Relay Classic potentialities

When Team Athletics SVG, some years ago, introduced the Relay Classic event on its calendar, persons in the local track and field fraternity readily embraced the addition.

Undoubtedly, the Relay Classic, since its inception here, has been the most anticipated event.

Still widely accepted for its sheer excitement, more can be done by the main stakeholders, Team Athletics SVG, to have some flair added to the event, as potential abounds.

Whilst in the absence of a synthetic track, the Relay Classic will not have a regional or international appeal, it can still be a better marketed and promoted activity for not only the athletes, but the Vincentian public in general.

Therefore, simply putting out a calendar and announcing the staging of the Relay Classic, a few days prior to its hosting, will not cut it.

Team Athletics can do more to put the event on the lips of persons who have an interest in athletics and sports at large.

With a little more publicity, more persons would certainly get to the venue to view the relays.

As it stands, the Relay Classic, despite its built-in competitive and excitement ingredients, seems just another sporting exercise; hence, Team Athletics SVG has to make it an “event and experience”.

By doing so, innovations and incentives have to be pursued; synergies can be forged with other entities, so as to add hype to the event and ultimately make it an attractive package that is worthy of attending.

People are no longer drawn from the comfort of their homes to a sporting activity, purely for the generic reasons, as the extended pull factors are what are today making the difference, in light of the many other attractions available.

So, in extending its scope, the engaging of other organizations outside the track and field fraternity for active participation in the Relay Classic is another avenue which can be traversed, as the current participating units are restricted in terms of numbers, which in the case of last Saturday, blunted some of the competitiveness.

Peer groups and other community organizations can be roped in and stretch the participation beyond the few track and field club units and the schools with the physical education teacher/coach driven fervour.

Also, the national track and field organization can look favourably at changing with the times and explore the possibility of the Relay Classic reset to an afternoon into early evening affair.

This is in keeping with some moving away from the status quo, as we have seen with some schools venturing out into new frontiers.

The Bethel High School has set the trend, which was followed last year by the Barrouallie Secondary School, with the hosting of those institutions’ inter-house track championships from afternoon into evening.

Certainly it will not hurt Team Athletics SVG to make a pitch for change and assess the effort.

This is against the reality that St Vincent and the Grenadines does not have a pronounced night life, more so sports. Except for football, mainly at the Victoria Park and netball and basketball at the few lit hard courts in the country, there is little on offer.

Therefore, other sporting disciplines can begin by promoting some of their events as evening happenings, where the infrastructure allows them to flourish.

Change is constant, as the Thomas Saunders Secondary School this year will have its inter-house meet differently.

Not as bold as the Bethel High School and the Barrouallie Secondary, Thomas Saunders Secondary will have its activities over a two-day period. Again, it is change that is worth exploring.

The prospects of the Relay Classic loom large in becoming a marquee event in the Vincentian sporting landscape; it just takes that will to move from potential to purpose.