One of the Caribbean’s longest-running regional youth sporting events is set to kick off next week, and the Commonwealth of Dominica has finalized its contingent for the 2026 edition of the Windward Islands School Games, an annual competition with a documented history stretching back more than a century.
Dominica’s Ministry of Culture, Youth, Sports and Community Development, via its dedicated Sports Division, officially confirmed the details of the delegation and the upcoming event in a recent public announcement. This year’s 104-year-old tournament will be hosted by the government and people of neighboring St. Lucia, running from July 25 through August 1, 2026. To prepare for timely arrival at the host venues, Team Dominica will split its departure schedule, with the first group leaving Dominica on July 23 and the second following the next day on July 24.
In total, the Dominican delegation counts 74 people, with 62 spots filled by talented student-athletes. Of these competitors, 34 are young male athletes and 28 are young female athletes, who will go head-to-head against top youth talent from across the Windward Islands region. The contingent also includes 12 experienced coaches and support officials to guide the team throughout the tournament.
The student-athletes will compete across five distinct sports, spanning seven separate competitive categories: track and field, boys’ basketball, girls’ basketball, boys’ volleyball, girls’ volleyball, open men’s football, and women’s netball. The full list of support staff includes team manager Yehudi John, technical director Don Leogal, head coaches for each sport — Nabi Wallace for athletics, David Toussaint for volleyball, Ellington Sabin for football, Yannik Regis for basketball, and Jennifer Nanton for netball — plus assistant coaches Reginald Thomas (athletics and volleyball) and Adenuar Douglas (basketball). The delegation also includes a safeguarding officer Melissa Alfred, team medic Clevon Vidal, and media officer and chaperone Judy Larocque to oversee all off-field needs.
In its official statement, the Ministry emphasized that consistent participation in the Windward Islands School Games plays a foundational role in the long-term athletic and personal development of Dominica’s emerging young sports talent. Beyond the pursuit of medals and competitive victory, the Ministry noted that the multi-nation event creates valuable space for young athletes to build cross-border friendships with peers from neighboring island states, while fostering core life values such as self-discipline, collaborative teamwork, and strong national pride.
For local sports fans eager to follow the team’s progress throughout the week of competition, the Ministry is encouraging members of the Dominican public to follow its official social media channels, which will post regular updates, live highlights, and full competition results during the tournament.