Members of the netball community have been offered a means of conflict resolution through partnership with the Barbados Workers’ Union (BWU) and its Labour College at Mangrove, St Philip.
Speaking at the closing ceremony of the 2011 BWU Netball Competition on Tuesday night at Solidarity House, BWU general secretary Sir Roy Trotman said there were other ways to solve conflict.
Without ever referring to the fight which took place during this year’s competition between Makeba Clarke of Brittons Hill and BRC Welch Rovers’ Jennifer Seale, Sir Roy said it was accepted to have differences, but they shouldn’t be allowed to step over the bounds of decency.
“Our view is that we should not then stop the netball. We should not then stop people from being able to use netball as a vehicle. What we should do is endeavour to harness that excitedness, that excessiveness of temper, passion and sometimes of love for their own people and districts,” Sir Roy said.
“Don’t ban them from the game or suspend them to embitter them, but bring the people and their clubs together to have sessions at the Barbados Workers’ Union Labour College.”
Sir Roy said courses on conflict resolution, communication and how to “create life, make friends and influence people” would be provided free to the players.
He also called for people to balance their lives with work and sport, because if all one did was work, they were missing a significant part of their life. Through sport, you could be an ambassador for your country.
“There is no reason why Jamaica should be proud of this and not Barbados. There is no reason why other sports persons in other fields of endeavour should be given national credit but that netballers should remain the only persons who play games in a little corner and not fully recognized by the entire community,” Sir Roy said.
The netballers and officials who took part in this year’s competition were recognized.
The top prizes went to the respective zone winners Brittons Hill, Church Village and Central Bank of Barbados.
The MVP awards went to Latonya Blackman (Brittons Hill); Shanice Wharton (Church Village) and Nekela Jordan of Shottas. Sherry Boyce of SuperCentre also made a special presentation to the organizers.
There were also remarks by Juanita Cordle, president of the Barbados Netball Association.
