THERE IS NO patch of land of comparable size anywhere on the planet that has produced as many cricketers of international calibre as Barbados.
Indeed, any discussion of an all-time West Indies Test XI will involve at least five natives of this tiny, easternmost island of the Caribbean chain – Gordon Greenidge, Sir Conrad Hunte, Sir Everton Weekes, Sir Garfield Sobers and Malcolm Marshall. Already I can hear the arguments starting about who else should also be in that best-ever team.
However, the intention here is not to trigger another cycle of a never-ending discussion, but to ask why a nation of such abundant cricketing talent has not produced more competitors of world-class calibre over a wider range of sports?
It goes without saying, of course, that the cricket culture is exceptionally strong, almost overwhelmingly so and maybe to the detriment of bright young talents in other disciplines getting the opportunity to fully develop their skills and gain the international exposure that can transform abundant potential into consistent, elite-level performance.
There is only so much that any small nation can do as far as institutionalised investment and development in sport, especially when there are so many other competing interests – health, education, national security just to name a few – and those demands on scarce resources require an even more careful and rigorous selection process in stringent economic circumstances as are being experienced now.
Yet, in the same way that business gurus advise that a downturn is the best time to develop a new commercial venture, simply because the prevailing harsh realities force greater discipline and adherence to best practice, it is surely worthy of consideration for the nation’s many and varied sporting administrations to revisit or develop strategic and business plans with the intention of producing international-calibre teams and competitors over a wider range of disciplines.
Some may see it as an exercise in futility, an extravagant adventure based on delusions of global sporting grandeur that will be destined to fail. But why? Is it so unreasonable to entertain the notion that there are youthful talents languishing in relative anonymity comparable to a Carlos Brathwaite or Hayley Matthews somewhere on a playing field or gymnasium in this country?
Investment in sport, though, would only make sense if there are proper systems and structures, not to mention a degree of infrastructural capacity, to take advantage of any injection of finance and other resources.
Barbados is obviously not alone in this regard, but it is sad to think of the many outstandingly gifted sporting talents who have missed out on opportunities to make it on the world stage because of pettiness, bickering and infighting among officials who should be prioritising the welfare of athletes ahead of their own egos.
Sport as an effective tool for national development has been proven many times over throughout the world. And while the outstanding success of Great Britain at the Rio Olympics has been highlighted as an excellent example of reaping handsome rewards from 20 years of investment and infrastructural development, we continue to see much smaller nations punching above their weight and flooring more formidable opponents in international competition.
We need only look to our Caribbean neighbours, Jamaica and Cuba, to appreciate what can be achieved by the development and nurturing of a culture of excellence in sport, even if we might want to argue about other issues and challenges faced by those two northerly islands.
Iceland, an island with a population comparable to Barbados, enjoyed what has been described as a “dream” run at the Euro 2016 football tournament in France, eliminating supposedly mighty England before falling to eventual finalists and tournament favourites France in the quarter-finals.
It may have been beyond expectations, but the success didn’t happen just so. It was the result of a well thought out programme of football development beginning with heavy investment in uniform, certified coaching at the very earliest youth levels. Iceland lost only in the play-offs in seeking to qualify for the 2014 World Cup finals in Brazil and on the evidence of the Euro 2016 experience, are expected to mount a serious challenge to get to Russia in 2018.
While there will always be a primary focus on the tourism product, for obvious economic reasons, if Barbados is really serious about sport as an avenue for national development, or if even individual sporting organisations are keen to maximise the talent available to them, then there is no shortage of examples as to how it can be done depending on size and availability of resources.
It is astonishing to think of the cricketing talent that continues to be produced here. Surely though, other sports should be making greater strides towards challenging the established powerhouses on the international stage.
Where there is a will – and a vision – there is a way.
Fazeer Mohammed is a regional cricket journalist and broadcaster who has been covering the game at all levels since 1987.
