Find a better format

The annual St. Vincent and the Grenadines Cricket Association Presentation Ceremony continues to be what it says: “a Presentation Ceremony”, and that is where it stops.

The drab, uninspiring, run of the mill, stereotyped template was once again in effect last Friday night at the Methodist Church Hall in Kingstown.{{more}}

But that did not change the lack of enthusiasm and zeal for the occasion.

Yes, persons got the rewards and awards; there was the usual President’s report; there was the recognition of persons who off the field of play have contributed to the growth of Cricket in St. Vincent and the Grenadines over the years, and, of course, there was the feature speaker.

And, as usual, the occasion was held under the Association’s patron the Governor General.

So what? That has been the format over the years.

The Association should take stock of the fact that the venue is, year after year, becoming too big for the ceremony, as empty seats are taking over. This is because even recipients of prizes do not show up.

To say that the ceremony is “an auspicious one” will be devaluing the terminology’s denotative meaning.

Despite the down draft, commendations are still in order for the Association, which is one of the few to hold such an internal recognition ceremony. It is commendable that every year the event is certain to take place the first Friday in December or thereabouts.

High praises are also in order for the national female cricketers, and some senior members, who showed the appropriate dress code for such a ceremony.

On the other hand, some attendees were dowdy in their appearance. This sort of slipshod approach often rubs off and trickles down on the National Sports Council’s annual National Sports Awards.

But better can be done towards making the St. Vincent and the Grenadines Cricket Association’s event more meaningful.

Is it a reflection of the way Cricket is seen in the eyes of the administrators and the players? Or is it a reflection of the overall condition of sports in St. Vincent and the Grenadines?

But whether the former or the latter is the truth, corrective measures must be taken, and with haste.

Some sort of formality must be put in place, instead of the mundane happenings that one has been accustomed to over the years.

A dinner with some class to complement the Awards Ceremony or a cocktail affair may be appropriate, as one looks to improve the ceremony.

Certainly, this will rule out the ravenous rush for the finger foods at the end of the ceremonies, as took place last Friday night. Surely, not befitting order and decency that the occasion merited.

Adding gala and panache to such ceremonies helps to lift the image of the sport, the athletes, and give a sense of professionalism, and may be the fillip needed to greater effort and achievement in the subsequent year’s performance.

So it is good as a reward for one’s hard work, an occasion of glamour, and other trappings, always give top performers in Sports, a time to really savour another moment of their winnings and really and truly appreciate their effort.

Therefore, the Executive members of the St. Vincent and the Grenadines Cricket Association should take heed to the biblical teaching:” Do not let your good be evilly spoken about”.

There is good, though, in speaking evilly about the presence of the “Mound” at the Sion Hill Playing Field.

email:kingroache@yahoo.com