Kathy Harper-Hall

Programme Director at Sport for Life Barbados Inc.

Kathy Harper-Hall is a National of Barbados and was born in Jamaica. After 19 years in the teaching service as a high school Physical Education Teacher, changed careers in 1978 to become a professional sports administrator.
Kathy Harper-Hall served in the National Sports Council of Barbados for 20 years (1978-1998), first as supervisor of six (6) netball coaches, then rose through the ranks to become Assistant Director of Sport, with the role of supervising forty (40) coaches representing seventeen (17) sporting disciplines, and finally acting as the National Director of Sports from 1996-1998. Kathy Harper-Hall has received several local and regional wards, the most recent of which is theBarbados Olympic Association’s Icon Award which I received in 2020.

Education

  • Oberlin High School (Jamaica) 1954-1958 )Senior Cambridge Certificate)
  • Moneague Teachers’ College (Jamaica) 1963-1965 (Teacher Training Certificate (Physical Education & Mathematics)
  • Chelsea College of Physical Education/Sussex University (England) Bachelor in Education (Physical Education)
  • UWI Mona (Jamaica) 1988-1989 (Diploma in Public Administration Hons)

Other Relevant Information

  • After 19 years in the teaching service as a high school Physical Education Teacher, changed careers in 1978 to become a professional sports administrator.
  • Now happily and comfortably retired (wearing new tyres) for the past twenty-three (23)years, and is now a ‘professional volunteer’, and enjoying every moment spent with the youth of Barbados and the wider Caribbean.
  • Served as General Secretary of the Caribbean Amateur Boxing Association from 1986-1998 and from 2000-2008 a total of eighteen years.
  • Member of the Barbados Boxing Association from 1977 to present serving in the capacities of Vice President, Secretary, Assistant Secretary/Treasurer, Committee member, and Technical Official. Currently General Secretary since 2016.
  • Chairman of the Caribbean Working Committee for Olympic Style Boxing 2014-2018.
  • Longest serving Executive Committee Member of the Caribbean Netball Association, serving from 1984 to present, as Secretary, Vice President, President for twenty (20) years (1996 to 2016) and subsequently Past President and Coordinator of Umpiring matters.
  • Member of the Barbados Netball Board of Control and Secretary of the BarbadosSecondary Schools’ Netball League, the predecessors of the Barbados NetballAssociation, from 1970-75; Founding member of the Barbados Netball Association and continuous member since 1975, serving that organisation as President, Vice President, Secretary, Board Member, Umpire, Sub-Committee Member, Coach, Trainer of umpires and coaches, and Associate Member. Was awarded Life Membership by that organisation in 2016.
  • Member of the Amateur Athletic Association of Barbados (now Athletics Association of Barbados) since 1970, serving in the capacities of Assistant Secretary, Floor Member,Meet Director, Schools’ League Coordinator, Track & Field Official, Sub-Committee member, and in my latter years, as a senior athlete. Has remained a financial member to the present.
  • Served as Executive Assistant of the Commonwealth Sports Development Programme (CSDP) an initiative of Commonwealth Games Canada, from 1998-2008, working as the Administrator and Regional Coordinator for the Caribbean Coaching Certification Programme (CCCP) and later the Caribbean Healthy Lifestyle Programme (C-HLP). Founding member and driving force behind the development and success of C-HLP over the years.
  • Chairperson of the Regional Coaching Committee for the Americas Region of IFNA (1990-2010);
  • Member of the United Athletic Club since 1972, serving that organisation over the years as Secretary, Treasurer, Coach, Manager, and Advisor. Currently Assistant Secretary/Treasurer.
  • Executive Member of the Alleyne School Alumni Association since 1990, serving as Vice President, Secretary and has been the Public Relations Officer from 1992 to present.
  • Founding member of the now defunct organisation, Senior Athletes of Barbados (SAB). Currently an active senior athlete competing at national, regional and world levels.
  • General Secretary of the Caribbean Administrators of Sports & Physical Education 2014-2018.

Current Involvement

  • Immediate Past President of the Caribbean Netball Association and Coordinator of the Umpiring Programme for that organisation
  • General Secretary of the Barbados Boxing Association
  • Regional Coordinator for the Caribbean Healthy Lifestyle Programme,
  • Coordinator of the Barbados Inter-Alumni Associations’ Athletic Championships(BIAAAC)
  • Programme Director for the Barbados Chapter of Sport for Life, an International Sport for Development initiative.
  • Assistant Secretary/Treasurer and Advisor of the United Athletic Club
  • General Secretary of the Caribbean Steering Committee for Boxing
  • Barbados delegate and spokesperson for the Caribbean at meetings of the International Boxing Association (AIBA)
  • Associate Member of the Barbados Netball Association and member of the Education Committee of the Barbados Association of Netball Umpires (BANU)
  • Certified Trainer and Tester of Netball Umpires and Coaches for the Americas Region, and of Regional Youth Leaders, Mentors and Trainers of C-HLP.
  • Member of the Tournament Committee for the Americas Federation of Netball Associations and the Caribbean Netball Association.
  • National Senior Athlete, successfully representing Barbados regionally and at the World Championships for senior athletes, since 2003. As a senior athlete, I have so far won eight-eight (88) medals at the World Championships since 2003, and too many to be counted at the Barbados Local Senior Games since its inception.