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GlenMills says some songs encourage young people to be lazy
LUKE DOUGLAS, Observer writer editorial@jamaicaobserver.com
Saturday, October 04, 2008
Head coach of Jamaica's successful Olympic track and field team, Glen Mills, has called upon the nation to fight against the lyrics of some popular music, which he says encourages laziness in young people.
"We have to fight the lyrics because most of it (the music) does not encourage the qualities which our young people need to develop," at a Rotary Club function on Thursday.
Mills, coach of Olympic triple gold medallist and world record-holder Usain Bolt, said the youths have to overcome tremendous peer pressure in striving to achieve their goals, and some of the music his athletes listen to does not help in this regard.
"Sometimes at training they will be singing songs that encourage them to be lazy," said Mills, who along with Bolt, were special guests at the function.
Speaking on the subject of leadership, the celebrated coach said he focused not on being popular, but on standing up for what is right, no matter the cost.
He said while there were many temptations in his sport, especially with young people who want to get ahead and be champions overnight, success required discipline and hard work.
"Those who have been successful, as Usain will tell you, are prepared to go the extra mile above and beyond what is given to you," Mills said.
He commended the Rotarians for offering their service in the development of young people, as he said there were many who were yearning for an opportunity to develop their skills and achieve their goals.
The occasion was the launch of the Flow/Rotary National Leadership Initiative at the Jamaica Pegasus Hotel.
Guest speaker, Governor General Professor Sir Kenneth Hall urged Jamaicans to do more to assist the youth in the areas of education, parenting and employment.
As part of the initiative, each of 23 Rotary clubs in Jamaica will select a leader from its district between the ages of 17 and 30 for the Rotary Youth Leadership Awards (RYLA). Some 500 young people, including the awardees, will be invited to participate in a RYLA seminar in which successful professionals will teach them the importance of ethics, communication skills and community service.
The initiative also includes programmes in which youth attend weekly luncheons to meet with Rotarians, the promotion of EarlyAct clubs for five to 13-year-olds, and assistance with community leadership and projects.
Communications company Flow presented $2.5 million towards the initiative.
The Rotary Club has a membership of 1.2 million members worldwide and has been active in Jamaica since 1959.
LUKE DOUGLAS, Observer writer editorial@jamaicaobserver.com
Saturday, October 04, 2008
Head coach of Jamaica's successful Olympic track and field team, Glen Mills, has called upon the nation to fight against the lyrics of some popular music, which he says encourages laziness in young people.
"We have to fight the lyrics because most of it (the music) does not encourage the qualities which our young people need to develop," at a Rotary Club function on Thursday.
Mills, coach of Olympic triple gold medallist and world record-holder Usain Bolt, said the youths have to overcome tremendous peer pressure in striving to achieve their goals, and some of the music his athletes listen to does not help in this regard.
"Sometimes at training they will be singing songs that encourage them to be lazy," said Mills, who along with Bolt, were special guests at the function.
Speaking on the subject of leadership, the celebrated coach said he focused not on being popular, but on standing up for what is right, no matter the cost.
He said while there were many temptations in his sport, especially with young people who want to get ahead and be champions overnight, success required discipline and hard work.
"Those who have been successful, as Usain will tell you, are prepared to go the extra mile above and beyond what is given to you," Mills said.
He commended the Rotarians for offering their service in the development of young people, as he said there were many who were yearning for an opportunity to develop their skills and achieve their goals.
The occasion was the launch of the Flow/Rotary National Leadership Initiative at the Jamaica Pegasus Hotel.
Guest speaker, Governor General Professor Sir Kenneth Hall urged Jamaicans to do more to assist the youth in the areas of education, parenting and employment.
As part of the initiative, each of 23 Rotary clubs in Jamaica will select a leader from its district between the ages of 17 and 30 for the Rotary Youth Leadership Awards (RYLA). Some 500 young people, including the awardees, will be invited to participate in a RYLA seminar in which successful professionals will teach them the importance of ethics, communication skills and community service.
The initiative also includes programmes in which youth attend weekly luncheons to meet with Rotarians, the promotion of EarlyAct clubs for five to 13-year-olds, and assistance with community leadership and projects.
Communications company Flow presented $2.5 million towards the initiative.
The Rotary Club has a membership of 1.2 million members worldwide and has been active in Jamaica since 1959.
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