by Michael Bascombe
Now
that the celebrations have subsided over the successes of our track
athletes at the 13th IAAF World Championships in Athletics in
South Korea, it’s probably an opportune moment for some sober
reflections on the experiences of the past three weeks when sports highlighted
a patriotic and united people.
It’s
important for us to begin the reflections on where we came from and what direction we are
heading.
We
have to acknowledge that two of the world’s youngest and most exciting
athletes over the one-lap event are from Grenada. No doubt, Rondell Bartholomew
and Kirani James have maintained their competitiveness and rivalry
since the Inter-Col Championships, Junior CARIFTA Games, NJCAA & NCAA
and now the professional circuit.
However, as we look towards the
future and more so in the interest of the upcoming talents that have begun to
project themselves on the international scene,
there must be some established level
of control on how our athletes are recruited to colleges and universities in
the United States and
the world over. Over the years the
Government and the Grenada Olympic Committee have invested a lot of money
into the early development of our track and field athletes and except for
Alleyne Francique, Randy Lewis and Neisha Bernard-Thomas the ratio between
input and output has been uneven.
While
we don’t expect every potential athlete to continue with track as a career, we must however recognise that Grenada
was once ranked number three among Caribbean countries with the most number of
track and field athletes on scholarships in the United States. Jamaica and the
Bahamas were leaders. However, very few of our athletes moved to the next level
even though they were tops in their various events in college.
Permit
me to dig into some history to explain that Jamaica’s successes to date is not because of the exceptional ability of
Usain Bolt but instead started since 1948 when Dr Authur Wint secured the
island’s first track gold medal in the 400 metres at the Olympic Games in
London. Four years later he teamed up with Herb McKenley, Leslie Laing and
George Rhoden to win the 4x400m relay at the Games in Helsinki. At that same
Olympic Games Rhoden also set a world record in the 400m. Jamaica’s successes
continued through the years with the likes of Donald Quarrie, Bert Cameron,
Grace Jackson, Raymond Stewart, Juliet Cuthbert, Merlene Ottey and others and
most recently Veronica Campbell-Brown, Kerron Stewart, Usain Bolt, Asafa Powell
and Yohan Blake, among others.
But
a major factor and probably seeding ground for the Jamaicans has been the
attention and focus
placed on their homegrown talents and the structures put in
place to ensure that their athletes have
successful careers but remain grounded in their roots and act as a conduit to
other young athletes. I refer to their annual Boys and Girls Champs, the premier track and field event in
Jamaica, and which attract scores of overseas recruits and international media.
The successful athletes and schools are also selected to represent the island
at the Penn Relays in the United States.
Here
is where our National Primary Schools, Private Schools and Secondary Schools’
Athletics Championships should take centre stage. But I am afraid until there
is an overhaul of the current format of the Inter-col Championships (which hasn’t changed in at
least a decade or more) then we may fail to take it to the next level and
thereby attract overseas recruits who otherwise flock to Jamaica and the
Bahamas.
This (attracting the overseas
recruits) will also give
us some amount of leverage in securing the best deals at college for some of
our athletes. Parents, schools, coach, athletic association, sports ministry
and other major stakeholders should have an input in determining what the best
options for our athletes.
While
we are basking in the glory of the recent successes of two of our professional
track athletes there are already indications that their appearances in National colours may be limited and their coaches and agents
are totally in charge.
The word is that these athletes may have to miss representing
Grenada at the Pan-American Games in Guadalajara, Mexico next month, on the
advice of their coaches. If that is true, then we are in for some serious
issues in the future when these athletes reach the pinnacle of their careers.
The
Ministry of Sports, Grenada Olympic Committee and the Grenada Athletics
Association must now take the bold step and put structures in place to ensure
that in the future there is a process that must be
adhered to and not the backdoor system.
The
message must also be sent to these overseas coaches and agents that
we are sending you athletes who are already running fast times and that
there must be a good level of respect shown to the little island called
GRENADA. They are reaping the benefits in the shortest possible time and in
return showing scant courtesies to the foundation of our athletes.
In the meantime, as we hope and pray for the wellbeing and
successful future of our athletes and that good sense shall prevail, let’s
focus attention on what should be done to avoid any reoccurrences.
With the likelihood of the athletics stadium being completed
in the New Year, I am suggesting the twinning of an athletics programme between
the St George’s University and the T.A. Marryshow Community College where our
talented track and field athletes could remain at home and train with some of
our qualified coaches.
Both
institutions could also use their international accreditation
status to invite overseas coaches for small stints on the island which could
also benefit some of our local coaches. They include Wayne McSween, Albert
Joseph, Denise Williams, Bruce Swan, Timothy Britton and Trevor Modeste, among
others. Our coaches have the knowledge and can only benefit from the finesse and experience along
with evolving techniques from the more established overseas professionals but some lack the interpersonal skills needed to
help the athletes.
This can and should save us thousands of dollars in the long
run which could be used in upgrading other facilities around the island to enhance
the talent identification and grassroots programmes of the Ministry of Sports and
the athletics association.
We
will also be able to empower ourselves as serious negotiators with agents on
behalf of our athletes. We should draw on the experiences and expertise of
Alleyne Francique and Randy Lewis in their negotiations with agents. Let’s protect and meaningfully
support our Athletes as our Nation’s Ambassadors - current and
future.
