Upping the ante of sports’ leadership in 2020

As promised as a follow up to last week’s exposition, this column will this week focus on what can be done administratively to better sports here in St Vincent and the Grenadines (SVG).

No one can deny that what unfolds on the fields, the courts or wherever sports is played; what happens in the meetings, impact one way or the other on performances.

So as was highlighted last week, the lamentations were on the relatively modest returns by Vincentian sports men and women in 2019, but, there is that acceptance that this is not the best that we can do.

Abilities abound in our sporting stock, but the consensus is that administrators, by their sometimes nonchalance, are stalling the good from getting better and the better, reaching their best.

In correcting the wrongs, leadership in sports is not about racking up personal acumen and self- gratification, but about hard work and sacrifices.

Therefore, those who seek office in sports, must be prepared to pull up their sleeves and work overtime to the betterment of the sporting disciplines they oversee.

Many enter sports administration simply to add to their resume, rather than truly serve.

In that same breath, those same persons, as soon as challenges arise, are quick to throw their arms in the air and leave their posts, as they lack the stick-ability to ride out the storms.

Administering sports here in SVG is not a bed of roses, as there are many thorns that would cause some pricks who come intact with them.

So save and except for football, where elected members of the national football executive receive a monthly stipend, others do so with sheer willingness.

Some, though, when things go awry, turn to the excuse that their contributions are voluntary, hence, there is no need for them to go the extra mile.

Also, there is the ever present issue of personality differences, which often times escalate into clashes, much to the detriment of the respective sporting disciplines.

This is not withstanding the fact that the national political landscape comes in as the twelfth man, to add some more insult to injury.

There are still sports associations which are deficient in record keeping, do not report to their affiliates, have few executive meetings and the like. 

Unfortunately, the actions of the administrators then trickle down to the players, thus causing the cycle to stay in motion.

Then what happens is a recycling of administrators, because of the limited number of persons who are willing to give of their service.

With this in train, it then comes common practice for sports administrators do little during their tenure, but as soon as elections are nearing, they are all of a sudden present to remain in the mix.

Administrators are not the only ones who must take responsibility for our current state of play when it comes to sports.

At all levels of sporting administration, be it at the community level or at the national level, affiliates are not exercising their mandate by demanding better of the persons they elect.

Affiliates often stay idle, aware of what is happening and do little but talk, instead of demanding firm recourse of those carrying portfolios.

But we should not for another year revel in this state of acceptance.

Hence, we must push for change.

However, reshaping the mindset of our sports administrators will not be an overnight quick fix.

This will have to come from within, as those elected, selected or who just happen to be in place on executives must COMMIT themselves to the cause of the sporting organisation that they are part.

The actions of administrators are scrutinised by those in positions of clout.

So when sports gets that cold shoulder from those with the national purse strings and who are in positions to make and shape policies, we know who are the causitive agents.

Whilst not always agreed that it should be the norm, but that lack of professionalism exhibited by administrators is a cue for the reactions.

This does not mean that all administrators are inefficient, but when lumped, the bad outweighs the good.

Effective management of sports in SVG is paramount, as increasingly, sports is taking on more of a national significance.

This year 2020 should not go by with business as usual as it pertains to the administration of sports here.

Maximising the results from sports both on and off the field should be the mantra going into this new decade.