www.AndreBaptiste.com August 21^st 2006

THE FUTURE OF SPORTS IS IN GOOD HANDS

Our Future is in good hands.

That is, if you believe in the saying, that God helps those who help themselves

Two young Trinidad and Tobago athletes, Renny Quow and Rhonda Watkins won gold medals at the 11^th IAAF World Junior Championships in Beijing, China.

While our Netballers won the Americas Netball Championships in Barbados, against the odds and with several players many had written off.

Added to all of this, young Anton Corneal has managed to mesh together, several talented youngsters into a powerful football unit, who seem intent on capturing the Caribbean Football Union under 16 Tournament.

Then in Women’s Cricket, we won the Under 19 tournament in Jamaica.

In all of this, where are the Ministry of Sport and their umbrella body – The Sports Company of Trinidad and Tobago –. Or is it the other way around?

Our information is that both parties are at loggerheads and that there is division within the two bodies with the Ministry of Sport’s ineffective management style being eroded by the efficient work of the Sports Company.

Let us hope that the Minister of Sport and Youth Affairs, Roger Boynes and the Chairman and Acting Chief Executive Officer of the Sports Company, Gerard Ferreira can meet like two professionals and ensure they can get their respective staff to tow the positive line.

As we continue to taste success, following on from senior cricket, senior football, darts, volleyball and golf, there must now be the need for a proper examination of all sports to ensure there is continuity.

Football needs the most work, and while the FIFA style running of football was great in the past, there is need for change, starting with administrators like Oliver Camps, Richard Groden and Peter O’Connor politely making their exits. None of them are respected anymore by the public and they have lost their face and so should resign.

Parentage is critical in all sports and as we heard on Isports Saturday from Rhonda Watkins’s Mum, her role and that of her husband has been supportive without being obstructive. May we wish that all parents learnt this quickly?

Naturally we expect a lot of fanfare, celebrations and chest thumping when our successful athletes and team return to this country, but our sports personalities deserve more than that, proper recognition.

We have still not heard of any material reward for the Trinidad and Tobago Cricket team that won an historic double, after a 20 year wait. Why is this taking so long to organise, is it that the Ministry of Sports and the Sports Company cannot decide on who will take charge.

The more things change, the more they stay the same in Sports Administration in Trinidad and Tobago.

Let us pray there is a solution, sooner rather than later.

This is Andre Errol Baptiste, saying – Have no Fear, the Fearless One is here -  

DISCLAIMER: THE VIEWS EXPRESSED ABOVE ARE THOSE OF THE AUTHOR AND DO NOT NECESSARILY REPRESENT THE VIEWS OF Cornelis & Associates Ltd.