New academic / sporting year dawns

Next Monday, September 4 heralds a new academic year. Barring any unforeseen circumstances, it is anticipated to be a full calendar, when all school activities are expected to convene.

For certain, sports in the schools would be operating maximum throttle with all competitions, tournaments and championships,slated for fulfilment.

It will be somewhat of a makeup, the last two years having been patch work as we recovered from the Covid 19 pandemic and the eruptions of La Soufriere. It can be said we are back in business.

But as we prepare for the 2023/ 2024 academic/ sports year, one has to be mindful of the prevailing weather conditions.

Indeed, the extreme heat that is bearing down on us, which is forecast to continue until the month of

November, would have a negative impact on the quality of some of the sporting activities.

Unfortunately,  the heat will dictate how much physical activity students and teachers will be able to endure, as what we all have experienced for the past months is nothing short of discomforting and physically inconvenient.

This inevitable atmospheric phenomenon must be weathered by making the necessary adjustments to the sporting calendar.

It does not take much thought that rules should be relaxed to allow students to be hydrated whenever the need arises.

Moreover, alternative means to have students engaged in Physical Education classes must be pursued.

Therefore, this term, when Football is carded from October and December, matches could be played in late afternoon in the senior division, as we seek to “beat the heat”.

This will also mean hosting the junior matches later, as often times, schools are paired off in double headers (juniors, followed by senior match ups).

Likewise, we have to explore the possibilities to have more matches played on the weekends.

It is ironic that many of the decision makers speak on one side of their mouths about “change is constant”, and preach a different sermon, when placed in the position to effect said change.

Hopefully, policy makers will get their act together and adjust to the times, deviate from the status quo and get what serves the current set up best.

In the same vein, we have to do away with the notion that no sporting events must occur in what they term the “short” third term.

As a consequence, the  “packed” second term gets an overload, forcing some schools to opt out of competitions.

Therefore, it is not too soon for the planners to put the necessary mechanisms in place for us to have the annual Inter Secondary Schools Athletics Championships held over two days.

Obviously, such a move would begin to train the minds and bodies of our young track and field athletes to get with it, as it pertains to most regional and definitely, international championships.

One cannot divorce the new school year’s sporting calendar from the fact that St Vincent and the Grenadines is earmarked to host the 2024 CBN/ Winlott Inc. Windward Islands Schools’

Games(WISG).

Hence, decisions should also hinge on the fact that as host, a good or a better showing than the 2019 and most recently, this year’s poor outing, is mandatory.

The onus is on those with the honour of selection to get their act together and identify the best multi- talented athletes to represent St Vincent and the Grenadines in 2024.

This is against the debacle of the last two editions, when SVG finished dead last.

Whilst good performances are not the be it and end all of undertakings such as the WISG, providing our youngsters with the best examples of preparation are lifelong lessons that go beyond the playing arenas.

Overall, better must be done and greater effort has to be exerted in the execution of the annual events that constitute the national schools’ sporting calendar.

For too often, things have been left to meander and evolve, as administrators grope in the dark.

We have been too long administrating sports in the nation’s schools, that we are still without a blueprint, a template that promotes success via well oil machinery.

If we CANNOT get it right for 2023/2024, best option is to give in and pack up.