London glory - 'buk up'?

By Keith Noel

THE COMMONWEALTH Caribbean, led by Jamaica and the magnificent Usain Bolt, is the toast of the athletics world at present. Our complete dominance of the male sprint events and strong showing in the women's equivalent has caused the world to stop and ponder. The Jamaican lead is being followed by athletes from places like Trinidad and Tobago, The Bahamas, tiny St Kitts, and even tinier Grenada.

One thing we can say for sure is: it is not the result of astute planning. There is no official government agency anywhere in the Commonwealth Caribbean that can even begin to take credit for our marvellous performances.

One thing is undeniable. Our people are immensely gifted athletically. But, apart from that, everything else is 'buk up'. That wonderful institution in which so much of our talent in Jamaica developed, 'Champs', was not created to such an end. We all know the history. And then the idea that outstanding athletic performance could lead to scholarships to United States colleges and a ticket out of poverty for many kids also drove our young athletes.

The Jamaica Athletics Admini-strative Association did what it could to facilitate the smooth running of the event, and began to stage 'development' meets in which athletes got much-needed preliminary competition. But they came after the bauxite companies, and after schools like Morant Bay High had set the ball rolling.

EARLY STRUGGLES

When enigmatic coach Steven Francis made the brave move to begin a locally based track club, no official government agency leapt to his assistance. The immediate relationship was almost adversarial, with the club members having to struggle to get training facilities. But this is not unique to Jamaica, or even to track and field athletics.

Trinidad, having produced the great McDonald Bailey - the unspoken-of 'third man' in the infamous photo finish dead heat between Herb McKinley and Lindy Remigino - went on to produce a string of athletes, especially in the 1960s when they were the toast of the Caribbean, with Wendell Mottley, Edwin Roberts, et al (they set a world record in the 4x400m relay in that country's national stadium). Then came Hasley Crawford, Ato Boldon and the new crop with Burns, Brown Thompson, et al. But was this as the result of any strategic planning? Definitely not! 'Buk up' same way!

The same can be said of The Bahamas. The link between the great Tom Robinson, the Golden Girls and young Strachan and those men who conquered the 4x400m in London, is tenuous. Same buk up.

Remember when we ruled the cricket world? Talent like dirt. We had men who lived for the game; it went 'beyond the boundary'. And then we slowly lost our leadership role. Knocked off the top of the pile! While other countries were planning strategically, developing technology, building academies, we still depended on the raw talent of our men and on 'buk up'. It never works!

Look at netball. Our women are probably the most naturally gifted in the world. The schools have fierce competitions, organised by the Inter-secondary Schools Sports Association (Remember them? They organise Champs!) and then that amazing group of volunteer women (hope they don't mind the image), who clawed and scratched their way into getting the game some recognition. But, in a way they still 'deh pon dem own' and send our amazing-but-amateur talent to play the oiled machinery of Australia, New Zealand and England. And sometimes we beat them!

And there are other sports that flounder around, fighting each other for sponsorship crumbs.

Take rugby, for instance. This is a sport in which, without even having a field dedicated to the playing of the game, we are ranked among the best in the region. Seven-a-side rugby is now an Olympic sport. But let them beat some 'big' teams on the international stage. Maybe the pot covers will come out in Half-Way Tree. And maybe someone will get a house!

Keith Noel is an educator. Send comments to columns@gleanerjm.com