Twenty-three young athletes participated in the inaugural career workshop hosted by the Saint Lucia Athletes Commission (SLAC), facilitated by two-time Grenadian Olympian Hazel Ann Regis-Buckels.
Regis-Buckels, chair of the Grenada Athletes Commission, led the programme under the theme Power Up Your Future, guiding participants through a journey of self-discovery and motivation. Day one featured four sessions: Strengths and Values, Interests and Skills, Passion and Impact, and Purpose and Planning.
On day two, athletes tackled Writing a Winning CV/Résumé, learning how to craft a concise, standout document that highlights skills, character, experience and achievements.
Regis-Buckels emphasised that a résumé can be a persuasive marketing tool to position athletes for success outside of sport.
A decorated former 400m runner, Regis-Buckels captured gold for Grenada at the 2000 CARIFTA Games and the Central American and Caribbean Under-20 Championships. Today, she serves as an educator with the International Olympic Committee’s Athlete 365 Career+ Programme.
Reflecting on the workshop, she explained, “On the first day, we focused on self-discovery. As athletes, we often focus more on our performance, our competition, and do not really pause to reflect on what’s next. The self-discovery workshop helped our athletes identify their superpowers: knowing their strengths, their values, their motivators and what transferable skills they can use.
“It’s important that they know their inner strengths and superpowers now so that when they’re ready to transition — whether it’s retirement or to the next level — that they’re able to use those skills to land the perfect job. Most importantly, they must know what their values are and what companies out there align with their values.”
Regis-Buckels acknowledged that such resources were not available to athletes of her generation.
“We made decisions without this knowledge, and now we’re saying, ‘How can we use what is being given to us now by the International Olympic Committee?’ The IOC has a plethora of information and resources for athletes — not just Olympians. (The IOC) is now providing our athletes access to that information and those resources so that they can utilise it to make an impact in their lives. Without that knowledge, you’re not able to make informed decisions. So our goal as educators is to spend time in different countries educating our athletes by helping them understand the difference between being an athlete and being prepared for the real world.”
Despite long sessions — six hours on day one and four on day two — the athletes remained engaged. While some were hesitant at first, by the end they recognised the importance of understanding themselves and their future pathways, the association said.
This was the second workshop Regis-Buckels has facilitated in the region, following Grenada, with Trinidad scheduled for December. She stressed the importance of continued collaboration among Athletes Commission Chairs, National Federations, and athletes to maximise the resources now available.
Makeba Alcide, Chair of SLAC and a former elite track athlete turned sports administrator, said the workshop was essential for Saint Lucia’s youth.
“For us, it was a workshop that needed to happen,” she said. “Hazel was an awesome facilitator, and the athletes were very engaging. We got over twenty participants, and for us, that was meaningful, especially for our young athletes, as they need to grow and develop not only as athletes, but also as individuals.”
Alcide highlighted the importance of preparing athletes for life beyond sport: “Not everyone lasts in sports for a long time, so there always needs to be a pathway after sports. We’ve learned that some of the athletes are artists and entrepreneurs and are still pretty young. Any way they can continue to hone those talents can help them develop and hone their brands. For me, it’s important to give the athletes some of the opportunities I didn’t have.”
The two-day workshop, held in late November at Olympic House in La Clery, was SLAC’s final programme for 2025. Alcide confirmed that Career+ workshops will continue in 2026, alongside athlete development initiatives, coach training and national forums.