International Fun and Team Athletics (IFTA)

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IFTA has built and trained a strong team of coaches, development officers and assistant volunteers in order to deliver top quality professional sports services. Our team is lead by Development Manager Milt Ottey who has three development officers working with him and many more trained coaches and assistants working on a part time basis.

	Milt Ottey IFTA Operations Manager Milton Ottey was ranked number 1 High Jumper in the world and is a 3 time Canadian Olympian and double Gold Medalist at the Commonwealth Games. Since retiring from international competition Milt has dedicated himself to coaching, grass roots development and motivational speaking. Milt has been with IFTA for four years and has been responsible for building the team and anyone who has been to one of his events will know he puts just as much enthusiasm into an elementary schools event as he did with his Olympic campaign. A top level athlete and coach, for his efforts Milt has deservedly received the prestigious Harry Jerome award and was awarded the African/Canadian Achievement Award for his leadership role with young people.
	John Thresher IFTA Chairperson The Chair of IFTA Canada was in his time an Olympic qualified runner (1968) in the 5,000 metres for England. He also is qualified as a Chartered Accountant. Later as President & CEO of Athletics Canada, (1997-2000) he saw a demonstration of the Sportshall program in 1999 in England. He helped George Bunner found and establish IFTA as a Not for Profit organization and later set up the Corporate and operational structure for IFTA Canada in 2002. John’s duties include Corporate Governance and fund raising. He has been instrumental in obtaining Provincial Government funding to run the operation since 2004.
	Sean Carrington IFTA Development Manager Before joining IFTA Sean completed a marketing program at Centennial College and was a student teacher at the New Conservatory of Music. Sean has always had a passion for sport, he says “I wasn’t always the best at the sports but because of all of the positive and supportive influences in my life I never lost the drive to participate in sport. Through being an IFTA Development Officer I can now be that positive supportive influence in the lives of children all across Ontario, while having fun and staying fit” Sean has been an IFTA Development Officer for 3 years, he is an OTFA and Athletics Canada qualified coach, an IFTA Pacesetter instructor, an assistant coach in youth soccer league and played rep Baseball for 5 years.
	Junior Weir IFTA Development Manager Junior started as a volunteer and quickly rose through the ranks to become a full time development officer for the IFTA team and now development manager. After gaining a finance degree at Ryerson and spending six years in the financial field, Junior changed careers in order to pursue his passion for working with developmental sports. Junior was a regular for the Markham basketball team and played volleyball, track and field at high school where he received athlete of the year award. He is a qualified OTFA and Athletics Canada coach and IFTA Pacesetter instructor and the Scarborough Azzurri Soccer Coach for 2007.
	Michael Antwi IFTA Assistant Development Officer Michael is an athlete who met Milt through Athletics Ontario he competes regularly in Track and Field and Volleyball and has reached OFSAA championships for both sports. He is currently completing a BAS in information technology at York University and taking the Athletics Ontario coaching certificate. Michael joined IFTA 2008 because he enjoys working with the kids and appreciates having the opportunity to make a difference in their lives.
	Megan Clarke IFTA Development Officer Megan completed a degree in Psychology & Minor in Physical Education from Southwestern Christian College in Terrell, Texas and furthered this with a Major in Sport and Health Studies and Minor in Psychology from the University of Iowa. She is an accomplished CAA Track and Field Athlete who is an All America and 8 times OFSSA Medalist (2 Gold, 5 Silver, 1 bronze) and in 2002 she represented Canada in the World Junior Championships in Jamaica. Megan coaches Track and Field for ‘Over The Top High Performance Athletics’ and Soccer for City of Toronto Parks and Recreation, she holds Athletics Canada ‘Run, Jump, Throw Certification and joined the IFTA team early 2008. Megan says “I enjoy working with IFTA because we provide a fantastic skills development program that is very beneficial to the kids. I love the positive working environment”.
	Charonne Thomasos IFTA Development Officer Charonne gained a Bachelors degree in Sports and Entertainment Management from Northwood University in Midland, Michigan. She is a NCAA track and field athlete who has competed at the provincial level for track, volleyball and gymnastics. Charonne has technical and refereeing certification in volleyball and has also coached youth track and gymnastics. An IFTA team member since 2004 and says “I love working with IFTA because we are doing something besides recess that enables kids to make as much noise as they want while learning and competing”
	Ackisha Williams IFTA Development Officer Ackisha is currently in her 3rd year of a Sociology Program at York University. She has always held a passion for working with children and considers being physically active as a very important and consistent part of her life. Ackisha met Milt and the team at Edgewood Public School while doing a co-op placement as a teacher’s assistant, she says: “I was fascinated by the fact that the program was able to gain the interest of the students who weren’t remotely interested in sports but did the events with such vigor and confidence”. Ackisha began working with IFTA in February 2006 and is known for her high abundance of energy and athletic physique!
	Jennifer Degrace IFTA Development Officer Jennifer started fastball at five years old and branched out into rugby at Pine Ridge Secondary School in Pickering where she graduated with the female fitness award. She went on to study Sports Management at Durham College and was on the team who accomplished a 56 game winning streak gaining 1 Silver and 2 Gold medals at the OCAA. A keen volunteer Jennifer met IFTA during a Special Olympics event and joined the team in April 2008. She says “I love my job because it involves my two favorite things which are sports and working with children”. Jennifer coaches Rugby and is working to gain her Athletics Ontario coaching qualification.
	Scott Haines Head Coach Keeper Athletics (IFTA Affiliate) Scott Haines is the Head Coach at Keeper Athletics OTFA Track Club based in Sioux Lookout. Scott has worked in partnership with IFTA for over two years to implement IFTA programs in the Northern and Native Communities. In 2005, Keeper Athletics, an OTFA affiliated club, was created to inspire, instruct, and facilitate opportunities for young peoples in Northern Ontario in the arena of Athletics. The club’s name is dedicated in honor one of Canada’s most accomplished Olympic distance runners, Joe Keeper. Keeper was 4th in the 10,000m event in the 1912 Olympics. He competed 3 times against famed Canadian Distance runner, Tom Longboat and won twice! Scott Haines has been involved in Track and Field and Cross Country for over 25 years as a competitor and a coach. As a collegiate runner in the United States, he was able to run in USA World Cross Country Championship Trials. Scott has been a professional teacher in Northern Ontario for the last 5 years where he has coached runners to qualify for regional, provincial, and national athletics championships. Scott is a keen supporter of IFTA programs and has introduced the concept to a number of schools and communities in Northern Ontario.