Towards a sports culture

For many years there has been a clamouring for St. Vincent and the Grenadines to have some semblance of a sports culture.

But as time goes placidly by, this thought speeds swiftly from our memory. Getting by in sports has become the norm and formality.{{more}}

There is no clear objective of what we want from our involvement in sporting activities, neither are there in the main, a real hunger and fervour for achievements.

Most sporting bodies and schools’ sporting organisations exist because of tradition or it is mandatory for them to be on the structure of the respective organisations’set up.

Where have we gone wrong over the years? Like most things here, we lack long term goals and objectives, hence things evolve rather than structured.

Our history will show a vibrancy in sports during the 60’s, 70’s and early 80’s but we have failed to build on the interest, support and enthusiasm created.

The times are gone when clubs were emerging into viable entities engendering a sense of loyalty and belongingness that was a spring board for performance that made this country a potent force especially in areas of netball and football.

School sports drew large crowds, so too were the annual road relays and football matches that involved community based teams and clubs.

Yes there were not the many attractions or distractions depending on the way you see it, but there was a commitment to each cause.

Whilst there was that very competitive edge, everyone felt part of the happening as it was about “us” rather than “them”.

Today widespread involvement is not encouraged. Spectators are not the seen as vital contributors to sports, while the focus of attention is always on the winner or the top performers.

Conversely, winning is not greeted with unbridled joy, neither does losing take on that somber mood among our sports people and fans.

Fringe players are often sidelined and reduced to supporting acts or as fillings.

Gone are the days when schools were given time off to lend moral support to the fellow students in competitive activities. No longer are persons passionate about the school teams, their clubs and community sporting teams.

Following teams around the country as an outing and to provide support have been thrown in the rivers of forgetfulness.

At the school level, that important nursery of sporting development, that aspect of support has become a no-no as the talk is about “loss of instructional time”.

Getting to the point of really appreciating sports as an important cog in the national wheel must be in train in most people’s thoughts.

Reaching the stage of what obtains in football in South America, England, Spain and Italy where theirs border on fanaticism, attaining even an iota of passion for sports could be the start.

Merchandising of national team products, fan clubs and a return to meaningful clubs form all part of this thrust.

With greater emphasis being placed on early childhood education, maybe at the pre-school level, this could be the point of take off.

We must also see sports as more than just a past time but as an alternative form of employment.

Getting mass participation fillips the move towards developing such a culture.

Mini sports should be modified to meet the needs of all. A policy to attract young people into sport should include an enjoyable introduction and opportunities to improve in a range of sports.

Many early experiences of sport revolve around competitive team games and sports-leaving some young people with feelings of rejection, failure and incompetence.

Maybe main stream sports can adopt the Motto of the Special Olympics Movement: “Let me win but if I can’t Let me brave in the attempt”.