National basketball getting fouled out

With every passing day, the sport of basketball is becoming one of sweat and bouncing ball rather than any structured development.

And this paralytic state in which the sport has been confined rests solely on the current executive of the national body. Like other national sporting associations here, the executive of the St Vincent and the Grenadines Basketball Federation, led by Cleophas Glynn, has led the sport to a near eternal abyss since taking up office in March 2010. What have those holders of offices done to promote basketball since? How much has been achieved by way of development?{{more}}

Has the coaching stock been improved? Are there more certified referees?

Has any attention been paid to improving the technical competence of the table officials?

Are there programmes designated to get those who are interested at the school and youth level to acquire the prerequisite skills to advance in the sport?

Are the few serious players any better under the watch of the current executive?

With the questions loudly answered in the negative, then the report card for the last three and a half years has a poor reading and summative failed grade.

No one should thump his or her chest and boast that the organisation of a few local competitions means much, as this does not cut it for a national association.

Competitions serve as outlets and yardsticks for the development processes that have been engaged.

Neither should St Vincent and the Grenadines’ male outfit participation in and championing the few and far between Windward Islands tournament in 2010.

Likewise, participation in the Caribbean Championships, a year later, was no significant achievement. Indeed, this country was a mere participant – nothing more, as no impression was left.

Also, the females were part of the Central American and Caribbean Games in Puerto Rico also in 2010. Again, it was another exercise for statistical purposes and a historical record.

In between, the executive of the St Vincent and the Grenadines Basketball Federation has been the beneficiary of a couple of technical courses, but what have they done to promote and advance the sport?

Have they just been another visit to the beauty salon to ensure that they are an active member of the National Olympic Committee?

So, at this juncture, one can only conclude that the present executive has taken the first prize for being the most inept bunch of personnel to be charged with the sport.

The executive is in administrative receivership, as they have become bankrupt of ideas and have fallen short of the most insignificant of expectations.

Whilst the men and woman are in charge of basketball nationally, the real acumen holders reside in the Grenadines – namely Bequia and Union Island.

Especially on Bequia, that affiliate association carries the beacon of organisation know-how and a determined path to get the sport on a sound footing.

They are becoming the go to guys when one is seeking the formula for the advancement of basketball.

It was no coincidence that the schools from Bequia and Union Island appeared in the male final of the secondary schools’ competition earlier this year.

And, most recently, the successful staging of the Grenadines Tournament over three weekends, touching down on Union Island, Canouan and finally Bequia, spoke volumes for the interest and willingness to get the job done and spawn success on those islands.

It must be a shameful churning of one’s conscience at the national level, to hear of a group of persons with the will and the skill to pull off a tournament with such logistical demands and do so with aplomb.

The type of injustice to the sport by those elected at that marathon four – hour meeting held at the New Montrose basketball facility should not be left to go on for much longer.

Should they have the audacity to seek re-election when the dates are due?

Would anyone also want to perform the salvaging duties after the almost total wrecking act that basketball has meted out nationally?

Your wish is as good as this column’s.