Peter Cuffy trains in USA

Track and field coaches Peter Cuffy and Sidi Bowedi Darma (from Indonesia) have spent a week in the USA on campus with various members of the Pennsylvania State athletic department. This opportunity enables sportmen and women to share coaching philosophies, training techniques, and passion for the sport.

The highly selective programme, which is now in its third year, required that each participant proposed a potential project to their National Olympic Committee (NOC). Accepted candidates then work with an international tutor to develop a personal project that will be implemented for the benefit of the respective sport or sport in general in that country. Peter’s project is titled “Development of a Grass Roots Program to Attract Youths to Athletics in Barbuda”.

Throughout the week, Cuffy and Darma have been exposed to many aspects of athletics and academics across the university, including meetings with Sports Psychologist – Dave Yukelson, and Academic Adviser – Nate Althouse, at the Morgan Center for Student Athletes, as well as a session with Penn State Director of Athletics.

The next stop for Cuffy and Darma will be Villanova University for continued athletic observation, before travelling to the US Olympic Training Center in Colorado Springs, Colo. The final step for program participants is to present their respective projects at the International Olympic Committee Headquarters in Lausanne, Switzerland. All told, the project spans a full academic year.

See more on the program at Penn State sports website.