Featured speaker at last Saturday’s National Sports ceremony at Spring Garden at Spring Estate Saska Diamond is imploring all those who are involved in sports to make fair play an innate trait.{{more}}

Addressing the theme: “Achieving Sporting Greatness Through Fair Play”, Diamond fingered athletes saying: “Let our attitude be one that desires more from life; let us desire to be true champions…. We must be willing to abide by the rules. Too many times we risk our own progress and development by not obeying the rules, by neglecting to respect the very institution responsible for our advancement.”

Diamond noted that those who have made it big on the local and international scenes have all done so by adhering to the rules which govern their respective sporting disciplines.

A former national Under-23 netball captain, Diamond said : “So athletes, your passion for the sport of which you participate must speak for you without you having to utter words. For me, the passion that I had for netball meant that I was always willing to adhere to the rules; my development and advancement was important and so the rules meant everything to me…. It meant that I was willing to participate in something that showed the greater good of mankind, something which showed equality and fairness. It encapsulated the desire to be a part of a family that respects each other.

“Athletes I say to you that you too are carrying a seed of greatness that must be harnessed and must grow; you must be willing to be fair, off and on the field, and always admonish yourself that there is a legacy that must be left for the next generation and you must channel the course of that legacy…Do not die with the greatness you possess; more so, do not ever let anyone undermine the greatness that you possess”, she added.

Diamond who was the 2006 and 2007 Sports Personality, also addressed organisations.

“Within the organizations, we must not lack respect for each other, team spirit, friendship and tolerance. We must not lack unity and pride. After all, we are the persons responsible for the development of our athletes and so we have to show greater effort at all times”, Diamond warned.

“ How many of us can say that our training programmes are designed to empower our athletes to become the catalyst for unity, for being selfless team players that accomplishes competitive greatness both on and off the court. Are the programmes designed to create unselfish team players who combine mental toughness, perseverance and athletic skill with superior sportsmanship and fair play? Do they possess an indestructible will to win, optimism and the courage to act for what is right? Coaches, you have a golden opportunity to leave a legacy and make a profound impact on the lives of the athletes, so let us do so…Get to the place where it becomes more than ego and gain,” Diamond advised. (RT)