‘Involve players in the decision making process’ – Keith Joseph

Secretary General of the St Vincent and the Grenadines Olympic Committee, Keith Joseph, is calling on national sports associations to open up and accept the many social changes.

Speaking at the closing ceremony of an Olympic Solidarity technical course for coaches of the St Vincent and the Grenadines Football Federation (SVGFF), recently, Joseph noted that the social dynamics of today’s world has changed, hence, administrators have to respond likewise.

“Things are changing… The quality of players are changing…The attitudes of players are changing, because the social dynamics of our society are changing… The way some of you are behaving, we would have never been able to do some of those things in our times, but we have to accept that, that has changed,” Joseph outlined.

Joseph explained that the exposure of children and adults means that they are more inquiring.

He therefore insisted that executives of national sporting associations “give the athletes an opportunity to be part of your decision-making process”.

Joseph noted that one way of integration is always to involve players in the evaluation processes, thus, “We have to be open to criticism”.

Joseph, who also heads Team Athletics SVG, the local governing body for track and field here, recommended: “ I am appealing to the (SVG) Football Federation and all national associations, make opportunities for players, athletes, to feel that they are part of the decision-making process in your organisation… Make your coaches feel that they are valued, not just in terms of the remunerations, but they are involved in the sharing in the ideas”.

Concluding his outline for greater engagement of players and coaches, Joseph said, “It does not mean that you will accept everything that they say… It also means that you would not reject everything that they say”.