Dear Editor,
Please grant me space in your news outlet to ventilate a subject of serious concern.
The just concluded CARIFTA Games once again proved Antigua and Barbuda is not short of track and field talent; the trouble however is that these youngsters may never reach their full potential because they lack proper coaching.
As a track enthusiast I have noticed a trend over the years, where some athletes excel locally- achieve marginal success regionally, but fail to thrive on the international stage.
A wise man once said insanity is doing the same thing over and over again expecting a different result.
Daryl Matthew I dare to say what’s taking place in the local track program is madness.
Sir, as the minister in charge of Sports I’d like to suggest that you install qualified coaches to train budding athletes – Evidently the current batch are not equipped to take them to the big stage.
Ditch the politicking and the who knows who syndrome- These nonsensical practices should be non-factors in the selection process.
Sir, please urge your government to invest in coaches that are able to produce world-class athletes. At the end of the day it will add more value to your resume’..
Mr. Matthew, in my humble estimation, this is one of the things you will take care of if you truly have love for those young athletes.
Further, it will prove you truly are a qualified Sports Minister.
Track enthusiast
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I agree with supplying the best strategy to get the best results. To be fair to whom ever in on the coaching scene currently, we must be able to ascertain from those coaches what the believe to be the problem as well. If they don’t have the proper tools then they too may be hampered. Nonetheless, the potential careers of these up and coming athletes are to important to not get the attention, coaching and equipment they need to excel.
Perhaps a committee of past, present and future stakeholders should be formed to create real results instead of a conversation for a radio or TV program. Less talk and more action!!
I agree with the writer but at the end of the day it boils down go the availability of resources to hire coaches etc. In fact in Antigua it is remarkable that we even excel in some areas given the low level input. Compare it to Jamaica who have such auspicious school and inter school programs and continues to make their mark on the regional and international scene. All our schools need proper coaches, proper tracks and other training facilities and a more robust and pronounced program if we are to see major improvement in our athletic programs. I just witnessed the schools athletic program in jamaica, CHAMPS and nothing is bigger, more excited and more competitive than that. And many North American schools sends their coaches and other personnel to scout for talent and many of these excellent Jamaican athletes often gets an opportunity to continue their education on scholarship programs from a North American School. Given the recent demand for school security, fencing and more, it is tough to see if more resources would ever be pumped into those areas where it would make a difference to our athletes.
More competitions, Dress rooms & toilet facilities are another area to look into for these athletes. Althetes perform better when there’s an audience. It is full time for the athlete’s home ground (YASCO) have proper seating to accommodate supporters. Our past athletes aldo like Dale Jones, Pipes, Lester Benjamin, Calipers and many more who made our nation proud on the regional & international level should be given an invitation to give the youngsters some tips from time to time so that our athlete program can be taken to a next level.
Old school to the fullest. I gave Callipers trouble back in the day, scissors and rolling over them heights. I think Lester is in Atlanta. How about the Lindsey brothers? You think by now we would have an Olympic medal, but when I look at our times and times of the big names, a whole lot of work still need to be done. I would like to see Greene as a regular on the Diamond league, this is the best place to see where you at heading into Worlds or Olympic. Big up to our junior athletes great job, now if this is your future, set your goals and put your training in a scholarship might just pop up. I still say we should have turn Stanford cricket ground into a track and field stadium.
This can be said for all sports.
Simple what about if we have a talented athlete to send off to Jamaica to complete high school and university. YASCO is a mess. You can see exactly where we are headed- during Inter school it was fighting, fighting and more fighting. The announcer spent more time calling police get over to the west corner please. He was begging the children behave themselves over and over. We don’t invest now , we will pay later .
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