SVG off to Windward Islands Schools Games

St. Vincent and the Grenadines’ team to this year’s Canadian Bank Note/Winlott. Inc. Inter -Windward Islands Secondary Schools Games will be looking to retain the title and complete the hat-trick of titles.{{more}}

St. Vincent and the Grenadines was joint champions with Grenada in 2009, when this country hosted the games, and went it alone last year in St. Lucia.

The majority of the fifty-two athletes and most of the nine officials left here last Saturday morning for Dominica, with the hope of being crowned champion of the 2011 games. However, Manager of the Vincentian contingent Wendell Edwards told SEARCHLIGHT that being good ambassadors is the most important thing.

“The most important thing is that we are good ambassadors and represent St. Vincent and the Grenadines well,” Edwards said.

“All went well with the camp we had here, and I do not foresee any disciplinary problems,” Edwards added.

“We stand a very good chance of winning the games, because we have a good team,” Edwards projected.

The team’s manager said he was especially looking to the disciplines of Netball and Volleyball to retain their first places.

In the 2010 edition, the Vincentians were winners in the disciplines of Male and Female Volleyball, Netball and Football.

It was the first time in the history of the Games that this country had copped the Volleyball titles, and Coach of the 2011 Volleyball teams Duane Daniel, is also buoyant about his charges’ chances.

“I think that the teams would do well, as they have worked arduously in the training,” Daniel said.

St. Vincent and the Grenadines’ Volleyballers have found themselves in good stead, as many have just come out of regional tournaments. Most of the male team recently lifted the Eastern Caribbean Volleyball Association(ECVA) Under-18 Championships in Anguilla, while some of the females were in St. Martin for the Eastern Caribbean Junior Women’s Championships.

The 2011 Games, the 89th edition, sees a slight change in the format, with the four competing teams allowed a maximum of seventy athletes, hence making provisions for “pure/specialists”, in the various disciplines.

However, St. Vincent and the Grenadines did not take advantage of the changed rules, and could be hard pressed in some of the disciplines, especially Football, which is also in search of a hat trick of titles.

As with football, SVG won Netball in 2009 and 2010 and would be looking towards retention of the title.

In the other disciplines last year, St. Vincent and the Grenadines placed third in Female Basketball; fourth in the Male segment and fourth in Track and Field.

Apart from Daniel, the Volleyball Coach, the other coaches are Football- Wade Jackson, Netball- Joan Foster-Baynes, Track and Field- Rosmund Griffith, and Basketball- Alrick Wright.

The Management team also includes Technical Director- Woodrow Williams, Assistant Manager- Earl Bennett and Chaperone – Thelma Foster.

The Games started last Sunday July 24 and end on Sunday, July 31.

The Games will be staged in the communities of Portsmouth, Grand Bay and the capital Roseau.

The camp village, Portsmouth, will be the venue of the majority of the events.