Director of Sports and former national sprinter, Heather Samuel Daley, says measures must be put in place to ensure athletes receive more overseas exposure at younger ages.
Daley, who recently travelled to Trinidad as an assistant coach for the Antigua and Barbuda team at this year’s Carifta Games, said that for many first-timers, going into a Carifta meet with no regional experience could be a nerve-racking experience as coaches can only do so much to prepare athletes on the ground.
“There are some things you just can’t control as a coach but there has to be collaboration – the clubs and the coaches to ensure our athletes are prepared better. And what I am talking about is maybe an external competition before the Carifta Games would give them some kind of a feel as to how it is to compete outside of Antigua before they come to the Carifta Games. Some of the athletes, coming to the Games for the first time, it was nerve-racking for some of them; they were very nervous,” she said.
Speaking on the Good Morning Jojo Sports Show following the team’s five-medal haul at the Games, Samuel said she believes small countries like Antigua and Barbuda can be just as competitive as Jamaica, Bahamas and Trinidad & Tobago but insists that the approach much change.
“Yes, you would see the Jamaicans would outshine us because of their system but if we the smaller territories have a plan then we can do just as well; maybe not beating them but competing with them in every event because the Jamaicans are in every event. It’s just like Inter-schools where certain schools participate in all of the events so those are the ones that will win. A comprehensive programme can change that and we would have to give more opportunities to our young people and not thinking about qualification all of the time but consistency, regular time at practice. How they are in their discipline can also lead to persons coming and competing at this event,” the administrator said.
Daley, once the country’s national record holder in both the 100 and 200 meters events, congratulated the organizers of the games for a job well done, pointing out that although everything was not perfect, most things were well-received.
“In anything that you plan there is going to be some challenges when you try to put all of your ducks in a row and we see that with our Inter-schools and our championships at home where we try to put everything in place and then something goes wrong on the day. For example, the gun; obviously we don’t know what the situation with the gun was but there were complaints that there was a delay in the gun and those are things that will pop up from time to time because nothing is ever perfect,” she said.
“We can also accommodate our athletes better and make the travel experience a little bit better. For example, we are here in Port-of-Spain because there is a delay in the airline and those are things we need to do like ensuring our students get back because remember some of them have exams and so on that they are preparing for,” she added.
Team Antigua and Barbuda won five medals at this year’s Carifta Games.
Full team: Tyra Fenton (200 and 400), Zonique Charles (javelin), Ranique Richards(shotput), Javon Simon (200/400), Naeem Simon (high jump), Hanief Jones (100/200), Marcus Henry (high jump), Geolyna Dowdye (100 and 200), Hannah Charles (1500/3000), Kettia Ambrose (200/400/mixed 4x400m), Shenika Bentick (400/Mixed 4×400), Jada Gunthrope (long jump), Malek Francis, Kasiya Daley (100/200/4×100), Conroy Wilson(100/4×100), Daniel Skepple (200/4×100), Kevon Campbell (4×100/Mixed 4×400), Judah Ashe (4×100) and Cleon Joseph (400/Mixed 4×400).
Management team: Jamille Nelson (head coach), Heather Samuel-Daley (assistant coach) and Oswald Baptiste (assistant coach), Gillian Matthew (Team Manager/Chaperone).
