LET’S CUT OUT all the long talk.
The truth is that these days winning has become a premium in school sports in general and not just track and field.
I understand people are on the lookout for the latest emerging talent in cricket, basketball, netball and volleyball to give them an extra edge.
I read Gabriel Burnett’s piece in the Weekend Nation and I fully understand why he felt he had to state The St Michael School’s position on the switching of athletes after they had won their first title at the Barbados Secondary Schools Athletics Championships (BSSAC).
It is the most prestigious school title at secondary level. It looks good on the coaches résumé and the victorious school has bragging rights for a year.
It has become the norm to see eyebrows raised at the beginning of every new school year. We are bound to see athletes switching from one school to another, and the first assumption is that they were “recruited” to bolster their new school’s chances of winning at BSSAC.
Perception
Whether this is true or not, it is the general perception of people. Given what I have heard, it is said that even during school sports athletes are approached to switch schools for the following year. What makes it even more glaring is that the athletes mentioned are way above average, so they can strengthen any team.
Personally, it is no business of mine who goes where. There could be several reasons why children are transferred, and it may not always be for mercenary reasons either. So unless all the facts are known, it is best not to speculate.
Besides, parents, too, should know what’s best for their children. Once a decision is taken they have to live with it.
At times, sceptics wonder if a move will be beneficial to students in both athletics and academics; or if some schools are so ruthless in their quest to win championships it doesn’t matter to them.
In my discussions with teachers on the subject, they all say that they do whatever is necessary to assist athletes with their bookwork where it is necessary. I have to take their word because it will be pointless “recruiting” an athlete just for his/her sporting ability, and when they leave school they have no “papers” to show.
Fresh talent
In fact, if they don’t meet the academic standards they will find it difficult to get a scholarship to American universities, which are always on the lookout for fresh talent. Then, it begs the question if it wouldn’t have been better for them to stay at their original school and allow the teachers to work with them.
As a parent, I know we all want the best for our offspring, so we try to do what we see as right in all aspects of their development until they are old enough to make decisions that will impact their future. We can only hope and pray that the pieces to the puzzle fit.
I am against any practice among coaches who move around and seek to capitalise on someone else’s hard work. It’s like trying to enjoy the fruits of another person’s labour. I believe that under normal circumstances, coaches should work with who they have – win, lose or draw.
The battle will be so much sweeter that way. You should have the satisfaction of knowing you brought a product from scratch to glory. That’s where the true victory resides.
Tell me I am naive, but at the end of the day winning a championship is only part of the journey. There’s life after school sports and the athletes really come under the microscope at Carifta Games and other prestigious meets. Therefore, we must have a broader outlook in this regard.
Right qualities
We must encompass the right qualities so that winning will be repetitive and not fleeting or incidental. The bigger meets usually give us the true status of an athlete’s development, notwithstanding the ability and form of their opponents. For me, the cream usually comes to the top in all competitions.
Beyond track and field you see that burning desire to win, especially at the primary school level. Coaches, parents and general supporters want instant success and little attention is given to focusing on instilling the basics which will help equip them to handle various situations throughout their sporting careers.
Whether it is cricket, netball or football you hear some of the worst advice being yelled at children, some from coaches who should know better.
When sportsmen and women reach national level, coaches shouldn’t have to waste time trying to straighten out aspects of their game that should have been corrected at a much earlier stage in their fledgling careers. That’s part of the price we pay for pushing to win without building a strong foundation for them to develop in the right manner.
I’m not suggesting that the winning culture should be exempted from the minds of athletes, but I don’t want us to be so desperate for success that we target other people’s stock to achieve our goals, especially in the school system.
• Andi Thornhill is a veteran sports journalist. Email andithornhill1@gmail.com