Ready, Set, Go!

THE 2026TRACK and Field season is off and running. Already taking place are the various schools’ inter-house meets, as well as the roll out of Team Athletics SVG’s calendar of events.

At the school level, whilst most of the educational institutions are into the first phases, notably heats and road relays, the atmosphere will build to the fever pitch, high- octane action in February.

Whilst, things are basically heating up, already, the hype and anticipation is brewing, for another three to four months when the sport takes center stage here in St Vincent and the Grenadines.

One will concur that over the last five years, this time of year, provides a fillip for Track and Field.The use of the inevitable and inescapable social media platforms has heightened awareness and publicity of the individual happenings at the schools and in the national sphere.

Additionally, the creativity, use of local artistes and entertainers to build the hype around the event and sell the respective ventures is welcomed.

Of note too, this time of year lends to economic stimulation as persons go the extra mile to ensure that their athletes, houses, and schools look the part.

Bunched together, all that is being done augurs well for the promotion and hopefully, the development of Track and Field.

But as the season intensifies and athletes, coaches, parents, and other stakeholders get engaged, there lies the bigger and ultimate objective- the betterment of the sport.

It is all well and good for the things that greet the eyes and provide that temporary social panacea for all involved.What should be the winner after all the excitement- the banter and the repping of houses- is the sport.

That should be the focal point of those who are the policy makers and custodians of Track and Field.

Critically, all involved must use the various schools’ meets to identify potential talents that are ripe for nurturing.

Hence, they are mandated to put the necessary tracking and fingering systems in place as there is a lot of untapped potential that often just come and go with the season.

Likewise, the sport has to move away from simply a seasonal undertaking, with the established clubs playing a pivotal role in recruiting the unattached athletes.

Relatedly, coaches with the requisite expertise, in the interest of St Vincent and the Grenadines, should pool their human resources to maximise the potentialities of those they have an eye on to bring into the fold.

They too should place development and long-term health and well-being ahead of winning championships and personal accolades.

Also, it is mandatory that the gatekeepers of Track and Field play their part as the catalysts for development with programmes and policies that lay the groundwork for an expected upward trajectory.

It is pointless and counterproductive that each year, there is the hive of activities only for the extracts and spin-offs to be miniscule.

In the meantime, whilst we wonder on what the ideal situation should be, let us invest time, energies and support the young, and the seasoned athletes in the 2026 Track and Field season.