The athletic virtues of many local athletes are often only recorded in the coliseum where they parade their craft, reducing them to mere performers and little acknowledgement is given to their social contribution to society.
However, that culture is changing and more individuals are starting to recognise the contributions of our athletes who embrace their obligation of volunteering and other forms of giving back to Guyana.
It was therefore refreshing when Stabroek Sports got wind of the inspiring story of Guyana’s 2019 Junior Caribbean Squash Champion, Abosaide Cadogan, who is participating in the annual U.S State Department Youth Ambassador Programme.
In July, Cadogan captured gold in the girls under – 17 category of the 2019 junior Caribbean squash championships which was held in Trinidad and Tobago.
The 15-year-old multi-sport phenom, a few days ago, departed Guyana with six other teenage Guyanese, en-route to Brattleboro, Vermont in the United States to participate in the 2019 Youth Ambassadors Programme (YAP).
Over the next three weeks, Cadogan 
and her peers along with their Caribbean counterparts will engage in leadership development training with a focus on social transformation and civic engagement, as they seek to address issues facing youths across the region.
She expressed to Stabroek Sports her excitement for the opportunity to expand her capacity to complete her mandatory community project upon her return and initiatives she will engage in thereafter.
“I felt very happy and was proud of myself,” she said following her acceptance into the competitive programme.
“Heading into this programme, I am expecting to learn a lot about different cultures and also to develop the skills necessary to successfully execute my community project,” Cadogan told Stabroek Sports.
Asked about the factors behind the lure of applying for the programme, Cadogan spoke of the opportunity the programme offers to help her personally grow into the individual she aspires to become.
“I am passionate about youth empowerment. The YAP would definitely lend a voice to the issues faced by youths in my country and I have the opportunity to make a difference with the support of the US Department of State/ U.S Embassy.
“I also saw this as a perfect opportunity for personal growth.”
A student of the St Stanislaus College, her volunteer kaleidoscope has seen her working with fellow junior squash players on Saturdays to elevate their game. She was also recently part of the hockey team that visited the St. Ann’s girls home to expose the girls to hockey.
The Fourth Form Science student has so far represented Guyana in three sport disciplines, including badminton where she won two gold medals and a bronze in doubles at the Caribbean championships in 2013 and in 2014.
She is now more actively engaged in squash and is also part of the next generation of Guyana’s female hockey Trojans; she made her debut for the female senior national women’s team in 2019 during a tour of Canada.
The young athlete intends to pursue a career in medicine, particularly physiotherapy.
