Netball’s decline – a recurring decimal

The steady decline in netball in St Vincent and the Grenadines seems to be happening consciously unabated.

This downward slippage extends to almost all facets of the sport — its administration, appeal, the standard of play, public interest, acceptance and support, corporate involvement — the list goes on.{{more}}

The vivid slide, though, did not come overnight, as successive executives simply publicly recognized this, yet they did not have the gumption to take the bull by the horns, and effect changes.

So, in 2014, we are experiencing the effects of what has been sown and watered over the past decade and a half.

Today, the sport of netball does not hold pride of place nationally, except that an annual island wide tournament is staged – winners of the league and knockout competitions are decided and a presentation ceremony takes place.

St Vincent and the Grenadines is a spent force in regional netball, as we do not even possess a world ranking.

This has grown because over time, there are not enough engagements or none at all, especially at the senior national level, to gain ranking points.

Neither is St Vincent and the Grenadines been called on to play friendly matches against neighbouring islands, so as to maintain our status as a netball nation.

Conversely, few efforts are made to seek invitations, either to travel or entertain others on home soil.

It may be then justified that with only five Division One teams/ clubs in this year’s national club tournament, a league winner was declared after one round of competition.

Again, this column will state that it was categorically meaningless to have your best players contesting a maximum of five matches in your premier competition.

Instead, the hallmark of local netball comes with the various area committees, which go unchecked and unchartered with their competitions, which breed the undesirable outcomes that then filter into the national set-up.

Also, our administrators are contented with being the champions at the sub- regional OECS Under-23 level and seemingly gloat about winning this title over and over and nothing more.

Also, our placing in the top three or four at the wider Caribbean Under-16 age group gives gratification, without looking down the road at the overall impact on the sport for St Vincent and the Grenadines.

If then there are persons who are willing and able to see through the other side of progress for netball here, they should begin like yesterday to put the brakes on the runaway train, fix it, and put it on its correct track.

Nothing short of a complete overhaul of the sport will do, not necessarily in the current set of administrators, but in the manner in which things are done, as netball needs a radical turnabout.

As it is, it may be for us to start from scratch, as emphasis must be channelled to the youth netballers, as many of the senior players are set in their ways.

A national outreach effort to seek out players with the prerequisite talent and interest, and who are coachable, must be undertaken.

Also, all area competitions, as well as school tournaments, must be streamlined and operational under the guidelines of the national executive.

Importantly, the national club tournament has to be revamped with immediate urgency, as it is simply an annual regurgitation. Over the years, there is no marked improvement in teams, as it is either Mitres or Maple that lifts the league and the knockout titles.

Additionally, the current executive should, in the shortest possible time frame, get former players and administrators to sit and plot a better course for netball.

All should be with the aim of making netball once more the number one administered sport here.

Changes in the way things are done must be made now.

But will the decision makers of the sport be so drastic as to suspend the 2015 national club tournament, sort things out, set the template in place for a new agenda and return in 2016 renewed, reshaped and re-focussed?