The collaborative effort of the executive of the St Vincent and the Grenadines Basketball Federation and the Bequia Basketball Association (BBA) has resulted in this country having another certified basketball referee – whilst another has been re-certified.{{more}}

Michael Peniston of Bequia is the latest addition to the fold, having successfully completed the Federation of International Basketball Association (FIBA) Certification Course held in Barbados last month.

Peniston’s certification brings the number of Vincentians qualified FIBA referees to two. The other is Shem Ollivierre, also of Bequia.

Peniston, happy with his recent achievement, told SEARCHLIGHT on Sunday, “… It means a lot for me and basketball in Bequia … I was only refereeing junior matches in the Bequia tournament; now I can get greater experience refereeing in regional tournaments.”

Recounting his Barbados experience, Peniston admitted that the thought of being certified made him fearful, but he was able to overcome it.

“I was fearful from the start but before the course actually started, all the coaches came together and we went over all the rules and that helped me a lot,” he said.

“… The most difficult part for me was the mechanics; not that I did not know, but I was fearful,” Peniston said.

Peniston said he was well prepared before the journey to Barbados.

“Shem (Ollivierre) kept us up to date with the rules and kept us in line, so it was not much of a problem … Most of the stuff which came in the exam, I knew them from before as I was studying and reading a lot before I left for the course,” Peniston stated.

Ollivierre also attended the Barbados course as part of his re-certification procedure, making him, like Peniston, eligible to officiate in international tournaments for the next four years, as the next certification is set for 2017.

Absence from the course would have meant that no Vincentian officials would have been allowed to participate in international tournaments and would have faced a fine of US$2,500 per referee and a one-year ban. (RT)