A?PROSPEROUS?2014 to the entire sporting fraternity in Barbados and the Caribbean. Here are some of my major New Year’s wishes and resolutions.
Let’s start with the king of sport – cricket. Here’s hoping for a lot more success for the Barbados and West Indies teams and that the players raise the bar to new heights and in the process improve their below-par individual averages.
It is my sincere wish that more Barbadians not only gain selection to the West Indies team but maintain their places when the opportunities come with consistent performances.
I wish that instead of just winning the regional four-day first-class title, the national side would also capture the upcoming NAGICO Super50 Cup and that junior teams would taste success in their regional engagements.
To this end, I’m hoping that the Barbados Cricket Association (BCA) sees the wisdom of having youth trial matches so all eligible schoolboys in the various age groups would have a fair chance of gaining national selection.
I wish that the BCA’s rules committee, if there is one, would carefully scutinize its regulations and make the necessary amendments to some glaring omissions to prevent clubs, with the help of their lawyers, constantly protesting by exploiting the loopholes.
Hopefully, the BCA would finally resolve the outstanding situation with Maxwell Sports Club, and end the Barbados Fire Service’s long wait to contest the 2013 Sagicor Shield final.
Cognizant of the global economic crisis, it is my hope that sports infrastructure be enhanced by the construction of a new ultra-modern National Stadium, complemented by mini stadia in the north, south, east and west of the country.
Even though I’m fully aware of the need to make money for their sustenance, it is still my desire for the gymnasium at the Garfield Sobers Sports Complex to become an exclusive venue for indoor sport and that all non-sporting activities be no-balled at Kensington Oval.
I remain optimistic the Netball Stadium would be transformed into an indoor facility with a much needed wooden floor and the refurbishment would include enhanced dressing rooms and seating with an expansion and paving of the existing miniscule car park.
This would allow sports like volleyball, basketball and badminton to have another venue option, should the Wildey Gym be booked out for cultural shows and examinations.
I am also keeping my fingers crossed that corporate Barbados would come to the assistance of the national netball team with the provision of the necessary training equipment and that our best netballers would be chosen for the Commonweath Games to allow us to improve our world ranking, already the highest for a national team sport.
Of course, I am longing to hear the starter’s gun for an athletics meet at the Ryan Brathwaite Track at the Lazaretto.
Another wish is for the Athletics Association of Barbados (AAB) to bring the qualifying standards for national representation on par with what is required by other countries like Jamaica, Trinidad and Tobago and The Bahamas.
Thereafter, I wish that our national athletes would represent the country with pride and passion and bring home more medals at the CARIFTA?Games, World Juniors and Youth Olympics, Central American and Caribbean and Commonweath Games.
After defeating powerhouses Jamaica in their own backyard at the last Caribbean Union of?Teachers (CUT) Championships, there will be great expectations that our junior athletes will win again.
With the new athletics track at the National Stadium, it is my hope that the necessary modifications are made that athletes can utilize both long jump pits since the one nearest the tunnel, has been out of bounds as it presents a risk to competitors.
It is pointless to repeat my previous calls for a national sporting policy or a plan to be implemented to take sport to a new level.
Neither would I entreat the Barbados Olympic Association to see its role as more than just funding national teams; nor would I ask the National Sports Council to do more than conduct coaching sessions and stage inter-schools’ competitions.
Instead, I would implore the Barbados Football Association (BFA) to red card the internal bickering among its executive council members and try to score meaningful goals as the sport is in dire need of a big kick.
Hopefully, the BFA would receive its full financial grant from FIFA so that the development of the sport won’t be caught off-side regarding the smooth continuation of the
Goal Project.
To this end, I wish that the association would be mindful that in the construction of its headquarters at the Wildey AstroTurf, it would need to provide adequate shelter for spectators when it rains and that there would be a new feasibility study that would see Government and Town and County Planning approving the erection of permanent floodlights at the venue.
It is my wish that the senior national team, whose ranking is now at an all-time low, will again take the field of play and be afforded friendly internationals in the lead-up to the Caribbean Football Union’s Cup instead of being satisfied with being mere viewers of the World Cup Finals in Brazil.
I am also yearning that the Sandy Lane Gold Cup would regain its prestige by attracting better quality overseas horses to reignite the rivalry with our neighbours Trinidad and Tobago, and that the Barbados Turf Club would finally be able to stage night racing at the Garrison.
I am also longing to see swimming make a bigger splash in the regional and international pool and that amateur and professional boxing won’t be floored anymore by the lack of proper sparring facilities while local boxers would start throwing winning punches.
I wish that the Barbados Hockey Federation would get more serious about a new artificial surface at Wildey and that the Bushy Park circuit would rev up again and be back on track to facilitate motor sport with an expanded stand for spectators.
Finally, I wish that those responsible for the Dream Cup won’t have another nightmare this year.
•ezrastuart@gmail.com
