title: Youth sport in Trinidad and Tobago: Extending the possibilities and pathways for post-secondary school participation

authors: Lawrence-Ince, Karen

subjects: youth

abstract: Sport in Trinidad and Tobago (T&T) emerged out of centuries of occupation by different colonisers becoming more entrenched through the influences of the British. Continued but intermittent successes at the international level have led to increasing attention being directed to youth sport development within recent times. Whilst this has been unfolding at the national level, schools have been utilising resources within their command to keep youth involved in sport.  
This study primarily focused on youth sport practices in the senior comprehensive schools (SCS), a school type that was created and continuously reconfigured to meet the changing demands of education. In spite of a series of transitions, sport arose and persisted within these institutions carrying greater and greater significance as time elapsed. Whereas the SCS contributed to youth sport engagement at schools, community sport clubs and their respective National Governing Bodies (NGBs) working within the framework of a new service company, The Sport Company of Trinidad and Tobago (SPORTT), which operated under the aegis of the Ministry of Sport (MOS), provided additional opportunities for sport engagement. Efforts at these two levels however, appeared not to have produced maximum or prolonged benefits. Attrition rates in youth sport engagement at both school and community levels appeared to be sufficiently high, especially after students completed secondary schooling.   
The study therefore reports on research that investigated sport provision for youth in T&T, and specifically addressed coherence in provision across school, club, community and representative contexts. It followed the qualitative tradition and utilised an interpretative approach that bore a critical edge. Data was generated from investigations in three regional SCS school sites, and from participants in their homes and work places. Data collection involved conducting interviews with sport students past and present, as well as teachers, principals and professionals in the field of physical education and sport, and the collection of documents from the different sites. Analysis utilised a thematic approach within an iterative process.  
Findings revealed notable tensions and fragmentation in provision, particularly relating to (i) NGBs’ continued focus on elite development to the detriment of mass participation and capacity building; (ii) a relative lack of support in the community (with the exception of cricket); and (iii) pedagogical experiences and opportunities for young people within and beyond school characterised by disconnections. Discussion focuses on insights arising from an engagement with data and literature on education and sport policy, youth sport practices and physical education and sport pedagogy internationally. Recommendations arising from the research draw attention to actions needed to achieve coherence in sport provision for young people with a view to maximising pathways for sustained participation at all levels.

text: Youth sport in Trinidad and Tobago: Extending the possibilities and pathways for post-secondary school participation Sport in Trinidad and Tobago (T&T) emerged out of centuries of occupation by different colonisers becoming more entrenched through the influences of the British. Continued but intermittent successes at the international level have led to increasing attention being directed to youth sport development within recent times. Whilst this has been unfolding at the national level, schools have been utilising resources within their command to keep youth involved in sport.  
This study primarily focused on youth sport practices in the senior comprehensive schools (SCS), a school type that was created and continuously reconfigured to meet the changing demands of education. In spite of a series of transitions, sport arose and persisted within these institutions carrying greater and greater significance as time elapsed. Whereas the SCS contributed to youth sport engagement at schools, community sport clubs and their respective National Governing Bodies (NGBs) working within the framework of a new service company, The Sport Company of Trinidad and Tobago (SPORTT), which operated under the aegis of the Ministry of Sport (MOS), provided additional opportunities for sport engagement. Efforts at these two levels however, appeared not to have produced maximum or prolonged benefits. Attrition rates in youth sport engagement at both school and community levels appeared to be sufficiently high, especially after students completed secondary schooling.   
The study therefore reports on research that investigated sport provision for youth in T&T, and specifically addressed coherence in provision across school, club, community and representative contexts. It followed the qualitative tradition and utilised an interpretative approach that bore a critical edge. Data was generated from investigations in three regional SCS school sites, and from participants in their homes and work places. Data collection involved conducting interviews with sport students past and present, as well as teachers, principals and professionals in the field of physical education and sport, and the collection of documents from the different sites. Analysis utilised a thematic approach within an iterative process.  
Findings revealed notable tensions and fragmentation in provision, particularly relating to (i) NGBs’ continued focus on elite development to the detriment of mass participation and capacity building; (ii) a relative lack of support in the community (with the exception of cricket); and (iii) pedagogical experiences and opportunities for young people within and beyond school characterised by disconnections. Discussion focuses on insights arising from an engagement with data and literature on education and sport policy, youth sport practices and physical education and sport pedagogy internationally. Recommendations arising from the research draw attention to actions needed to achieve coherence in sport provision for young people with a view to maximising pathways for sustained participation at all levels.

year: 2016

title: The diversity of Hippocampus abdominalis in New Zealand

authors: Nickel, Jennifer Elisabeth

subjects: Seahorse

abstract: This study investigates the diversity and population differentiation of the New Zealand Pot-belly seahorse Hippocampus abdominalis through the utilization of morphological and genetic data.  Four microsatellite loci - Habd3, Habd6, Habd7 and Habd9 - and three mitochondrial DNA markers - cytochrome b (814 bp), cytochrome oxidase 1 (624 bp) and control region (404 bp) - in conjunction with quantified morphological features revealed a very high diversity but low population differentiation within New Zealand, suggesting very high levels of gene flow.  Some sexual dimorphism was detected, in the terms of shorter snout length and trunk length, and a higher incidence of fronds and spotting in males.  A sample size of 166 yielded 31-46 microsatellite alleles and no common multilocus genotypes, and 36-40 new sequences were generated for each mitochondrial DNA marker exposing 14-16 haplotypes, with a maximum of 0.7-2.2% sequence divergence. H. abdominalis were found to be widely dispersed mainly in low density populations.  As this species is likely to be facing increased threats from exploitation and habitat degradation in the future it is hoped that this information contributes to the knowledge about H. abdominalis so that future conservation management would be easier to implement.

text: The diversity of Hippocampus abdominalis in New Zealand This study investigates the diversity and population differentiation of the New Zealand Pot-belly seahorse Hippocampus abdominalis through the utilization of morphological and genetic data.  Four microsatellite loci - Habd3, Habd6, Habd7 and Habd9 - and three mitochondrial DNA markers - cytochrome b (814 bp), cytochrome oxidase 1 (624 bp) and control region (404 bp) - in conjunction with quantified morphological features revealed a very high diversity but low population differentiation within New Zealand, suggesting very high levels of gene flow.  Some sexual dimorphism was detected, in the terms of shorter snout length and trunk length, and a higher incidence of fronds and spotting in males.  A sample size of 166 yielded 31-46 microsatellite alleles and no common multilocus genotypes, and 36-40 new sequences were generated for each mitochondrial DNA marker exposing 14-16 haplotypes, with a maximum of 0.7-2.2% sequence divergence. H. abdominalis were found to be widely dispersed mainly in low density populations.  As this species is likely to be facing increased threats from exploitation and habitat degradation in the future it is hoped that this information contributes to the knowledge about H. abdominalis so that future conservation management would be easier to implement.

year: 2009

title: Te Whānau Mārama

authors: Tuahine, Hōhepa

subjects: Whānau mārama

abstract: Ko te rā, ko te marama, ko te whetū, ko te auahitūroa, ko te kōtiritiri anō i tapaina e te Māori ko te Whānau Mārama.  Ko te whānau nei ka heke i a Tangotango rāua ko Wainui, he tamariki nā Ranginui rāua ko Papatūānuku, he atua. I whakaako motuhaketia ngā āhuatanga katoa o te Whānau Mārama ki te whare kōkōrangi.  Ko ana whakapapa, ko ana karakia, ko ana waiata, ko ana whakataukī maha.  Ko ngā kai mārō o taua whare wānanga e hoki ana ki te orokotīmatanga mai o Ranginui rāua ko Papatūānuku, heke iho mai ki te tangata me te ao tūroa e mōhiotia ana i tēnei rangi.  He tipua ngā tohunga o te whare kōkōrangi ki te whakamāori i ngā nekehanga me ngā āhuatanga rere kē o te Whānau Mārama nei.  Ka nui ngā tohutohu a te Whānau Mārama e tōnui ai te noho a te Māori ki te whenua.  Heoi anō, kei te āhua tonu o tā te whetū nekehanga i te rangi, kei te āhua tonu o tōna hikohiko mai, otirā kei te āhua tonu o tā te Whānau Mārama taunekeneke atu, taunekeneke mai ki a rātau anō.  Katoa ngā āhuatanga o te Whānau Mārama he mea hei ārahi i te Māori, me te aha, ko ngā mātauranga o te whare nei hei kāpehu ki te tohunga whakatere waka, hei tohu nō Tū ki te ope tauā, hei maramataka ki te ihu oneone, hei kai mārō ki te tauira, hei aha noa atu.  Ko tā tēnei tuhinga, he tūhura i ngā kōrero mō te Whānau Mārama me tana whare wānanga.  Ka titiro ki ngā kōrero kua whakamoanahia i roto i ngā tau maha me te whakamārama i te whakamahia o tēnei mātauranga e kui mā, e koro mā i te wā i a rātau.

text: Te Whānau Mārama Ko te rā, ko te marama, ko te whetū, ko te auahitūroa, ko te kōtiritiri anō i tapaina e te Māori ko te Whānau Mārama.  Ko te whānau nei ka heke i a Tangotango rāua ko Wainui, he tamariki nā Ranginui rāua ko Papatūānuku, he atua. I whakaako motuhaketia ngā āhuatanga katoa o te Whānau Mārama ki te whare kōkōrangi.  Ko ana whakapapa, ko ana karakia, ko ana waiata, ko ana whakataukī maha.  Ko ngā kai mārō o taua whare wānanga e hoki ana ki te orokotīmatanga mai o Ranginui rāua ko Papatūānuku, heke iho mai ki te tangata me te ao tūroa e mōhiotia ana i tēnei rangi.  He tipua ngā tohunga o te whare kōkōrangi ki te whakamāori i ngā nekehanga me ngā āhuatanga rere kē o te Whānau Mārama nei.  Ka nui ngā tohutohu a te Whānau Mārama e tōnui ai te noho a te Māori ki te whenua.  Heoi anō, kei te āhua tonu o tā te whetū nekehanga i te rangi, kei te āhua tonu o tōna hikohiko mai, otirā kei te āhua tonu o tā te Whānau Mārama taunekeneke atu, taunekeneke mai ki a rātau anō.  Katoa ngā āhuatanga o te Whānau Mārama he mea hei ārahi i te Māori, me te aha, ko ngā mātauranga o te whare nei hei kāpehu ki te tohunga whakatere waka, hei tohu nō Tū ki te ope tauā, hei maramataka ki te ihu oneone, hei kai mārō ki te tauira, hei aha noa atu.  Ko tā tēnei tuhinga, he tūhura i ngā kōrero mō te Whānau Mārama me tana whare wānanga.  Ka titiro ki ngā kōrero kua whakamoanahia i roto i ngā tau maha me te whakamārama i te whakamahia o tēnei mātauranga e kui mā, e koro mā i te wā i a rātau.

year: 2016