Sifting through ‘evening’ schools’ track meets

The jury is out about the decision by two secondary schools here to host their annual track and field meets in the afternoon into the evening.

Having been pioneered by the Bethel High School in 2015 and staged by that institution since, the Barrouallie Secondary joined the fray this year and has taken its annual track and field championships to the lighted Victoria Park.

From observations, the efforts of the Bethel High School and now the Barrouallie Secondary point to success, based on the major concerns of safety of the student-athletes, patrons and the events in totality.

Looking from outside, both institutions seem to have covered their bases; hence, they were able to have their activities run off without many hitches.

Critical to the successful hosting was the sharing of information and best practices by the Bethel High School with Barrouallie, which augurs well for national development as a whole.

Both schools in their planning had to have the Ministries of Education and National Security on board, which would have an added dimension of authorization.

But whilst persons are lauding the efforts of the two schools that were brave enough to experiment, there are opponents to their idea. Among the criticisms is having the students out in the early evening, thus exposing them to the possibilities of unsavoury engagements.

But such situations provide great opportunities for parents and guardians to work more closely with the schools, hence ensuring the students’ protection.

The hosting of the athletics event in the evening promotes other facets of parental involvement, as many of them hardly get that chance to see their children or wards exhibit their talent, because in most instances, parents and guardians are at work when the schools’ inter-house championships are being staged.

However, whilst there is some merit in the concern expressed by those in opposition, there are other school activities which are staged at night.

Although the annual schools’ Public Speaking Competition finals is among six individuals from different institutions, is it not held at night as well?

Also, most of the same school athletes also participate in sports at the community and national levels for clubs which host competitions in the evening, into the night.

Likewise, when the same student-athletes attend championships overseas, such as the Junior Carifta Games and other islands’ national championships, they are required to compete at evenings into the nights. The sporting landscape around the world is changing, with the larger territories in the Caribbean embracing it.

This is not to say that St Vincent and the Grenadines should follow suit in a wholesale manner, but in some instances we have to accept such realities of change.

At the same time, hold on to the values and ethics when venturing out in uncharted territory.

Therefore, instead of shooting down the idea of the schools having their athletics at that time of the day, which deviates from the norm, and detail all the possible negative outcomes, one should let the efforts of the schools be harnessed and fine-tuned into a better product.

In saying so, the schools (Bethel High and Barrouallie) and those who are in the wings toying with the idea, such an event should be purely for what it is, athletics and the side shows minimized.

Allowing the event to degenerate into a party/blocko type will simply provide fodder for those chomping to the see the schools’ bold steps fail and come to nought.