More targeted approach to PE – Wilson

Spanish Town – GC Foster College of Physical Education and Sport, Maurice Wilson wants a more targeted focus on Physical Education. 

In noting the many positive benefits. Wilson summarized by saying, ”these involve the development of speed coordination, agility, balance, and other biomotor abilities; while the development of lifelong relationships through group and individual sports, learning fair play, how to win and lose are some of the others.” 

Wilson, who is also Technical Director for Jamaica’s Track and Field program to the Olympics, thinks the introduction of the sixth form curriculum for Physical Education has helped the society, in general, to have a better appreciation of the subject. 

It was in 2014, that PE was among five subjects added to the Caribbean Advanced Proficiency Exams (CAPE). The other four subjects were agriculture science, performing arts, entrepreneurship and tourism.

According to Wilson, some of the new practices in the field include the introduction of adapted PE for disabled students, the use of more fancy and attractive gear, a wider variety of footwear apparel and students being able to participate in covered stadiums for competition and training. 

Wilson went to suggest that there needs to be an adjustment to how schools approach assignment of the teachers. “ At the primary schools at least four PE teachers are needed, two for lower grades and two upper. For upper schools at least 6 are needed,” he noted. 

He wants the Ministry of Education (under which the subject falls) to treat the subject like any other Arts, Math and/or Science subjects with the appropriate support, not just in the schools, but also at the regional level. The Ministry, based on its website, has one Education Officer listed for the subject. 

About Maurice Wilson 

In addition to being Principal of the GC Foster College of Physical Education and Sports, he has represented Jamaica’s national track and field team at the Olympics and World Championships as a coach, head coach and technical director.

The coach of five individual medalists at the World Junior Championships, head coach of Holmwood Technical High School, winner of nine consecutive Girls National Champions. Coach of 13 Penn Relay Championship of America winning teams. Level 5-Certified IAAF coach in Sprint and Hurdles. Author of Sprinting the Jamaican Way.

In 2017, Maurice Wilson was honored by the government of Jamaica with the Order of Distinction for Wilson’s contribution to sports in Jamaica, in particular track and field. Mr. Wilson also supports and participates in many local charity events and causes. Maurice also does Sports Analysis work on nationally televised Track & Field events.

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JSE presents $ports XChange with Carole Beckford

KINGSTON, Jamaica – The global sporting industry estimated to value US$512.14 billion and projected to grow to US$623.26 billion by 2027, athletes and sports administers globally and especially those in the Caribbean will have a greater opportunity to earn as professionals on and off the field. 

The Sports Global Report revealed in its latest edition (20?) also suggested that the revenue growth will be a steady 5.2 per cent annually. 

Caribbean Sport has always been part of the global picture with significant inputs from athletic performances. That model changed significantly over the last two decades and now a good chunk of elite athletes (in several disciplines) has inked deals with major brands as part of a growing business. 

The Jamaica Stock Exchange (JSE) on 24^th August 2022 launched its Business Cable channel Caribbean Business Exchanges (CBX). This channel focuses on providing viewers with 24/7 business/financial content locally, regionally, and globally. JSE has partnered with the Caribbean Media Corporation, Canadian Stock Exchange and Nasdaq that provides content. Viewers can watch this free to air channel on FLOW 143 and Digicel 28, with live streaming via the JSE website www.jamstockex.com for viewers in the Diaspora.

The JSE is fully aware that wealth creation and business/financial issues don’t reside in the financial sector but is a conduit for wealth creation as seen with seven (7) different sectors listed on the Exchange.

Carole Beckford, known sport marketer and one of the founders of the Business of Sport will host this first of its kind locally a 13 series show  called the $Sports XChange. This programme was conceptualized to focus on what are the things needed to be done to monetize sports, for athletes, administrators, facilities, suppliers, and media. Host Carole will discuss with subject matter experts, locally, regionally and internationally to provide insights on how to manage talent, infrastructure etc., to create, grow and preserve wealth.  

In welcoming Carole to the team, Dr Marlene Street Forrest, Managing Director, JSE said “CBX is delighted to have you as host on this programme with your experience and globally network  we know the program will provide relevant information to those in and who plan to be a part of an ever-growing business of sport.” 

The program will be aired on www.jamstockex.com and on Flow 143 and Digicel 28. The program will debut on Saturday, March 4 at 7:30 pm. 

-ENDS-

-30-

CONTACT:  

Mr. Neville Ellis 

Marketing Manager

Telephone: 876-967-3271/876-322-0984

Rethinking Sport in Jamaica

Remove the S from CHASE… Boost the SDF

KINGSTON – For more than a century there has been a Jamaican athlete that has impressed someone, somewhere across the world.  The early days of cricket tours in and out of the West Indies, international boxing cards, football, netball and host of other sports, served a bit of a signal to the world that Jamaica was and continues to be a big part of any sport conversation. 

Ask any track and field fan, cricket (yes, believe it or not); netball, football, basketball fan and a Jamaican athlete’s name can come up. 

Over time, sport has been funded by private and public means. What has been consistent though, is the first-class performance that has been maintained, sustained and enhanced by the athletes. 

In 1995 the game changed somewhat, the Government of the day approved a plan to start the Sports Development Foundation. The SDF was established as an independent body to contribute to the development of the nation through sports.

With sport emerging (at the time) as a major contributor to the island’s economic activities, there was a thought that sport needed more. The agency in its early days focused on infrastructure and capacity building. The Mona Hockey Field (astro turf); several football fields, National Indoor Sport Centre were among some of the venues that were renovated, upgraded and built from scratch. The capacity building focused on administrative development of officials from at least 40 sporting disciplines. 

As you read along, and you are in the business of sport, you can clearly identify the gaps for a country that has produced so many world-class athletes. So whilethe track and field performances have been outstanding to date, to gain and maintain the competitive edge and move ahead, there needs to be a re-thinking of how sport is: 

• Funded 
• Managed 
• Researched 
• Marketed 
• Re-Developed

It is with those five key areas, that my recommendations for Sport for Jamaica going forward include: 

• Boost the work of the SDF
  • Remove the S from CHASE (they can determine what to do with C-H-A-E) 
  • Increase the staff numbers to include a:
    • Planner 
    • Researcher 
    • Marketer
    • Developer 

It is clear that Jamaica’s technical talent is at a great level – coaches and athletes continue to break the ceiling of performance. Most of the major sporting events have consistent work being done with their technical staff. 

The next level is needed and in another decade, if we are not careful, we will be chasing dreams in the key areas that will ensure that the next generation has access to the same enabling environment. 

GC Foster, UTECH, UWI and Mico continue to train Sport Officials in education, management and preventative care; but an elite athlete cannot in 2023 & beyond, compete without the support of branding and marketing to take them to the top of their games. 

In redefining how Jamaica as a nation treats this industry, there are also some policy decisions which should be happening simultaneously. SPORT should have its own Ministry.

This is what I envisage the team should look like from the policy and operational side 

• Ministry of Sport
  • Minister 
  • Minister of State 
  • Permanent Secretary 
  • Director of Sport + 5
• Sport Development Foundation (agency)
  • Managing Director
    • Directors of Marketing, Research, Finance 
    • Corporate Planner (to deal with bilaterals, administration, academic development, infrastructure
    • Event Manager (incoming and outgoing delegations, permits, venue updates) 

Change is inevitable if we want to be successful. 

The research element of the business cannot be overstated, as it is the data we collect and how we use it to inform our next set of moves on and off the field that will determine our capacity to handle, manage and deliver a world class sporting industry run by those who are capable. 

In the next column, I will pick the team who can and should be asked to deliver on this plan. Until then…

Carole 

Always a Step Ahead

COMING SOON: Pitch sessions for Sport Business Solutions

Jamaica continues to dominate sport and news pages with the exploits of some of its elite athletes globally. The time is always right and ripe for more people to get involved. The Business of Sport is always poised for explosion on and off the field.

Jamaica remains a sport destination, one where athletes from several sporting disciplines are prepared for national, regional and international competition.

The business also continues to employ managers, agents, lawyers, financiers and a whole range of technical officials, helping to guide performances and businesses in the right direction. The media and production units also play a major role in broadcast and creation of content to the world.

What has been missing are business solutions that can aid in making the experience at a sporting event better, more efficient while remaining cost-effective. This is what the business of sport looks like in 2023 and beyond.

Since the covid-19 pandemic, we have had a chance, globally, to rethink how athletes, brands and fan interact. And now with some restrictions eased where fans are back out in numbers, we ought to have more efficient and user-friendly applications.

SOLUTIONS NEEDED

This calls for an opportunity for young entrepreneurs to create. Ideas will be welcome in a two-day pitch session which will have a look at business ideas in three key areas:

• Operations – concession, parking, ticketing, security, venue management
• Athlete Performance – data collection, talent management, injury management, gear
• Fan Engagement – fans in and outside of venues, sales, advertising

All sporting disciplines should be considered from A – Z. Individuals/Groups (not more than 5) can create ideas and pitch to sport leaders for up to 15 minutes, this April in Kingston. The pitch session will target participants 18 years and older who may want to explore those options.

The pitches will be judged based on design, development and talent; in other words, the “wow” factor, the simple, easy-to-use factor and how cost effective it can be developed.

Details on how to participate will be launched by the end of February.

Barbara Walters – The View

My (The) View on Barbara Walters 

October 11, 2014 

The 84-year-old grand dame of broadcast journalism in the USA, Barbara Walters said her good bye to The View today on ABC. In a much publicized departure, the woman who has been in media for over five decades has interviewed world stars in politics, entertainment and sports during that time. 

Her career was one of a kind of sequence where she started out as a segment producer and a writer for a NBC programme in 1962, the year Jamaica became independent. I would not dare make any comparisons to Barbara and Jamaica, so let us move on. 

Barbara leaves a legacy of paving the way for other women and that was obvious from the outpouring of love on ABC over the last week. Oprah, Hillary Clinton, Connie Chung, Katie Couric were among some of the media stars who showed up on The View to offer their reactions. What was obvious was the way each of them said the same thing about Barbara “she opened the doors for all of us.”

Here are some points I took from all the celebrations

• A journalist should always find time to read (Barbara read every morning as much as she could) 
• Always listen to your subjects in an interview 
• Be sure to update/upgrade your skills set while remaining relevant 
• Take time to refresh thoughts and ideas
• Young journalists should work the variety of media outlets to grow, once you mature choose the most appropriate one 
• Don’t fear the competition, embrace it 
• Travel if you can, there are so many things to learn from other cultures 
• And if nothing else, help someone to knock on the “door” or even breakthrough

Barbara existed in a media culture which remains first world in terms of access but some of the basic rules can still apply.

Calling on GG to declare two days for clean up

The following is an appeal to the Governor General to declare November 1 & 2 as Clean up Days for the island. 

It has become obvious to all who travel across the island that the place is piling up with garbage. There are some communities which have frequent collection, while some have not. The NSWMA have announced that trucks are on the way, but we can get ahead of the game and start putting garbage where it belongs. 

The appeal is on several levels and we are asking people to: 

1. Dump trash in the receptacles available 
2. Placed plastic in blue bins or larger garbage bags 
3. Start compost containers once you have the space 

The amount of garbage if it remains uncollected, can start to affect all of us. 
I think the three weeks is sufficient to mobilise the agencies with responsibility to get all the equipment in place. This should be an activity which has the support of the 63 MPs and the 228 Councillors. 
I urge all of us to get on board. 

Women’s Squash Week

It’s Women’s Squash Week. Jamaica will not be left out. 

The World Squash Federation has designated September 17 – 24 as the week to bring additional attention to the sport and to bring about a greater awareness. 

To commemorate the week, the Jamaica Squash Association will host two events today (Wednesday, September 21) and Thursday at the Liguanea Club and Mona respectively. Both days, the event will start at 6pm. 

President, Karen Anderson, on the heels of hosting a successful Caribbean Championships, wants more women to get involved in the sport.

Anderson in her appeal, says “women can play, officiate or serve as administrators in the sport. We want as many women to feel comfortable knowing they can contribute.” 

Anderson, who has been active since 1982 as a Junior player, now serves as a coach, official and plays in the veteran’s category. She recently accompanied Jamaica’s national team to the Commonwealth Games in the UK. 

Some other outstanding women include: 

• Katherine Risden – current U17 Caribbean champion 
• Mehar Trehan – current U15 Caribbean champion
• Sanjana Nallapati ranked 3rd in the u17 in the Caribbean 
• Mia Todd ranked 5th in U19 Caribbean 
• Savannah Thomson former U13 Caribbean champion 

The national championship is set for November. 

Jamaica to host 37th Caribbean Squash Championships

Nicolette Fernandes, Guyana

KINGSTON, Jamaica – The 37th running of the Caribbean Senior Squash Championship will take place in Jamaica, August 21 – 27 at the Liguanea Club in Kingston. 

Barbados, Bermuda, British Virgin Islands, Cayman Islands, Guyana, St Vincent & the Grenadines, Trinidad & Tobago and host country Jamaica are the eight countries who will field approximately 140 participants for the one week tournament. 

Chris Binnie who is currently ranked #1 in the region is among the top Jamaica players who have won Senior CASA titles. Binnie is a 9-time All Jamaica and Caribbean Senior Men’s Champion. 

Nicolette Fernandes, defending champion in the female section from Guyana has registered to participate. The tournament will also feature 13-time All Jamaica Senior Women’s Champion, Karen Anderson.

Fierce competition is expected from Adrian Grant former world #9 playing for Jamaica in his first CASA, young national champion, Shomari Wiltshire from Guyana, Chayse McQuan from T&T and Adam Murrils from the BVI. 

Teams will start arriving from August 19. 

Corporate support includes title sponsors Wisynco through their brand, WATA; Tourism Enhancement Fund (TEF); Jamaica Olympic Association (JOA); Sports Development Foundation (SDF); Ernst & Young; Fleetwood; Levy Cheeks and Best Dressed Chicken. 

Chris Binnie, Jamaica

Jamaica, a sport destination?

For years, Jamaica has performed well in international spaces in track and field, cricket, football, netball, basketball, hockey, swimming… and I could go on. Much has been discussed about Jamaica as a destination that produces athletes of the highest caliber; but also a destination that can host sport. That is how the economic cycle turns.

As a background, the Jamaican system has never been able to record a correct estimate of the contribution of the sport industry to its gross domestic product (GDP); but the Planning Institute of Jamaica (PIOJ) in its annual public, the Economic and Social Survey of Jamaica (ESSJ) suggests that sports and entertainment contribute a combined figure of up to 3.5 per cent.

The GDP as reported for the 2019 period is $14.516 billion. The sport figure would therefore be close to $500 million.

When the Government presented its 2019/2020 budget for $803 billion the allocation for sport was $4.119 billion; a figure that has shown steady increase over the years. Certainly, in the last decade the country has participated in two Summer Olympic Games – 2012, 2016 and was about to go to its third in 2020, now postponed to 2021.

For the 2022/2023 budget cycle, the overall figure is estimated at 912 billion. The allocation for sport is 4.4 billion which is .48 per cent of the overall budget.

For that table to turn, we need a model that speaks to

• Properties – leagues, teams and athletes earnings
• Rights Management – gate, media and marketing rights
• Events – this is now an experience in a cutting edge venue
• Content

One of the best examples of how the four areas mentioned above co-exist, was when the ICC developed and implemented T20 cricket. We know how that has gone.

Talent alone won’t sell and if Jamaica is to earn from Sport and Entertainment it must have venues that can host events. The venues on the island could do with some modernisation and even additional (new) venues to stay in the game.

Because of our developing nation status, we have to plan way head of time and set targets. The time to start is now, if not before.

The ideal events are single sport. MultiSport events are outside of reach at this point, as the legacies have not shown the requisite ROI in even developed nations.

That value-added is needed. Based on global figures, football, basketball, cricket, golf events and extreme sport have the biggest potential for revenue. We should look at a plan (again). Reactivate Jamaica Sport. And oh, by the way, Sport Conventions are a massive way to earn.

Tryall Golf Course, Jamaica

Roman Parks get MVP for basketball

For immediate release 

Monday, August 1, 2022

KINGSTON, Jamaica – P.h.a.s.e 1 is the winner of the inaugural Jamaica Basketball Showcase title. They defeated Caribbean Basketball Academy (CBA) 59 – 46 in the final on Saturday at the UTECH Auditorium. 

P.h.a.s.e 1 went through the preliminary round winning all four of their matches to get to the top of the table. Their scores read: 

1. 51-35 winners over Central Warriors 
2. 42-34 winners over CBA 
3. 49-43 winners over Lignum Vitae 
4. 49-41 winners over Hummingbirds 

CBA on the other hand was 3 – 1 going into the final match 

Their scores were: 

1. CBA 55 – Hummingbirds – 37 
2. Lost to P.h.a.s.e 1 – 34 – 42 
3. 39 – 36 win over Central Warriors 
4. Triple Overtime win 80 – 75 over Blue Mahoe 

Most Valuable Player for the tournament was Roman Parks of Lignum Vitae. Other sectional prizes went to 

• Rebounds – Roman Parks (Lignum Vitae) 
• Top Scorer – Alex Levy (Blue Mahoe) 
• Most Steals – Maliek McCarthy (Blue Mahoe) & Anthony White (P.h.a.s.e 1) 
• Most Free Throws – Roman Parks (Lignum Vitae) 
• Most Blocks – Nicholai Brown (P.h.a.s.e. 1) 

Parks lamented that although his team came close to getting into the final “I was happy to be able to play in a tournament.” That is the sentiment of the players. 

The majority of each team were players 23 and under; while they had two older players drafted per team. 

The Showcase honored six stalwarts who have contributed to the all-round development of the game. The six honorees were – Mrs Elaine Barker, Simone Edwards, Roger Marshall, Howard McCatty, Gordon Porter and Dr Howard Harvey. 

This was the first competition since March 2020 and JaBA president, Paulton Gordon was complimentary to Sports Innovators Group (SIG), organizers of the event; while CEO of SIG, Paul Campbell, is looking forward for this event to be on the calendar. 

The tournament featured 75 players, 15 team officials, 6 referees, four table officials and a list of volunteers supported by GC Foster College. 

Special guests for the event came from 30 young boys and girls from the Majesty Garden community. Sponsor partners featured were Express Fitness, KFC, A Peart Advisory Services. GKMS Online (Western Union), Mailpac and Suretime Medical. 

Tournament information may be found https://sportsinnovatorsgroup.com/jbs2022/ 

-ENDS-

Dandre Forbes

CBA vs Central Warriors (red)