Valuing a long-standing commitment

Throwing the baby out with the bath water; killing the goose which lays the golden egg; or biting the hand which feeds you; any one applies to the organizers of the annual United Insurance Secondary Schools’ Cricket Tournament.{{more}}

The decline in the manner in which the competition is run has become the best they can do.

This apathy, however, did not begin this year, but has been the case for many years; however, 2015 has cut the cake.

Once known for its publicity and knowledge and generated interest that the competition is on, this year’s edition began in secrecy, continued likewise, and almost ended the same way, except for the curiosity of some members of the media.

What transpired was indeed a disservice to the sponsors – United Insurance, to the budding cricketers and to the game as a whole.

Availability of the fixtures, scores and updates of the competition were virtually non-existent.

Were they depending on members of the media to check out their Facebook page?

In any event, it is the Ministry of Education, the ultimate authority for the competition, which should shoulder the bulk of the unreserved blame.

The commitment of United Insurance to secondary schools’ cricket is unprecedented, as the partnership spans more than three decades.

The Ministry of Education should therefore ensure that the commensurate value for United Insurance’s dollars is had, through the reciprocal public relations of the competition and otherwise.

But the Ministry of Education, through its own admission of leaving the competitions in the hands of sub-committees, which are chaired by a representative from the local parent body of the discipline that is in competition, increases the risk of more faux pas.

So, the norm in recent times is for the sponsorship cheque to be received and a photo made available to the media for publicity; a representative of the sponsor is present at the closing ceremony to give brief remarks and hand over the trophies and take a few photos. End of story.

And, speaking of presentation, the organizers should hang their heads in shame for their recent attempt at a closing ceremony.

It was nothing short of being slipshod, as no attempt to give mileage, gratitude and prominence to the sponsors on the glow day, the finals, was pursued.

To have the sponsor’s banner draped at the bottom of the trophy table, often detached and dragging on the ground, could be symptomatic of the best abilities of those who are charged with the overall responsibilities of the schools’ competitions.

The continual disrespect of persons who make financial inputs towards the staging of competitions cannot be condoned.

This is not to say that sponsorship in St Vincent and the Grenadines is such that everything is taken care of.

Also, notwithstanding the fact that some sponsors give you a meagre quantity of their products, pay the team’s registration fee, brand the venues or buy some jerseys and want a mile in return, including title tags.

However, the focus of this discussion, United Insurance, has earned its stripes for doing better, let alone its longevity to the sponsorship of the schools’ cricket competition.

What happens with the other disciplines gives credence to the argument which this column has been sermonizing over the years; the fact that it is only the athletics (inter secondary and inter primary championships), that gets the attention, the hype, the near detailed planning and the subsequent kudos.

At the end of it all, when the schools’ sporting calendar closes down by December, which discipline and who comes out looking and smelling like a rose?

On the other hand, who has the dirt thrown upon them, the eggs in their faces and the rest unsavoury reviews tucked in their diaries of history?

So, while the Schools Games Committee and ultimately, the Ministry of Education are taking things for granted, ask the St Vincent and the Grenadines Basketball Federation why it is still struggling to attract sponsorship for its national tournament?

And, there are others who are in the same position, because of their tardiness and disregard for who puts in the much needed financial help.

Will the tolerance level of the sponsors of schools’ cricket remain at a high in light of structural changes which the company will soon go through?