Netball tournament closing disgraceful

Fri, Jul 6. 2012

Editor: Disgraceful. That’s how I view the closing ceremony of the just concluded National Netball Tournament held on Monday, July 2 at the Netball Centre. One would have thought that with a relatively good audience, which included visitors who came out to witness some netball, that it was the time for the Association to sell itself, but this was not so.{{more}}

The opening ceremony, which also had some short comings for the new president Ms Duncan, could have been overlooked, since she was getting acquainted with the team with which she had to work. But I am still at a loss as to the lapses at the closing. I really do hope that the closing was not a reflection of the kind of communication, co-operation and team work which exists after four months, because that’s a bad reflection and I am sure “Fernie” would not have stood for that.

Imagine you at a closing with no PA system, no television coverage, no officials from the sponsor, the Ministry of Sports or the NOC, no chairperson and some executive members, sitting among the spectators during the so-called closing ceremony, complaining of not hearing or sipping rum and coke.

NBC radio tried its best to bring coverage of the ceremony to listeners, but this was no comfort to the few members of teams present, and huddled around the table with the trophies, so as to hear their names. What happened to programmes which give a breakdown of the teams’ performances and remarks of assurance to netballers that the association will strive to do better?

President Duncan has a lot to do if netball is to attract further support and it has to be done now. All the rules and regulations discussed before the tournament began seem to have disappeared into thin air, making persons believe that they could do as they wish. Here I speak of executive members, umpires, coaches, players and spectators. In the game of netball, we have youths and adults, and we expect the adults to lead by example. This is not the case, however, when some umpires and players feel that they could drink rum and coke during game intervals, in the presence of spectators.

Such behaviour, Madam President, I expected to hear being addressed at the closing, along with plans for the rest of the year. However, carnival is here and the rush may have been to close the competition. Well, because of the rush, I felt really disappointed as the manager of a team and a club with long-standing affiliation to the association. I am sure that if the association had consulted its affiliates about postponing the closing until after the carnival, the association would have avoided the disgrace.

Carlos Williams
Manager
GHSCC Netball Team