Holding our own

The announcement last Friday, June 30, by Cricket West Indies that Vincentian, Miles Bascombe, is the new Director of Cricket for Cricket West Indies (CWI), endorses the wealth of administrative talents that exists among us.

Bascombe follows a growing queue who are coming to the fore, joining others who have been there before.

He thus joins a trio of Vincentians who are holding down key positions in the sport regionally.

In March of this year, Dr Kishore Shallow was elevated to the position of president after serving as vice- president of Cricket West Indies, from 2019.

Similarly, Dr Denis Byam has been a physiotherapist attached to the senior West Indies team since 2019.

In the field of Athletics, Keith Joseph is the General Secretary of the North American, Central American and Caribbean Athletic Association(NACAC).

Substantively, he is the president of the Caribbean Association of National Olympic Committee (CANOC). The two aforementioned positions, are among others that Joseph holds.

Another member of the track and field segment, Chester Morgan, is also pivotal in NACAC.

He is the Director of Coaches and Camps, a position that holds immense significance and direction for Track and Field in the Americas and the Caribbean.

There is also Trevor “ Sailor” Bailey, who for many years is the president of the Caribbean Cycling Confederation and is currently a vice- president of the Congress of the Pan American Cycling Confederation (COPACI).

Squash has making its mark on the regional scene, off the court. There is Vincentian presence on the executive of the Caribbean Area Squash Association, with Kevin Hannaway serving as Secretary.

Down the line, Sabrina Mitchell is the current secretary of the Central American and Caribbean Basketball Confederation (CONCENCABA). More so, she is the first female to be elected to the prestigious post.

Too, Terrance Davis is chairman of the Sports Training Committee of the Special Olympics Caribbean Initiative, while Jacintha Ballantyne is the Treasurer of Americas Netball.

Meanwhile, Theon Gordon, the director of technical matters of the St Vincent and the Grenadines Football Federation (SVGFF) is among the list of instructors of the Confederation of North, Central America and Caribbean Association Football (Concacaf).

Also, president of the SVGFF, Carl Dickson, sits on Concacaf’s finance committee, with Bert Francois and Koyanna Horne, FIFA Referees’ Assessors.

Still with Football, the trio of Devron Poyer, Yoland London and Dominique Stowe are on the list of regional cohorts of FIFA Match Commissioners.

Whilst this column sought to bring to the fore the roles played by Vincentians in sporting organisations regionally, it also acknowledges there are others who are serving in positions but sometimes keep their statuses under the bushel.

It must be underlined that many Vincentians are shining through in the wider world and are giving yeoman service to sports in different administrative capacities.

Irrespective to the circumstances, what do these positions mean for St Vincent and the Grenadines?

They reflect the enormous reservoir of talent that lies within our people. Notwithstanding, such attainments by Vincentians act as inspiration and aspirations for their fellow countrymen and women.

Secondary though, most of the aforementioned positions come with them perks, inclusive of financial rewards in recompense for their output.

Undoubtedly, these are added incentives for other Vincentians to aim at.

One cannot slight these accomplishments, appointments and selections, as they augur well for personal development and St Vincent and the Grenadines in general.

It therefore shows that there are avenues outside of being active athletes. This is an area that we do not view in the same light as those who are in the spotlight on the field, on the court, on the track, in the water, or wherever the particular sporting discipline takes place.

Indeed, we are more than just holding our own; we are impacting here at home and abroad.