Malaise rocking Sports

A strong unwanted wind is blowing across this country’s sporting disciplines. With it brings nonchalance, indifference and malaise.

No fervour nor commitment and little compassion are being exhibited and we seem to be heading straight for rock bottom.{{more}}

Plummeting to an all time low in attitude in sports the poor returns are the product of this slump.

Unchecked, the trend has taken root and the fruits are not falling far from the trees.

The present national netball club tournament has been the hardest hit by the trend of disinterest. There is hardly a week when there are about three or four defaulted matches. Some teams have more or less opted out of the tournament.

The ladies in whom we have given much respect over the years for their tenacity and positive outlook to their sport are faltering badly.

They get the uniforms, parade at the opening ceremony, turn up for the first set of matches, then off they go, defaulting become their preferred choice.

No sport is pardoned from this downturn. For years, the annual cricket competition has been suffering from similar practices, so too are the various football leagues.

The community-based activities have not missed the boat either. They too have booked seats on the ferry of recession and are comfortably sailing.

The turn out and moral support in the once vibrant areas have followed what occur on the national stage.

The low tolerance level and the fast food mentality have held sporting personnel in a vice, where we get fed up of our task very easily.

Then national associations with their hands tied are then forced to select representatives from the “best of the worst”. They are afraid to “ bite the bullet” and make the hard nosed decisions of not participating in some regional tournaments knowing the level of commitment of their charges.

So when we do not perform on the regional and international scene, the seeds of under achievement were already planted and germinated here at home.

Some people believe it’s compulsive and a God given right that agencies, government bodies and businesses must provide sponsorship for their ventures and travels.

They often come in alms wanting, practically demanding everything from sponsors, not caring about the image they have created for themselves.

A response in the affirmative leads to the hosting of the activities, or off they go.

But how many say thanks or give reports of their outings and statements of how the funds were spent.

On the contrary, a negative response is met by public outcry of lack of support from the businesses.

How many of them are willing to put on fundraisers to assist themselves?

We tend not to look at those organisations that are thriving and what are the recipes for their successes. Adopting good values and emulating standards are unwanted; instead we are comforted to be infected by the dependency syndrome.

How many of our young sportsmen and women are willing to pattern the training regimen of Pamenos Ballantyne? And there are others in sports who burn the midnight oil and make the necessary adjustments in their social lives to facilitate achievement.

The under achievers are not willing to make the sacrifices to lift their standard of play and when success does not come their way they blame the system, when they are their own self haters.

A national phenomenon that is evident in other domains of Vincentian life. Yes we are known for our laid back approach, but when this is affecting performance on the job or on the sporting fields, then there is a time for a change.

Who is willing to take the lead in this race is another question.