Taking Caribbean sport to a higher level

WHILE WATCHING the graduation ceremony of the first-ever Sport Coaching and Sport Kinetics graduates of the Faculty of Sport at Mona, I was proud to see the bar raised in the quality of support offered to our athletes. Sport is changing at a rapid pace and modern science and technology is intervening at such a rate that the norms of last year may be ancient history this year.

Case in point is West Indies cricket where the kings of the sport have reached the bottom, by and large due to the inability to keep up with innovations and change.

I have always contended that when there is a new form of the game, the West Indies reigned. As science and technology intervened, we withered. At a time when fitness was not the norm, the West Indies Test team was the fittest of the lot and demolished the opposition with superior athletic prowess along with talent.

The first three versions of the limited overs World Cup saw the West Indies in every finals having won the first two (1975 and 1979). Since then, they have not come close to even a semifinal. The T20 World Cup was no different as in its early stages the West Indies managed to win twice but have now failed to qualify for the main final round. The West Indies men’s and women’s team won the T20 World Cup in 2016. The game has changed significantly since then and the methods used then are now archaic.

In the same year, the boys Under-19 team won the World Cup, but two years later placed 10th. Of note 17 West Indians were selected to IPL teams last year, with 11 of them being released by their teams within a year. Many will still be reselected by other teams but the writing is on the wall.

T20 is no longer about hitting sixes and playing aerial shots or bowling short and fast. It has evolved into a game where intelligent placement of the ball for ones and twos is as important as getting boundaries without giving away your wicket. Likewise, bowling plans informed by data analytics of each batter prevent them from scoring unless they use innovative shots. That the West Indian players have not adapted to this change, which had become more pronounced in the last 12 months (though the signs were there from before), shows the inability of our coaches and technical staff to keep up with the innovations of time, heavily informed by data analytics.

This demise is not limited to cricket, and we are seeing it with indifferent performances in netball, as well as diminishing returns from football.

It may well catch up with our track and field in short order. To counter this, there has to be appreciation of the technical advances required in modern-day sport.

ARCHAIC PRACTICES

As much as many local coaches shun academic pursuits, their dominance on the global scene is diminishing as fast as their archaic practices. In doing a regional survey on coaching education and attitudes, I recall a coach emphatically stating “mi deal with results, mi no deal with paper”.

Yet, in questioning how he fared on the international scene, he could only speak of successes at the high school level and some regional events. If we look at our local coaches, only a few have made their mark on a global scale, and just a few more actually dominate at a regional level. Most are content with successes within Jamaica or within high schools. The lack of basic coaching techniques at that level hinders athletes who can progress to the higher level.

In producing the first BSc graduates in Sport Kinetics and Sport Coaching, we now have locally produced coaches with a graduate level training, and many have already enrolled for Masters level advanced training.

It is heartening to see that some have been immediately offered employment with their new skill sets at the high school level. We are sure that they will make their mark.

Over 15 years ago, The University of the West Indies started producing specialist sport physicians and sport physiotherapists, who have made their mark across the region, lifting the level of sports medicine offered to athletes for those who wish to engage them.

Happily, they lead most of the national teams in medical services though there are still many who prefer to have their friends and under-qualified colleagues carry out the same function.

The entire world has looked to specialised advanced sports coaches and sports scientists to enhance their athletes and their sport.

LAGGING BEHIND

By neglecting to keep apace, Jamaica and the West Indies are likely to continue to suffer heavily.

Many local coaches do take certification courses offered by national governing bodies, but there is little quality control or assessment of these courses.

Indeed, people could attend the courses without the slightest understanding of what is said and still become certified as there is no assessment tool. This is then used to suggest that we have qualified coaches, whereas the level of understanding has not progressed one bit from before doing these courses.

We may continue to feel that we are unique and ignore where the world is going, but rest assured our dominance on the global scene will ultimately diminish.

The region is highly talented in athletic ability but unfortunately sports administrators and support staff have not kept up with modern practices and serve as a hindrance to the progress of these athletes.

It is time that the technical and academic necessities are emphasised in those looking after our talented youngsters from the high school level. Courses and associates degrees may have worked in the past but more advanced skills and knowledge are needed going forward. The earlier we recognise and reward this the quicker we make it back up the ladder.

Dr Akshai Mansingh is Dean, Faculty of Sport, The UWI. He can be reached at akshai.mansingh@uwi.edu.