“We want to win for ourselves”- Jack

Technical Director of the St. Vincent and the Grenadines team to the 2010 Winlott Inc.{{more}} Windward Islands Schools Games, Ortis Jack, sees no reason why this country will not retain the title.

Jack was part of the first batch of Vincentians which left here last Saturday for St. Lucia, in defence of the title won here last year in a tie with Grenada.

And, the TD is basing his opinion on the fact that several of the athletes from the 2009 squad are again members of this year’s squad.

“I think with the core of the team returning from last year, I do not see any reason why we can’t retain the title”, Jack told SEARCHLIGHT last Saturday afternoon at the E. T Joshua Airport.

Jack said that the plan is to try to improve on the weak areas.

“We have been improving on our weak areas, namely Female Basketball, Volleyball”, Jack revealed.

“I think the Games will be decided in these areas,” Jack opined.

He is confident about the traditional fields such as Football and Netball, where the Vincentians have been dominant over the years.

Several footballers on team were in training for this country’s team to the Central American and Caribbean (CAC) Games are in the final forty-eight member team.

He also was buoyant that with a few of the netballers already in St. Lucia as part of the St. Vincent and the Grenadines team in the AFNA qualifiers, that will bolster his team’s chances in that discipline.

“We have not been doing well away from home and winning away from home will be good for us,” Jack said.

The Games got going last Sunday at the George Odlum Stadium in Vieux Fort with Track and Field events.

And, as usual, with that discipline being the proverbial sacrificial lamb for the Vincentians, they finished at the bottom of the table with 63 points. St. Vincent and the Grenadines gained four silver medals and six bronze.

Grenada finished first with 191 points; Dominica was second on 163 and host St. Lucia third with 133 points.

Apart from Jack, Elford Charles is the Manager and Thelma Foster, Chaperone.

The coaches are Kendale Mercury – Football; Joan Foster-Baynes, Netball; Alrick Wright, Basketball; Wollis Christopher, Track and Field and Marlon Williams, Volleyball.

The Beausejour Indoor Facility will host the Male and Female Basketball, Netball and Volleyball matches, with Football being played at the Gros-Islet Playing Field, the Mindoo Philip Park, and/or the Vigie Playing Field. (RT)