That next level

It is often bandied about that sports in St Vincent and the Grenadines (SVG) needs to get to the next level.

The idea of making strides in sports is commonly heard whenever an individual or national representative team has done fairly well at a regional outing, or events hosted here.

One, though has to understand that our meagre to moderate successes are often heralded, and rightly so.

Obviously, that popular notion of reaching the next level is loaded with good intentions, as it is believed that where we are currently, we should have been more advanced. When the notion is dissected, there is indeed merit.

Therefore, nothing is absolutely wrong with having lofty ambitions, but given the Vincentian context, realism should take precedence.

Unwittingly, the pronouncements are not backed up by the realities of what is required to be competitive or even surpass our neighbouring territories in the first instance.

However, as we make sense and meaning of “next level”, we must define what is considered that “level”.

Getting to where is deemed “attainable”, should be our first goal. Hence, attainability would be contingent on the availability of resources, inclusive of infrastructure, finance and the appeal of the sport within the local landscape.

The general consensus though is that we want success, but are bereft of the intricacies, commitment and what are desired to set ourselves apart from our immediate opponents.

We also do not appreciate or are ignorant of the fact, that success is not cheap; it is not fly by night, nor it is gained through being penny- pinchers. In short, as the saying goes, we cannot have champagne taste and mauby pocket.

These are against the backdrop of us, not being endowed with unlimited financial resources.

With the aforementioned about the naked truth of our position in sports, are we prepared to really and truly take sports in St Vincent and the Grenadines to that next level?

In the event there is a response in the affirmative, a national blueprint and approach towards bringing the resolution into fruition is a must.

Therefore, a national buy- in is equally compulsory, beginning from the political directorate, policy makers, national sporting bodies, as well as other stakeholders.

This is imperative as the choices made must be supported by a wide cross section of the Vincentian society.

St Vincent and the Grenadines’ situation has become more compelling as the effects of the long lay off from sports, occasioned by the onset of the coronavirus pandemic, have exacerbated our misfortunes and status.

Hence, we now, more than ever have to decide our salient objectives for being engaged in sporting activities.

We have to map out a clear and unambiguous pathway to achieve what is achievable.

The redeployment of some of the country’s resources and the reconfiguration of operations in a few of the sectors may be part of the restructuring and revamping mechanisms.

Once determined and the respective policies put in place, our various national sporting associations should be graded in order of those better poised to make that step up.

Whilst this task is not the undertaking of this column, from the present state of play and the operations of some entities, it will be better served for us to place our sporting disciplines in tiers.

It may be the time to bracket disciplines as “serious” and others as “recreational”. This will allow for the small economic pie to be shared among those disciplines that have the potential to go to the next level.

Lest we want to deny, all sports cannot be seen equally, as they are not. Stratification is a fact of life, and sports falling into that type of categorisation should not be seen otherwise.

Injurious and harsh it may seem, it cannot be coined differently, nor sugar coated.

This column is in no way either calling for the disenfranchisement or being prejudicial to some sporting disciplines, but its is clear that a few are at their dead end, and should operate as “ just for the fun”

The narrative of sports in St Vincent and the Grenadines has to change to fit into the real world, the real challenges and the demands of the 21st century.