A SPORTS JOURNALIST from the NATION made much ado last week about Dale Clarke not being recognised by the National Sports Council (NSC) for his sterling contribution to the growth of road tennis in the past decade.
I understand where he was coming from, but it can also be said that there are others from other disciplines who were just as deserving of accolades for what they have done over a longer period of time.
In fact, in light of who received the biggest award and who was voted Coach Of The Year, there was also a very strong case to pay overdue respect to unheralded women’s cricket coaches Richard Clarke and Alfred Campbell.
The NSC definitely missed out on doing justice to these gentlemen and scoring some runs to compensate for some of the errors they made.
However, Dale Clarke’s issue has presented a perfect opportunity for us to focus on entrepreneurship in local sports. Through his organisation,the Professional Road Tennis Association (PRTA), Clarke and his associates have taken the indigenous sport to levels not previously imagined.
Three decades ago, I don’t think many of us believed the day would come when road tennis players would get tangible monetary rewards for their world-class skill.
Surely, not many could have envisioned a player winning a vehicle. These things have been achieved through Clarke, who must now have many more potential sponsors lined up at his door hoping to get a piece of the action.
It has proven to be a win-win partnership as everyone has benefited because one man dared to dream big and his dreams have come true to the point where his tournaments attract a global audience through television and social media coverage. This medium not only promotes road tennis, but the country as a whole as a tourist destination.
Movement
Who in their right mind can be against such a movement? Government or its agencies cannot be responsible for carrying every thread of sporting development in this island, so organisations like the PRTA must be seen as partners and not as rivals because when the concept of it takes two hands to clap becomes a reality, we begin to see real growth and prosperity for all stakeholders.
The road tennis phenomenon is living proof of this. Participation by players has increased tenfold and the largest crowds ever are following the sport. Something big is happening. This kind of movement can be extended to more sports. Clarke didn’t start big but through perseverance and having a marketable product, he has made a huge difference.
Not long ago, the president of the Barbados Football Association, Randy Harris, and associates like Grantley Gooding and the late Sherlock Yarde had the country buzzing like bees with their brand of football entrepreneurship.
There was no bigger out-of-season competition than the BESS Tournament in the early 1990s, primarily because of the initiatives taken, extraordinary promotion and hype that came as part of the package.
Who can forget the size of the crowds for the first final between Weymouth Wales and Pride Of Gall Hill and the subsequent replay at the National Stadium?
What we have seen in recent years is a copy of the BESS Tournament.There would have been no blueprint for the David Thompson Memorial Constituency Council Football Classic or the now defunct Lime Pelican to draw from were it not for the likes of Harris and his partners.
There is Government involvement in the Thompson competition, but there’s room for another player to come and fill the position once held by the Lime Pelican group. The more the merrier, once it fills a void in the players’ calendar and the public gets value for money.
Flicking back through the pages again, we remember the Tennis Pon De Rock, which had tremendous potential to be an annual and integral part of our sports tourism product, but faded after a couple of years.
The chance to see the likes of the Williams sisters and the workshops for the junior players were truly exceptional and I am sure, while it lasted, it inspired more children to take up tennis as a serious sport. I believe it would have been a huge financial undertaking and the burden of sustaining it may have proved too much for those who were behind it.
It is projects like these that investors can take the chance on because eventually it could see big television networks coming on board and the broadcast rights would bring big pay days for the partners. Part of the proceeds could be used for upgrading facilities and providing more technical assistance for players and coaches.
Two years ago there was much excitement in the netball fraternity with word about a fast five competition, which would have been a watershed for the sport because players were going to receive monetary rewards for the first time. We have reached the stage where netballers should be playing for more than trophies.
Unfortunately, it is a sport that is battling to keep a large pool of players once they reach a certain age. I think a tournament offering financial returns could stem the exodus, especially when you consider that, generally speaking, netball, unlike other disciples, doesn’t provide opportunities consistently for their players to go overseas on scholarships and attachments.
It could be that the lack of incentive has contributed to the weakening of interest when netballers come to a certain stage. What is preventing the original group who had fast five in mind from trying to make it a reality? Maybe they can form a partnership with the local association to make it happen.
With the right facilities intact we can attempt again to stage a grand prix type circuit for track and field. The Steve Edwards group tried it twice in the early 2000s and then it suddenly went off the map. Again, we can only assume that financial considerations put them off track, but it would be something special by now if the organisers had the wherewithal to continue.
I recall when the popular Relay Fair first started with only a handful of schools, but today it’s one of the most eagerly anticipated and patronised events on the athletics calendar. Goes to show what a little bit of perseverance can do. I can see this becoming a truly Caribbean and even global attraction in the near future. Elite Sports just needs to keep its guard up.
In this regard, we can’t forget the efforts of Brian Talma in promoting his brand of our beach culture through his annual Waterman Festival in Silver Sands.
Some ventures can also contribute to the national economy if they have an international component because competitors will bring relatives to see them compete.
Staying the course is one of the keys to prolonging entrepreneurship. While economics play a major role in surviving, I think that if you showcase a quality product to capture the interest of the masses, corporate partnerships shouldn’t be too hard to form as people identify with success and seize the chance to build alliances with the public as well as find an additional forum to advertise their stock and goods and services.
Dale Clarke and associates are living proof of this. There has to be more of his kind out there.
• Andi Thornhill is a veteran sports journalist. Email [email protected]
