Athletics’ three course meal in review

The local Athletics calendar reached its zenith last week Tuesday, Wednesday and Friday, with the hosting of the Inter-primary, Inter-secondary and Inter-collegiate championships, respectively.{{more}}

Hosted at the Arnos Vale Playing Field, the three days of activities served up different returns, depending on the desired outcomes.

The commonality was that all three came off with different degrees of success.

As has been the case with the last three years, the first day — the primary schools’ show, created the keenest competition.

What then was intended to be the appetiser, turned out as the main course, as the unbridled enthusiasm of the pre-teens gave cause for greater emphasis on Track and Field at the primary schools’ level.

Additionally, the immense moral support exhibited by parents, the respective schools’ management as well as others, added that element of strength off the track. As expected, the Kingstown Preparatory and the Layou Government schools, were the two institutions that provided that extra edge and zip for competition.

Their evident supremacy, both in numbers and talent is a manifestation of the ongoing work being done at these schools and by the extended communities.

It then points to the need for other schools to attempt to emulate the structures which are in place at these two institutions, and buttress a challenge to them which would augur well for the sport in general.

Like the primary schools day out, the secondary schools day of show had its pluses.

The day’s activities were administrated with some acceptable levels of efficiency and the athletes in the main, repaid with reasonable efforts.

But were the final times and distances reflective of the touting of the event?

It then means that all the school coaches, Physical Education teachers must go back to the drawing board and reassess their methodologies of preparation.

Noticeably too, many of the athletes fell to the ground at the end of races, thereby giving the medics who were on call the need to frequently lend their expertise.

Again, this goes back to preparation all round, inclusive of nutrition leading up to the day of the championships.

Tradition and pre-championships hyping, fuel that bubble of expectations. Unfortunately, with the event continuously evolving, there is that lack of an atmosphere on the day, as there is little identification of loyalty and open support for the schools.

Temporary bursts of applause are the norm for the various events which are contested, but that is where it begins and ends.

Yes, the Thomas Saunders Secondary has in place their mascot and t-shirts with banter to go, but again it stops at that point. It would be difficult though to create that rooting for the participating schools, as the authorities have either by design or by accident, made the day a semi-school undertaking.

They have shot themselves in the foot by placing emphasis on raking in the cash, by its own undoing of an option of school identity via uniform. Similarly, the opening ceremony saw some schools participating, whilst others remained seated in the designated stands.

It is either there is a march past or not, instead of it seemingly being optional. On that same note though, the Union Island Secondary School added some flavour with its presentation at the opening ceremony, which added some spunk.

But there can be no excuse for Friday’s event, which focussed on the tertiary institutions.

It was far removed from the other two days given the limited personnel in the field available to the colleges. Hence, what unfolded was a routine display of a track meet which has potential of blossoming into something of a staple.

Such was the devaluation that there were some incongruous times recorded, which can leave the athletes with a false sense of achievement.

Therefore, all concerned must endeavour to have the three days under one umbrella, even with the knowledge that the colleges come under the statutory set up.

Also, there is a need for technical workshops for games teachers and physical education teachers which would aid in the smoother running of the three days of activities.

With proper planning, the trilogy of events can become the most anticipated three days on the local sporting calendar.