WISG – gain or gratification?

The annual Windward Islands Schools Games (WISG) are here once more. The multi discipline games are set for St Lucia from July 26 to August 6.{{more}}

And, for another occasion, there will be full participation by the four territories.

Students from the four islands: Dominica, Grenada, St Lucia and St Vincent and the Grenadines will pit their skills in five disciplines: track and field, netball, football, volleyball (male and female) and basketball (male and female).

Whilst the games will go on as planned, barring major disaster, natural or otherwise, there is not that usual buzz and hype in the preparation of the St Vincent and the Grenadines contingent.

On the contrary, a lethargic approach to the event is evident, and it has been relegated to just another annual sojourn.

What is taking place in 2014, is a continuum of an embedded nonchalance that has been in train for some time now, as no great energy is exerted in ensuring that St Vincent and the Grenadines makes a good showing, especially when called upon to travel to any of the three islands.

Last year, because it was St Vincent and the Grenadines’ turn to host the games, at least there was some push to heighten the desire to perform well on home soil.

Although the die has been already cast, it is pertinent to look at the exercise in its totality.

In the first instance, are there clearly defined objectives for St Vincent and the Grenadines’ participation at the games? Does St Vincent and the Grenadines go with a plan to champ the games? Is it simply an obligation to be fulfilled?

Do we evaluate the teams’ performance at the end of each games, and make the necessary corrective measures to the next year?

Records would show that the times when St Vincent and the Grenadines have trumped the games, they were in the main, when there were very strong netball and football teams, and in recent times fairly good volleyball outfits.

But in all the happenings, we are often blinded by the fact that the games provide lasting friendships among those who attend from the four islands.

Yes, while this has been so, the technological advances make it easier for non personal contact to be made and for relationships to be forged.

Looking beyond that, and taking a closer look at the Vincentian scenario, one can only conclude that we have lost the plot and desire to make the games meaningful and an occasion to employ the barometer in the various disciplines.

This is notwithstanding that the games have emerged into a duplicity of sorts.

Except for basketball, it is basically the same persons who compete in the other disciplines at regional competitions as are available at other periods of the year.

In track and field, most athletes who are part of the islands’ Carifta team contest that component. The core of the islands’ Under-20 teams make up the Windwards squad, so too are the Under-23 netballers.

Each year also, the Eastern Caribbean Volleyball Association hosts a youth or junior tournament, and most players, both male and female, fill the position on the Windward Islands schools’ teams.

Therefore, a serious re-look at the way the St Vincent and the Grenadines contingent is configured and finally selected is needed.

We have not moved in unison with the recent changes as the games allow for 62 participants, up from 48 a few years ago.

This ensures that each discipline can have a full complement of first team starters.

Unfortunately though, we have heard of instances that some “specialists” have resorted to sitting on the bench.

Also, the games are fixtured at a time when all of the schools’ competitions have long been packed away; hence, a proper training regimen must be enforced.

The over reliance on piggy backing on national competitions has begun to backfire as over confidence sets in.

Doing our homework, another change needed is for qualification times and distances which should be used as standards for selection for the track and field selectees.

Noteworthy are for selection in all disciplines to be done on merit and nothing else, coupled with the appointment of the respective coaches at the end of each competition.

These however hinge on what is ‘the main’ intent of St Vincent and the Grenadines’ achievement of being part of the games.

If not, the authorities will continue to play into the mouths of those who refer to the games as a “glorified holiday” for the students.