Salvage our schools’ sports

There is an urgent need to salvage what is being excused for schools’ sports competitions.

Yes, thus far for this academic year, the primary and secondary netball competitions finished last Friday and the football is set to have its finals today, Friday, December 16.

Many would not have known that the competitions got started; furthermore, they have come to their closure.{{more}}

But this has been the norm within recent times, and worse is yet to come if certain changes are not made in the structure and overall administration of the various disciplines which constitute the national schools’ sports calendar.

Certainly, the level of institutionalized administrative incompetence exhibited over the past four months, as they relate to both sets of competitions, has hit the roof.

In addition, there seems to be a high-handed and authoritative approach being employed by those vested with the mandate and governmental portfolio to see that the competitions are held.

Bundled, schools sports have become farcical and are in dire need of a turnaround, otherwise we will be forever bemoaning their demise.

Unfortunately, the present state has resulted in a negative outlook from schools’ principals, as well as avid followers of sports and even the students.

Some schools feel they are better served by staying out of the competitions instead of enduring the uncertainties and other inefficiencies which have exemplified these competitions.

In short, the current configuration of schools’ sports breeds more regression than progression.

Hence, the call for improved execution of the various competitions also comes in light of the general downturn in the returns for sports in St Vincent and the Grenadines.

Therefore, when at the schools’ level, things go awry, then one cannot expect that later on all will be well with sports nationally.

As it stands today, the malaise shown by the government authorities, namely those in the Ministry of Education, National Reconciliation and Ecclesiastical Affairs, harbours nothing more than reciprocal output from the student athletes, coaches and the schools’ principals.

The authorities’ scant acts of professionalism could be partially attributed to the breakdown in discipline displayed at events put on by the ministry under review.

Whilst the flaring of tempers in competitive matches is inevitable, the regular occurrences of such discords that occur at school sporting events can be a direct co-relation from the organizers’ failing to have a handle on proceedings.

Testimony of this was the turnout of events at the Kingstown Netball Centre, following the Senior Division of the Secondary Schools’ Netball final last Friday.

Whilst one may not have too much control of the two on court fracas involving players the potential fatal situation which occurred after the match could have been avoided.

This is against the knowledge that persons who follow netball closely are aware of the offenders and the inciters of violence and other unsavoury actions which present themselves at netball matches.

Can they be made persona non grata at sporting events involving schools?

Additionally, one wonders what happens with such students after their display and involvement in fracas, while representing their respective institutions; what takes place thereafter in terms of investigations and further punitive actions, if necessary?

Such anti-social behaviours have always been with us and cannot be eliminated, as it is the nature of man to have fall-outs and become abrasive to one another.

But one gets the sense that at such schools events, the students are on their own and the school authorities and the ministry have both lost their way in this regard.

As this column continues to advocate, school events should reflect what they are “school events” and not free-for-all and the laissez–faire style of operation.

It was the said ministry must be reminded that in its circular dated October 28, 2016, it was made clear for school sporting events, “Students must be provided with proper and clear instructions regarding the activity and conduct themselves in an appropriate manner (befitting a school child) at all times”.

But they (the authorities) have not learnt from the debacle at the schools’ cricket finals last March at the Park Hill Playing Field.

Have we gone so far in our social degradation, that we are allowing for things to get worse and are only banking on hope and grace for things to turn themselves around with divine intervention?

Or are those charged with the responsibility of charting schools’ sports, stuck up on their qualifications and certification, instead of making a positive dent on the young student–athletes?

The marquee event on the schools’ sporting calendar, the athletics championships, cannot be always highlighted as the hallmark of success for all the other disciplines.

There is that fear factor that unless a positive is done in the shortest possible time frame, we could see reduced participation for many schools in due course.

We need to salvage schools’ sports from the wrecking crew.