Rhonda ClarkeSenior Instructor
Centre for Kinesiology, Physical Education and Sport
(868) 642 8888 ext. 25080
rhonda.clarke@utt.edu.tt
My name is Rhonda Clarke-Goden and I was born and raised in the South West region of Trinidad and Tobago. I am currently a Sport Administrator, Sport for Development practitioner and involved in Elite Athlete development and Coaching. Currently employed at the University of Trinidad and Tobago (UTT) since September 2006, and with over fifteen (15) years of academic and teaching experience; I am presently a Senior Instructor at the UTT in the Centre for Kinesiology, Physical Education and Sport.
I am also the Head co-ordinator of the Service-Learning department at the CKPES. This department oversees university students being groomed and moulded in the field of volunteerism. Service-Learning provides students with valuable work and industry experience; adding to their holistic development as young sport professionals. In 2023, I founded and launched the Purple Heart Community. This is a student volunteer alumnus under the purview of the Service-Learning Department.
Academically I came to the University with a BSc. Computer Science from the University of Hertfordshire. In 2014, I completed and graduated with the International Masters in Sport for Development from the UTT. My current field of work is Sport for Development and Sport Pedagogy. I am also a recent academic publisher on the International Platform of Sport and Development where my excerpt looks at promoting Sports Education in the Caribbean. My passion is athlete development, adapted physical education and gerontology. This shows in my current research being explored for my PhD program which looks at developing a tailored exercise programme that zones in on the social science of studying the health benefits of companionship amongst the elderly.
I am the founder of the Sport SEATS Foundation which is a non-profit organization that deals with special needs education and training in communities through sport methodologies. The Sport SEATS Foundation has been involved in national community projects for special needs groups and hosted its first Sport for Development Educational seminar 2022, which looked at Gender Biases and integrating women and girls into sport management and development roles.
Further to this, I presently volunteer as an administrator with the Trinidad and Tobago Team Handball Association and work with the Elite athlete program as a Sport Development administrator and coach. Recent success in this field would have been spearheading and planning the NORCA Beach Handball Championships in Trinidad in 2019, managing the national teams that competed at the NORCA beach championships in Mexico 2022, and at the Inaugural CAC beach games in Santa Marta Colombia 2022, where Team TTO won the first bronze medal.
I truly believe that sport is an essential tool for development in every context. Sport has the power to bring about dynamic change and once paired with education and proper strategy, it can possibly eradicate every form of ignorance. I aspire to continue to share my skills and knowledge to help develop communities and various people populations across Trinidad and Tobago and the region.
Professional Memberships/Service
