By: Precious Mills
BASSETERRE, St.Kitts (Friday 19th April 2019)- National sports icon of international fame, 43 year-old Kim Collins says he is currently focused on setting up his foundation so as to assist the young people of the Federation of St.Kitts-Nevis.
Participants pose for a group photo following the event (Spokesman Snap)
This media house caught up with the retired track and field sprinter following a Red Fit health workout session organised by Young Labour-the youth arm of the opposition St.Kitts-Nevis Labour Party (SKNLP), held at the Independence Square last Friday (12th April).
Along with his wife Paula who is a certified IAAF (International Association of Athletics Federations) coach and former fitness model (who originally hails from Jamaica), the pair were the featured star instructors of that fitness get-together which saw participants mostly in their teens, 20s and early 30s.
Among those in attendance were SKNLP officials and candidates namely Deputy Leader Marcella Liburd (Parliamentary Representative for Constituency Two); Chairman Dr. Terrance Drew (representative of Constituency Eight) as well as Dr. Geoffrey Hanley and Leon Natta-Nelson of Constituencies One and Seven respectively.
The Kim Collins Foundation, Collins said will “focus on helping the youths and others in some way in terms of sports and fitness. We’ve been told that St. Kitts is one of the most obese countries in the world which is not good for my people.”
Collins, who has been living back home for the past two years, pointed to the high consumption of bread by locals whilst noting “It is difficult to break down flour in the body.”
He continued: “Our focus is helping young people especially the students with scholarships that are available to travel overseas for track and field, and of course in the future we will go into other sports like football once we are able to find a place for athletes to go overseas for school. We also want to help persons with academic scholarships and music scholarships so we’ll be working hard to make sure that our youths are well-rounded and educated in terms of finding a place for them where they can grow.”
“We want to make St.Kitts and Nevis a better place but with sports as my passion, we’re dealing with sports and fitness starting with the young so we want to go in all the schools in the Federation and all the communities and help to restore some of the basketball courts, football fields,” Collins added.
Additionally, he talked about bringing back playgrounds in communities as part of the physical activity options for children.
“I know growing up there was a lot of play grounds, and there is still space available where we’ll want to go and see what we can do as much as we can in all the communities so that playing becoming part of kids’ lives once more so that if they are not doing sports then they can at least play.”
“I’ve donated equipment to a lot of and lot of persons but because it was not from a business standpoint, a lot of it was kept quiet so now we can do it justice by saying on behalf of the Kim Collins Foundation,” he shared.
Collins intends to start with schools that are closer to him and branch off “because when you’re a past student of a school, you definitely want to see that school do well.”
Asked what his drive behind his planned community outreach is, Collins remarked: “I am inspired by the youths of this country. They are very talented and a lot of them are pretty much thrown to the wayside. I’ve seen too many athletes fail because not enough support, not enough encouragement which leads to a spirit where they feel broken inside. I’ve seen even those who trained with me as a youth who gave up. We want to change that and doing from a foundation standpoint is a lot easier to do it and to do it justice.”
Collins spoke about assisting current athletes and promising athletes who are passionately in need of support. He also encouraged those uninterested but talented athletes to think differently.
According to him: “I think it’s unfair when God gives you a talent and you waste it. That is why I was on the track for so long because I had my talent and I felt that I would be punished severely if I wasted it so I want to see those who have that talent and drive to go out and do well.”
Quizzed about his appearance at an SKNLP event-which this media house understands has been a talked about topic in the public- he said: “Well, I was invited tonight for a function for people who want to be fit and when I’m going to establish a foundation, it cannot be subjected to any political party or [whatever may be deemed as] petty nonsense. Anyone who comes to my foundation will be treated fairly, and as Kittitians and Nevisians we just have to do better. We are all in a pot of soup and we just need to get along and understand this is the place we live and if we want to make this Federation a better place, we just have to do the right thing and live good with each other.”
Collins said the foundation which is expected to launch “very shortly” is currently undergoing a legal process.