressful circumstances there, particularly the youths. The media eventually switched gears from criticising him for being who he is to embracing it. This is the depth that would be nice to see in local and regional sport coverage. The media has the potential to create the platform that can bridge sport with its fans beyond the obvious conflict in the region surrounding cricket right now.
 
Asha De Freitas-Moseley M.S. A.T.C., A. has been an athletic trainer/therapist with the National Athletic Trainers’ Association (NATA) for the past 12 years. She specializes in the rehabilitation of injuries experienced in the lives of active and/or athletic populations applying Active Release Technique (ART), Facial Stretch Therapy (FST) and Contemporary Dry Needling to complement her training as a certified Corrective Exercise Specialist. If you would like a consultation or have an injury, she can be reached at Pulse Performance Ltd., located at #17 Henry Pierre St., St. James. Tel: 221-2437.

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Dirt Under the Nails
Coach can make, break athlete
Published: Friday, March 20, 2015 (T&T Guardian)

By Asha De Freitas-Moseley

Being a coach in any sport requires a sound understanding of the technical and physical aspects of the sport. That is to say, when training an athlete, it is about training the body to execute movement patterns that are both as efficient and effective as possible.

While being a coach to young, maturing athletes may not be the most glamorized period to doing this job, it is, in my opinion, the most important and influential time as this is when a coach is able to truly make or break an athlete both physically and/or mentally.

Whereas coaching adult and/or elite athletes brings with it many challenges, the challenges that surround coaching youth athletes carry a huge mental and emotional responsibility that cannot be emphasised enough. Adult athletes are expected to have already developed a certain measure of personal responsibility for aspects of their physical, mental and emotional condition, their commitment to their training, effective time management, etc. The period of flourishing these qualities is during the youth development years.

The psychological element of dealing with athletes is very important. Sports psychology is a very real area of sports science and as undervalued as it is, it is the one aspect that influences every aspect of sports and sports performance from the doctor to the executive administrator.

As a coach, however, you are front line to connecting an athlete to their sport and as such a huge responsibility to communicating effectively with that individual rests with you.

Not everyone is cut out for this role. Being an effective coach with youths is a unique one versus working with adults and/or elite athletes for children are a blank slate and subject to many things over which they have no control from their home environment to their physical growing pains. They are still on the learning curve to understanding who they are and all the different stresses of life and they communicate through their actions better than words most times.

As such, the lenses through which a coach looks to understand their athlete best will need to be broad. Their emotional exposure as youngsters form the foundation for being able to process and cope with the stresses that will come as an adult, be it in areas of sport or in general life.

A friend of mine just supported her son’s dream to compete at the highest possible level he can in distance running by sending him to a boarding school located in Florida with a reputable athletic programme.

Having started at the academy in September 2014, his entire time thus far has been spent developing his movement foundations and instilling proper technical form. He is only 15 years of age and has been going through growth spurts since arriving. He also has very high arches.

These two traits alone would be affecting his progress through his programme at this time. His coaches have been in constant communication with the parents, answering any questions or concerns that may occasionally arise as both they as parents as well as their son, are growing as part of this elite programme.

Now, while some will argue that top dollar for such programmes will dictate that coaches take the time to communicate with those who fund the participation, the e-mail my friend shared with me that was sent by the coach following their child’s first race was still very impressive to me.

Coach addressed the athlete’s race performance in detail but also went on to explain where the youngster is at in his training progress, touched on his academics and recognised his personal development since arriving five months ago. Never was their tone blaming but rather always firm and encouraging. It was a refreshing display of cool and confident coaching, drawing information from the athlete’s choices and actions both on and off the track to understand and channel his athletic development.

Whether it is dealing with a poor attitude, injuries, competition anxiety or any of the plethora of emotional possibilities a young athlete will be on the learning curve to understanding how to manage, communication and careful observation both during and outside of training is paramount to having the best chance of creating a successful athlete. A quote I got from the email my friend received that stuck with me, “It is because I stand on the shoulder of giants that I see far.” Ponder on that quote, coaches… it is loaded. What kind of giant are you?
 
Asha De Freitas-Moseley M.S. A.T.C., A. has been an athletic trainer/therapist with the National Athletic Trainers’ Association (NATA) for the past 12 years. She specializes in the rehabilitation of injuries experienced in the lives of active and/or athletic populations applying Active Release Technique (ART), Facial Stretch Therapy (FST) and Contemporary Dry Needling to complement her training as a certified Corrective Exercise Specialist. If you would like a consultation or have an injury, she can be reached at Pulse Performance Ltd., located at #17 Henry Pierre St., St. James. Tel: 221-2437.

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Dirt Under the Nails
Good news for couch potatoes
Published: Friday, March 27, 2015 (T&T Guardian)

By Carla Rauseo

Many Trinidadians don’t exercise enough, and therefore I feel it is risky to write this article as we take everything to the extreme, especially things that require only minimal effort. However, maybe the risk is worth it and it might actually get couch potatoes off their derrieres, because it requires only minimal effort.

Indeed, the World Health Organisation’s recommendations of 150 minutes of exercise per week can be daunting for many sedentary folks who hate to exercise. Authors of an analysis in the British Medical Journal say that these recommendations are just too high to motivate people.

Let’s face it. For a sedentary person, who has never exercised a day in his life, the idea of 150 minutes of exercise a week, or the equivalent of 21 seven-minute micro workouts a week, is indeed formidable, considering his complete absence of exercise. In addition, the muscle soreness and fatigue that come with starting an exercise program for the first time, are further obstacles encountered by the faltering psyche of some new exercisers.

So the new research that suggests that health gains are achieved with much less exercise per week comes as great news to sedentary individuals. One study of 250,000 people showed a 15 per cent decrease in death from less than an hour of moderate exercise a week! Less than an hour a week?

I am quite flabbergasted myself, but the numbers do not lie. A recent systematic review, which is the most powerful type of study, of the Canadian exercise guidelines showed that exercise and mortality rate are not an all or nothing situation. Even a small amount of exercise can have positive effects in people who do not exercise at all. Sedentary persons can now rest easy knowing that every little bit they do, can work to improve their health, and in doing so, they may be more motivated to continue to exercise and work towards the recommended 150 minutes per week.

On the flip side, as we know, too much exercise negatively affects our health, and one can actually undo the benefits of exercise. However, it is surprising to see what research has determined is “too much exercise.” It is astonishingly much less exercise than we think! In a study published in the Journal of the American College of Cardiology, Danish researchers showed that those who ran at a fast pace for more than 4 hours a week, over the course of more than 3 days a week had the same risk of dying as sedentary individuals. That works out to running twice around the Savannah four times a week (if one takes 30 minutes to complete it). That’s very little exercise in comparison to what many people do and definitely much less than what athletes do!

In the same study, those who ran at a slow to moderate pace for only 1 to 2.4 hours per week over the course of fewer than 3 days had the lowest risk of death. That is only a slow paced Savannah run/walk once to twice a week. This actually complements the mounting research that suggests that small bouts of intense activity (as little as 1 minute at a time) can have health benefits, and in fact be better than long, continuous exercise.

The theories behind why prolonged exercise may not be as beneficial as more moderate workouts include a loss of heart function caused by changes to the heart in response to continuous exercise over time. These changes, which have been noted in marathoners and long distance cyclists, include abnormalities in normal heart rhythm and enlarged hearts, which are less effective in pumping blood and delivering oxygen to the body. It has also been proposed that persons who exercise for longer periods have greater exposure to the sun and therefore are more likely to succumb to cancer, but these theories need further investigation.

The relationship between health benefits and exercise is an inverted U. It simply boils down to the fact that too little and too much is not good for you, which we already knew. Moderation is key.

What we didn’t already know, was how little exercise was needed to create a benefit. We also didn’t know that the amount of exercise that negates the benefits of exercise may actually be much less than we think. There is a happy medium, which is just what we need to maintain our blood sugar and heart health, and burn off excess calories. However, I would not take this as gospel.

This is new research, and as with anything new, it needs to be validated through more studies over long periods. But sedentary individuals struggling to start an exercise program can now live in greater hope that every movement they do counts, and be more motivated to improve their health!

Carla Rauseo, DPT, CSCS, ATRIC is a Doctor of Physical Therapy and a Certified Aquatic Therapy Rehabilitation Instructor at Total Rehabilitation Centre in San Juan. http://www.totalrehabtt.com

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Dirt Under the Nails
Sport has not escaped corrupt reality
Published: Friday, May 22, 2015 (T&T Guardian)

By Asha De Freitas-Moseley

When one looks back at the money squandering that has gone on in sport over the last decade alone, surely one wonders, if even for a moment, what could have happened had that same money been put to good use.

It is a thought process that can lead to a measure of frustration and resentment for politicians and the entire political system today. How many well-trained specialists would we have developed by now? How many constructive agreements with internationally-recognised performance facilities could have been forged? How many community projects could have been developed that would have easily lent itself to early talent identification? How many sporting homes would be in existence?

The reality is, however, that the time is lost and this is where we are. Expecting any of these errors to be accounted for and rectified is to be naïve to the corrupt reality that has disappointingly become part of the very fabric of this country. One can only hope that justice will be served after due process but in the meantime, life goes on and opportunities still need to be harnessed in terms of sport and opportunities for our athletes.

As an athletic trainer, my passion for working with athletes is not just within the walls of a clinic. Athletic trainers work both inside and outside of a treatment room to assist with athlete healthcare. Keeping in mind that athletic trainers have a different skill set to strength and conditioning specialists, our presence in the strength and conditioning room, on the field or court, becomes more about injury prevention as we work with other professionals to create amazing athletes.

As a result of this dynamic role, athletic trainers/sports therapists are in a unique position to appreciate the relationship that exists between what happens outside of the treatment room and how it can directly affect what we see on the treatment table.

The biggest woe team administrators always have and the reason why insurance companies tread cautiously when it comes to insuring athletes is the cost of medical coverage. It is almost as if athletes should not get injured. Now, to some extent, I agree with this thought process—athletes should not be injured all the time. Their bodies should be well-tuned machines. However, there is a process involved with acquiring such states of fitness and readiness and it does not come by luck and chance.

The reality remains that prevention is always better than cure and when it comes to outdoor, field-based sports, the biggest contribution to preventing injuries is having proper training and playing facilities. The dust bowls and concrete ground that exist in the dry season that become badly trampled, unevenly levelled, sometimes marshlands in the rainy season carry tremendous risks for injury from ankle sprain, groin pulls, hip contusions, plantar fasciitis/foot injuries and muscle overuse to ligament ruptures and fractures which can land a person in the operating room.

The level picka ie ti marie that exists on some of the grounds that men play on, can often be a source of comic relief when discussing the woes of sport in Trinidad;  but the truth is that this brings in another source of potential injuries via skin infections. This is especially true when you are dealing with athletes who have callused skin and a high pain threshold, by the time a problem is recognised, it could already have gone too far.

This ongoing grief of poor facilities that many of our field-based athletes face year after year, who represent schools, clubs and even national teams,  is an extrinsic factor that has a direct impact on preventable injury. This is to say, an athlete playing on an uneven, extra hard or extra soft surface is more likely going to be injured and will remain subject to injury while continuing to play on that surface versus an athlete playing on a proper surface.

Properly maintained grounds and parks are not a “one and done” fix. It is an ongoing, cyclical process that would require some serious investment but it would also mean jobs, beautification of the community because of the aesthetic appeal and it will foster further participation in extra-curricular activities which are all positive contributions to society. It is an investment with the potential to foster immediate returns.

Just imagine what could have been accomplished if money had been responsibly spent over the last decade. Investing in some proper facilities would be the start to taking steps in the right direction.

Asha De Freitas-Moseley MS ATC., has been an athletic trainer/therapist with the National Athletic Trainers’ Association (NATA) for the past 12 years. She specializes in the rehabilitation of injuries experienced in the lives of active and/or athletic populations applying Active Release Technique (ART), Facial Stretch Therapy (FST) and Contemporary Dry Needling to complement her training as a certified Corrective Exercise Specialist. If you would like a consultation or have an injury, she can be reached at Pulse Performance Ltd, 54  Gallus St, Woodbrook. Tel: 221-2437.

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Dirt Under the Nails
T&T needs ordinary people doing ordinary things
By Asha De Freitas-Moseley
Published: Friday, June 5, 2015 (T&T Guardian)

As children, we are raised to know right from wrong but the intricacies of life come to override the simplicity of innocence.

Sometimes people think it takes doing something extraordinary to accomplish great things but lately, I find myself calling my perspective on that to serious question.

You look at the lives of some of the most accomplished and respected people and you see that all they did was follow their passion, always giving their best effort. It may not have always been perfect because humans are not perfect beings but they were on a journey and never lost focus of it… and sometimes it is as simple as that.

As children, we are raised to know right from wrong but the intricacies of life come to override the simplicity of innocence and gradually the picture and purpose becomes skewed. I truly believe that a firm grasp of the reality that surrounds our athletes will help with structuring sustainable programs that can produce great athletes.

Here are some of the scenarios that I come across:
•    Athletes who are the one male in a single parent home with siblings.
•    Athletes whose parents are going through divorces.
•    Athletes who have to manage their training time with their academic demands.
•    Athletes who are parents and sometimes have to come to training with their little ones.
•    Athletes with only their dad.
•    Athletes living in tough financial circumstances.
•    Athletes who are adopted.
•    Athletes who have to travel to school, to work, to training.
•    Athletes who do not eat proper meals.
•    Athletes who do not eat on time.
•    My parents only want me to focus on school work and forget about sports but this is what I love to do.

A parent’s perspective:
•    This country does not take care of its athletes, why should I invest anything into their athletic career?
•    I can afford to send them away to train and be seen by Universities.
•    Academics will secure their future. One injury in sport will end my child’s career and all will be lost.
•    I am a single parent. How much is rehab going to cost? How much is a good coach to manage his strength and conditioning going to cost?
•    These coaches do not know how to speak to children – they just shout at them. My child does not respond well to that.

The odds against pursuing an athletic career in T&T are numerous and as such, those in positions of influence within the industry should have a sense of responsibility to understand these odds and be motivated to do whatever they can, to the best of their ability, to facilitate the opportunities to overcome these odds.

Maybe what T&T needs now is just ordinary people doing ordinary things – communicating, being accountable, thinking logically – but doing it with some business acumen and a genuine interest to make something better. Just ask a question – simple.

Asha De Freitas-Moseley M.S. A.T.C., has been an athletic trainer/therapist with the National Athletic Trainers’ Association (NATA) for the past 12 years. She specialises in the rehabilitation of injuries sustained by otherwise people who lead active/athletic lifestyles. Applying Active Release Technique (ART), Facial Stretch Therapy (FST) and Contemporary Dry Needling to complement her training as a certified Corrective Exercise Specialist the goal is to rehabilitation while keeping you in the game. She can be reached at Pulse Performance Ltd., located at #54  Gallus St, Woodbrook. Tel: 221-2437.

[Socapro]

Dirt Under the Nails
Evolving trends in sportscasting
Published: Friday, July 10, 2015 (T&T Guardian)

By Carla Rauseo

There was deplorable coverage of the Women’s World Cup by CNC3 which, unfortunately for the football fan, appeared to have bought the television rights to the tournament.

In the basic Flow cable package, Fox’s broadcast of games was blocked, and fans like myself were forced to wait to watch a delayed broadcast of the game, sometimes late into the night, by which time we already knew the result. So much for the enjoyment of suspense.

What is even more frustrating, and the actual topic of this article today, was the terrible commentary associated with the British feed that was televised. So not only did I have to wait to see a delayed broadcast at inconvenient hours, but I was subjected to boring commentary by a rather dry sportscaster. In fact, I seldom made it to the end of the game awake.

Sports commentary is a skill, and television stations should consider this when choosing the feeds they broadcast. Sportscasters describe the action on the field, analyse plays, game trends, strategies and developments that can affect the game. The sportscaster must be able to fluently convey the mood on the field, speaking with correct speed and tone that create excitement, fear or suspense in the viewer depending on what is happening in the game.

They must have a keen knowledge of the rules of the game, and be able to think quickly, describe events clearly and eloquently, and stay calm and professional when something dramatic or traumatic happens.

Good commentary does wonders for a sporting event. However, the commentator on the CNC3 broadcast left me with a picture of a stuffy, middle-aged prude, with a perfectly starched shirt under an old-fashioned suit, finished off with a rather insipid tie. His commentary went as such: “Goal kick from Angerer. Received by Schmidt. Mittag. Intercepted by Johnston who passes upfield to Rapinoe. Heath. Back to Rapinoe. She crosses the ball into the German box, and Lloyd reaches just a tad late. It’s a German goal kick.” Imagine this play-by-play monotony for at least 90 minutes!

So when I could, I streamed the games online, where I found a Fox Sports feed. Now this was commentary that could keep one awake! Albeit, I have to admit, that sometimes there was just a little too much talking. But the concept used by Fox is a good one, at least for me.

Fox’s commentary was more like a panel discussion amongst people who had excellent knowledge about football. This format seems to be the trend in sportscasting these days. For the World Cup, Fox had a panel of retired football players: 3 women and 2 men.

The men were American, and there was one woman each from the United States, Germany and England. I thought their choices of nationalities clever as these countries supposedly had the top teams in the tournament. The subtle rivalry between the commentators from different countries when their teams were playing each other added to the entertainment!

This mix of nationalities, sexes and positions formerly played in football made the discussions very interesting. There were different perspectives. The women were former players, who knew the majority of athletes on the field.

They were able to give informative tid-bits about some players’ personalities, fun stories about their experiences with them, as well as a bit of history regarding the careers of the coaches and players. All this helps the viewer connect with the athletes and the game they play, making the event so much more engaging.

They were also excellent analysts of the strategies used during the tournament, were able to discuss the reasoning behind certain strategies and offer their opinion on their effectiveness, while still giving play-by-play commentary.

Listening to this kind of sportscasting actually educates the viewer about the intricacies of the sport. In fact, I learnt quite a lot about the players’ preparation for the tournament and how hard it is for some countries to get their players home from foreign clubs to practice together. I learnt a little bit about the history of women’s football in some countries, and that up until 1979, there was a law in Brazil that made it illegal for women to play football! Imagine that!

It is clear to me that good sports commentary can develop a viewer’s interest in the sport. Television stations should consider the quality of the commentary in feeds they use. Good sportscasting can only increase the viewership.

It takes more than an ability to describe the events happening on the field. That alone does not keep the audience on top of the action. Like many professions these days, sportscasting is evolving. With so many choices available, it’s taking more to keep an audience interested. Our local stations need to catch up with the times.

Carla Rauseo, DPT, CSCS, ATRIC is a Doctor of Physical Therapy and a Certified Aquatic Therapy Rehabilitation Instructor at Total Rehabilitation Centre in San Juan. http://www.totalrehabtt.com

[Socapro]

Dirt Under the Nails
‘Wham? Yuh cyar wait?’
Published: Friday, July 24, 2015 (T&T Guardian)

By Carla Rauseo

Local gym etiquette reflects the typical Trinidadian narcissistic mentality. Let’s draw some parallels. A gym is a public space used by many individuals. Therefore, there should be a basic sense of respect and consideration as equipment is shared. Yet, this seems to be quite an unreasonable expectation for the average gym-going Trinidadian, who lives in a bubble of “me,” just as he does on the road.

A typical response to a request to share the squat rack between sets is met by “well ah just have 2 more sets.” If one is adept at interpreting social innuendos it really means “wait until ah finish,” and one must resort to waiting for the equipment as Mr Narcissistic Trini rests while posing in the mirror near the empty squat rack. It is the same attitude when Mr Narcissistic Trini stops in the lane of the road to waltz into a bar, unconcerned about the traffic he is causing. Horns blown at him are met with “steups” and a flail of the arm in an expression of “Wham? yuh cyar wait?”

However, I have noticed that people seldom complain on the roads now, and are content to sit and wait on Mr Narcissistic Trini, as if he is quite within his right to delay traffic for ridiculous reasons. Similarly, I have witnessed passive and complacent individuals in the gym wait for him to complete his two sets while he poses in-between.

Mr Narcissistic Trini also leaves his sweaty butt print on the bench, and drops of his sweat on the cardio equipment, without cleaning it, despite heavy signage on the walls. Mind you, his car is spotless and pristine. God forbid if someone should leave a sweaty butt print on his pseudo leather seat! His attitude is the same as those who throw their garbage out of their car windows, leaving their litter for others to clean, or for the environment to absorb, to its detriment.

Granted, these people will never litter their own homes. But the roadside (and gym equipment) is not theirs, so “it doh affect dem”…right? The ignorance and self-grandiosity are inexplicable. Not only does Mr Narcissistic Trini have no regard for others, he also has no care for the equipment he uses.

After squatting, he leaves his weights on the squat rack. His dumbells are strewn all about his work area, and not replaced. He even steps on the mats with his dirty sneakers. There is no concern for the longevity of the equipment, nor the importance of keeping equipment clean and in order.

Again this is similar behaviour to that in other facets of society. Certain security companies in Trinidad neglect and abuse their working dogs, who are poorly fed and without proper veterinary care. Interested only in the Almighty Dollar, they sacrifice the health of these poor animals for a buck. And again, just as Trinidadians allow Mr Narcissistic Trini to stop in the middle of the road and block traffic to get that beer, they continue to hire companies that abuse and neglect their animals. The passivity is disgusting.

All gym goers are familiar with that one loud mouth who thinks he knows it all. He is the type of narcissistic Trini who gives instructions to everyone, whether they want it or not, about how to exercise. He intrusively informs them of what is wrong with their technique and then instructs them in another poor technique of the same exercise, which he claims will “make yuh bottom bigger” if you are a female.

Yet if one attempts to inform him of the errors in his instruction, one is promptly ignored. This attitude was reflected in a recent experience I had when my car battery died. I spotted a young man with a souped up, pristine vehicle nearby. Surely he who seems to know about cars would help. I asked him for a jump start but was immediately told “no,” and he turned his back. Pretentiousness is ubiquitous in this country.

Let’s not forget Miss Narcissistic Trini! She is the diva who dresses for the gym in clothes that are 3 sizes too small for her voluptuous bosom and proceeds to “shadow box” with her trainer. Looking more like a fairy on tip toes, she is so conscious of her “about to pop out members” and more concerned with gallerying, that she never breaks a sweat.

She is the one who also wears five inch stilettos to a carnival fete on grass, and ends up getting “stuck in the mud”. Need I say more?

Narcissism is a common trait among Trinidadians these days. It is “self-centredness arising from failure to distinguish self from external objects, either in very young babies or as a mental disorder.” So either Trinidadians never grew up, or are mad.

•Carla Rauseo, DPT, CSCS, ATRIC is a Doctor of Physical Therapy and a Certified Aquatic Therapy Rehabilitation Instructor at Total Rehabilitation Centre in San Juan. http://www.totalrehabtt.com

[Socapro]

Dirt Under the Nails
When sore losers have more to lose
By Carla Rauseo (T&T Guardian)
Published: Friday, August 7, 2015

Marlen Esparza, American female amateur boxer, who embodies the perfect image that CoverGirl wants.

It seems that Marlen Esparza, an American female amateur boxer, embodied the perfect image that her sponsor, CoverGirl, wants to project…a woman can be strong AND beautiful at the same time. Covergirl could have chosen any other female athlete, but they chose an athlete from a controversial sport regarding women’s involvement; a sport that defies the traditional role and image of women and challenges us to rethink the stereotypes.

The image CoverGirl projects with their endorsement of Esparza is one that embodies this new era of female independence, strength and equality, while still maintaining feminine beauty. Clever. Esparza was interviewed after a split decision loss to a Canadian in the final of the Pan American Games female amateur boxing. Here are her words: “It was “BS!”

There was nothing strategic. She’s not a good fighter, so I don’t know why they would give her (the decision.) I beat her five times, and I beat her the same way every time. “Just because I’m in Canada ... it was the whole reason I lost.” On international television she went on to say that she hated Canadians…and all this on Canadian soil! Now how’s that for a sore loser?

I was certain that CoverGirl would revoke their endorsement after that interview! After all, I would think that a strong, independent and feminine woman would be graceful even in a difficult loss. Surely, CoverGirl would insist that her actions did not match the image they intended to portray, and would harm their product.

Yet, from what I could find online, CoverGirl has said nothing about the incident. I am shocked by this, given the goal of a company when endorsing an athlete. Companies sponsor athletes for a number of reasons. The primary goal is to increase sales of their product. Athlete endorsement has been shown to influence customers’ purchasing decisions and ultimately boost sales.

This occurs because fans of the athlete transfer their positive feelings and trust in the athlete to the product he/she represents. Fans also tend to associate the product with the athletic lifestyle, which they find appealing, and are more likely to purchase the endorsed product over similar merchandise.

In this way, companies stay a step above their competition. The more exclusive the athlete/endorser relationship, the greater the ability of the company to steer prospective customers away from the competition. The more famous the athlete, the more publicity and recognition the company will receive.

However, athletes can also generate bad publicity for their sponsors based on their behaviour. Recently, there has been a plethora of revocation of monies and endorsements from some very popular athletes because of their ugly behaviour. These actions embarrass the sponsoring company and are usually in opposition to the image they want to project. Consequently, athletes lose their endorsements.

A very recent example is the Ray Rice incident, where the Baltimore Ravens running back was seen on video beating his fiance unconscious in an elevator. He lost the support of Vertimax, a sports equipment company, along with Nike and EA Sports. Dick’s Sporting Goods and Modell’s pulled his jerseys from their stores. He now has no remaining active endorsement deals.

Lance Armstrong is probably the most famous. He lost all endorsements from Nike, Anheuser—Busch, Trek Bicycle Corp, among many others, for participating in doping for years and lying and misleading his fellow racers and sponsors. Tiger Woods is another popular athlete who rightfully suffered because of his lack of self control and insatiable sexual appetite.

He lost sponsorships from Gillette, Accenture, Gatorade, AT&T and Tag Heuer. Nike slashed their $20 million a year deal by half. His wife must be quite happy at such punishment. Indeed, Woods has never been the same. English footballer Wayne Rooney was allegedly accused of cheating on his pregnant wife with prostitutes. Coca-Cola’s executives said they were “disgusted” and pulled their endorsement.

Similarly, Kobe Bryant was accused of sexual assault in 2003, and he lost deals with MacDonalds and Ferrero SpA. Mike Tyson’s spiral into the depths of endorsement loss came after his former wife claimed that he abused her. He lost sponsors such as Eastman Kodak and Nintendo among others costing him $8-$10 million in a year.

Then there is Michael Phelps who lost the support of Kellogs after a picture emerged of him smoking a bong. So image is extremely important to companies who endorse athletes…or at least it should be. Asking an athlete to represent a company implies that the company approves of the athlete, that the athlete is a reflection of the morals and character of the company.

So maybe CoverGirl is also a sore unsportsmanlike loser? That’s not strong and independent to me. “Easy, Breezy, Beautiful Sore Loser!”

•Carla Rauseo, DPT, CSCS, ATRIC is a Doctor of Physical Therapy and a Certified Aquatic Therapy Rehabilitation Instructor at Total Rehabilitation Centre in San Juan. http://www.totalrehabtt.com

[asylumseeker]

I was certain that CoverGirl would revoke their endorsement after that interview! After all, I would think that a strong, independent and feminine woman would be graceful even in a difficult loss. Surely, CoverGirl would insist that her actions did not match the image they intended to portray, and would harm their product.

Yet, from what I could find online, CoverGirl has said nothing about the incident. I am shocked by this, given the goal of a company when endorsing an athlete. Companies sponsor athletes for a number of reasons. The primary goal is to increase sales of their product. Athlete endorsement has been shown to influence customers’ purchasing decisions and ultimately boost sales.

Ms. Rauseo, all of the athletes cited (Armstrong, Bryant, Phelps, Tyson) held prominent places in the American mind and were figures squarely not in a position to allow corporate sponsors to escape scrutiny. Even if one thinks of Ray Rice as less prominent, the sponsorship outcome in his situation was a no-brainer. So too the case of Rooney. However, Esparza's reaction not only failed to rise to the same level of negative attention, she is also not the poster athlete of a sport featuring relatively or significantly huge market share or interest. Also consider that her "transgression" stands in a distinct category. Reaction would likely be more galvanized had she pulled a Tonya Harding on Nancy Kerrigan.

Esparza is a bleep on the news cycle. And, perhaps gender perceptions play a factor in corporate reaction. However, at the end of the day, let's not pretend that anything Esparza said would dampen sales ... even in Canada. Chalk that up to Canadians being somewhat immune to insensitive Americans? Another day, another Zeppo. 

The reality is ... it's not just CoverGirl. Esparza is involved with Nike, McDonalds, and the same Coca-Cola of Rooney fame. Apologize and nothing to see here folks.

[Socapro]

Dirt Under the Nails
When it comes to the crunch
Published: Friday, October 2, 2015 (T&T Guardian)

By Carla Rauseo

It’s probably one of the most common questions we get at Total Rehab regarding core strengthening and developing “ah six pack”…To crunch, or not to crunch?

The answer is much more complicated than a simple “yes” or “no.” It actually depends on quite a number of variables. Let’s deconstruct the crunch a little and see what it actually does to the body.

To do a crunch, the person lies on his/her back with the knees bent and feet on the floor. The crunch is performed when the person lifts the head and upper body off the floor and then returns to the start position. It involves flexion, or bending, of the spine using the “six pack” muscles, scientifically known as the rectus abdominus, and is an activity that places moderate compression through the spine. It is usually done repetitively within a strength training program in sets of multiple repetitions.

There is a school of thought, supported by research on the spines of dead pigs (which are very similar to human spines), which states that spines can actually be seriously injured when subjected to repetitive bending. In the studies on pigs, the majority of discs in the spines either partially or completely herniated when subjected to repetitive cycles of flexion. This flexion with compression lends credence to the potential risks of doing a lot of sit-ups and crunches in the gym.

However, as with all research, there are significant limitations when it comes to generalising the findings to the human population. These studies were done on pig cadavers, without the presence of active muscle and all the physiological processes that are involved when we train our muscles and move our joints. Just as our muscles undergo processes that help them get stronger when we exercise, our bones and the discs of the spine do the same. The tissues of the body remodel, adapt and become stronger, which dead tissue cannot do.

The studies on pigs also subjected the loaded spines to thousands of continuous bending cycles, which is far beyond what a normal strengthening program involves. In addition, when performing normal crunches in the gym, the bouts of crunches are done intermittently. This is important as it allows time for the tissues to remodel and recover from the stresses placed upon them during the sets of crunching. Exercise-induced disc herniations occur when failure from fatigue outpaces the rate of recovery. It is therefore extremely important that physical trainers and independent exercisers who enjoy the crunch do the exercise with the correct frequency and intensity to avoid injury. Provided this occurs, there is no real evidence to show that crunches are bad for the HEALTHY spine.

So if crunches are not inherently dangerous to the healthy spine, does performing them convey any actual benefit, or are they simply a waste of time? Movement of the spine helps to lubricate the discs. Fluid moves in and out of the discs as we move about and bend and straighten the spine. Spinal flexion has been shown to encourage this. This movement of fluid actually provides nutrients to the discs and flushes waste products out, promoting healthier discs. This is important considering disc degeneration is linked to inadequate removal of waste products.

In addition, crunches can help develop strength in the “six-pack” muscles and also help increase their size. For those athletes who require a lot of spinal flexion strength, the crunch may be a good exercise to perform. The crunch actually isolates the rectus abdominus quite well and may also be an integral exercise for those persons who enjoy the aesthetic appearance of the abdominal musculature, such as body builders and fitness enthusiasts. However, if one has a layer of fat over the muscles, then the six-pack would not be visible, despite it being very strong from repetitive crunching!

Taking the above into account, it appears that crunches offer a favourable risk to reward ratio for those who have no spinal pathology. But there are some precautions and contraindications that should be considered when doing the crunch.

This exercise should be avoided in anyone with any disc injury and in those who have an intolerance to the movement of flexion/bending.

Technique is key, and one must avoid pulling on the neck, as this can cause neck injury.

It is also extremely important to remember to allow recovery of the tissues stressed during flexion and not to overload the flexion movement in people who perform a lot of this movement throughout the day. Such populations include certain athletes and labourers who bend a lot, and people who sit a lot. Core strengthening for these people should involve other safer exercises that stimulate the core. So it is best to err on the side of caution and avoid the crunch.

The crunch is not for everyone!

• Carla Rauseo, DPT, CSCS, ATRIC is a Doctor of Physical Therapy and a Certified Aquatic Therapy Rehabilitation Instructor at Total Rehabilitation Centre in San Juan. http://www.totalrehabtt.com

[Socapro]

Dirt Under the Nails
Gymnastic Federation falls off the beam
Published: Friday, March 4, 2016 (T&T Guardian)

By Carla Rauseo

Here we go again. More small-minded, self-absorbed people holding positions of influence and power in an organisation for which, by their actions, they have no qualifications. What the Gymnastics Federation (TTGF) has done and is doing to Thema Williams, our first ever female gymnastics Olympic candidate makes me sick. Please pass the vomit bag.

TTGF is an organisation that is responsible for “promoting and developing gymnastics on a grassroots and national level.” However, based on media reports, it appears that its handling of Thema Williams and Marisa Dick (Williams’ substitute), demonstrates that the current TTGF council is doing the exact opposite, and putting a spoke in the wheel of an Olympic hopeful.

Let’s begin at the July 2015 Pan American Games in Toronto. Marisa Dick competed for Trinidad after recently rehabilitating a ruptured Achilles tendon, a very significant injury for a gymnast. In an interview posted in the St. Alberta Gazette, she stated, “It was my first time doing vault again on a hard surface since my injury.”

As physical therapists, we are taught that one of the most basic rules in returning an athlete to play is to ensure that they can safely complete the entire skill/activity PRIOR to competition. If this was her first time on the vault on a hard floor, how then did she prove her fitness to compete to TTGF?

How did she prove to TTGF that she was the best athlete to send to the games? Not only does failure to demonstrate competence prior to return to competition jeopardise athlete safety, in this instance it questions the procedures/policies of the TTGF in athlete selection. Suspicious behaviour number one.

Let’s move to just before the World Championships in Glasgow in October 2015. A selection process was established by TTGF which stated that the “gymnast who scores the highest all-round score at the World Gymnastics Championships will be the athlete selected by the TTGF Selection Committee to move forward to represent TTO at the Olympic Test Event.”

Thema Williams

Williams won that spot by placing 18 athletes ahead of Dick. Yet a month later TTGF still had not officially announced her as the delegate, until the Olympic Committee apparently intervened to finally confirm that Thema was that athlete. Time is of the essence when preparing an athlete for a massive competition such as the Olympics, yet TTGF dragged its questionable feet on the issue. Suspicious behaviour number two.

Then, suddenly we hear Marisa Dick on Canadian Radio, CBC, speaking about having two more qualifying events in which both she and Williams will have to compete in order to determine which athlete goes to the Rio Test event. Huh? Wasn’t a selection process already implemented and the results obtained?

Furthermore, at that elite level, coaches have meticulously planned out the annual training schedule. To suddenly insert two important competitions in close succession to the World Championships and just before the Olympic Test event goes against the most basic concepts of periodisation (the athlete’s training plan), which should be understood by the TTGF. Is it just incompetence or suspicious behaviour number three, or both?

In addition, after the World Championships in 2015, TTGF named foreign-born and bred, foreign-trained and “Trinidadian on the floor but still Canadian at heart” Marisa Dick (which she so proudly posted on social media) as its 2015 nominee for Sportswoman of the Year, despite Williams’ achievement that same year of being the first T&T gymnast to ever qualify for an Olympic event. Suspicious behaviour number four.

Then most recently, mystery woman “Georgette Heinz” submitted an old photograph of Thema posing topless but with no breasts exposed, claiming it was offensive, that Thema was a poor example of an Olympian, and that she should be disciplined.

Then, in a bizarre and very ironic twist of fate, a topless picture (although no breasts could be seen) of Marisa Dick was leaked to the TTGF. Both athletes were sent to a “disciplinary committee,” whose decision we are still awaiting over a week later when time is of the essence. Whether a picture is offensive or not is a matter of subjectivity.

If TTGF needs help in deciding what is appropriate or not, they need not make a big brouhaha over it. If they want our athletes to compete with the rest of the world, simply look at what the world’s Olympians and their federations are doing and they have their answer. Numerous and much more sexy pictures of Olympians posing and celebrating their athletic bodies abound and we need not look further than ESPN Magazine, the Body Issue. So the lewdness (or lack thereof) of Thema’s and Marisa’s pictures is not the issue.

Yet they are still being sent to the “disciplinary committee,” prolonging what should be a non-issue, and instead causing a distraction for both athletes. Where was the “disciplinary committee” when Marisa Dick’s coach was arrested on a Caribbean Airlines flight in June 2015? Double standards…and suspicious behaviour number five.

Furthermore, according to Mr Brian Lewis, president of TTOC, the timing of the release of Thema’s picture is “concerning.” Not only does it distract the athlete and administrators from Olympic preparation, it comes at a controversial time just after Thema was finally named by TTOC as the athlete to represent T&T at the Olympic Test Event, after TTGF failed to do so for reasons we do not know.

It is interesting that “Georgette Heinz” kept the picture (which Thema posted 12 months ago and immediately removed not even 24 hours later), and has now produced it at this particular time. Yet no mention has been made by TTGF about investigating and validating the source of the submission, since no one in the gymnastics community seems to know a parent called Georgette Heinz. Suspicious behaviour number six.

Through its actions, the TTGF has proven its incompetence in “promoting the sport of gymnastics at a grassroots and national level.” They have created a lack of public confidence and public distrust in their ability to manage with integrity and efficacy. They must be held accountable. The future of Trinidad and Tobago Gymnastics is at stake…and not looking very promising with the current council at the helm. I’ll keep my vomit bag handy. 

Carla Rauseo, DPT, CSCS, ATRIC is a Doctor of Physical Therapy and a Certified Aquatic Therapy Rehabilitation Instructor at Total Rehabilitation Centre in San Juan.

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