New Minister of Sport John King says he hopes one day coming soon to see the best hockey players in Barbados ply their trade in the top leagues around the world.
Speaking at the opening ceremony of the 33rd Barbados Hockey International Festival at the Wildey AstroTurf on Saturday, King said he would like to see Barbadian hockey players turn professional, but acknowledged that his Government had a role to play.
“I have been told that powerhouses like Pakistan have top-class leagues and I would like to see our players get to the point where they can ply their trade outside of Barbados and become professional hockey players.
“I am going to lend whatever support I can through the ministry. I am going to make sure that we make it happen because our young people need to have these opportunities to excel in sport but we have got to do the developmental work at the grassroots level first,” he said.
Before an audience that included Barbados Hockey Federation president Mark St Hill and chief administrator of the Barbados Olympic Association, Sandra Osborne, King said it was heartening to see the return of the AstroTurf last season after nine years of hockey being in the wilderness. (MK)
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