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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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

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

Nikita Miller to open Academy

KINGSTON, Jamaica – Former Jamaica and West Indies spinner, Nikita Miller is all set and ready to open an Academy later this month. 

In a move to grow and develop the next set of young cricketers, Miller is using 4Milla Academy to pass on skills and knowledge to the “next generation.” 

• 

The Academy is due to start Saturday, November 13 and will be conducted in a fun and safe environment for participants ages 5-18 boys and girls. 

The Academy will be based at the Melbourne Cricket Club in Kingston.

The sessions, ranging from 60 – 90 minutes will focus on three main groups of girls and boys. The beginners, five to ten years old, will have one session starting at 9:30 am; while the intermediates and juniors, will have 90 minutes sessions. Those sessions start at 11:00 am. 

Miller is excited about the progress of the Academy as “this is something I have been thinking about prior to my retirement. I want to give back and this is a progressive environment for the youngsters.” 

Miller is currently pursuing his Level III Coaches course, coordinated by Cricket West Indies. 

He is currently a part of the coaching staff of the Trinbago Knight Riders and works occasionally with the Jamaican team. 

His professional career started in 2004 when he first played for Jamaica and ended in 2018 when he played the last ODI for West Indies against Zimbabwe. 

-ENDS-

Sport and Entertainment content main feature for inaugural RealVibez Film Festival

Miami, FLORIDA – Caribbean content remains one of the most sought after globally yet remains largely untapped. That is the basis by which, RealVibez, the entertainment subsidiary of Blue Mahoe Capital, will launch its inaugural online Film Festival.

The three-day event will be held, August 25 – 27 and will feature a hybrid format with the face-to-face part being held at the Purplepalms Creative Studio in Wynwood, Miami.

PurplePalm Studios, Wynwood

The Festival will feature:

• Workshops and seminars
• Pitch sessions
• Screenings of Films

The workshop/seminar segment will have, over the three days:

• 10 workshops
• 3 pitch sessions
• Screening of films received

Already on board as sponsor partners are the Jamaica Tourist Board, Blinsky, Ava Stewart from State Farm Insurance and parent company, Blue Mahoe Capital Partners. The festival will also host an online auction of running (track and field) sneakers donated by Adidas Agent, Cubie Seegobin.

Festival Director and former Film Commissioner of Jamaica, Carole Beckford thinks the timing is right as the Caribbean is the focus of economic activity in several industries. We are targeting the Creative Sector, as one that we think has tremendous potential for wealth and job creation. We plan to initiate partnerships that will take a project from idea to execution.”

Veteran US broadcaster, Neki Mohan has been appointed Ambassador for the Festival and the Advisory Team will include film, media and entertainment officials with global reach.

Neki Mohan

Entries close in less than a week for entries for films and those fees start at $30 per entry. The categories of films are:

1. Feature
2. Documentary
3. Narration
4. Musical

Stories could be Fiction or Non-Fiction

Films must be produced, directed, edited, or written by a Caribbean national living on any of the islands/countries. The production teams may include a Caribbean national based outside of the region. Films submitted, may only have been entered in one other film festival within no further back than August 31, 2019.

If there is a film in another language, they must have English subtitles or dubbed in English. At least one member of the team will be required to participate in an online Festival to be hosted by RealVibez.

BOOK ALERT: ABCs of Caribbean Sport, Marketing and Psychology

KINGSTON, Jamaica – “Sport deserves every bit of attention it can get on and off the field. Athletes need to be prepared for the mind games too,” that is the advice shared by Carole Beckford and Dr Olivia Rose Esperance in their latest collaboration.

The collaboration is shared in a book, ABCs of Caribbean Sport, Marketing and Psychology which is due out on shelves end of March.

The 140-page publication dives deep into an industry in the Caribbean which has worked and can continue to work if the talent converts to economic activity (marketing); and how athletes and their teams can maximize earnings while being engaged in a process that takes you from any adversity to a winning attitude, via a positive mindset (psychology).

The project began when the two worked together for the 2018 ICC Women’s T20 World Cup which was held in Guyana, St Lucia and the final in Antigua. Rose was the sport psychologist assigned to the Windies Women, while Beckford was head of marketing and communications for Cricket West Indies. Both are on their third publication.

Rose Esperance describes her contribution as “the timing is impeccable, as during the pandemic, sport is a means of escape and sport people can and should use this opportunity to be managed while building on their competitive portfolio. The two areas of sport are of great significance and written by Caribbean authors. I am proud of this project.”

Beckford believes “it is important to continue to share information about an industry that has contributed so much to the exposure of the region’s best in the global sporting world. The pool of sporting officials has not only grown in numbers, but in quality. There is so much more to earn from the business of sport.”

Both are supporters of student-athletes and their continued pursuit of excellence. “While the athletes continue to excel, management can do some more to create better synergies for business,” noted Rose Esperance.

The book will sell for J$3,000 and US$20. Locations will be known soon!

Patrons may support by ordering on Facebook at (1) ABCs of Caribbean Sport – Marketing and Psychology | Facebook

A virtual launch is scheduled for Wednesday, March 31.

Caribbean Sport Industry has massive potential

KINGSTON, Jamaica – The value of the sport industry globally is estimated at US $488.5 billion. The breakdown per region globally is also estimated to look like

• Europe, Middle East & Africa      48 per cent
• North America                           38 per cent
• Asia and the Pacific                    13 per cent
• Caribbean and Latin America    6 per cent

This odd number makes it up to 105 per cent (for the Math experts), but this is what I will be using as my guide for this conversation.

We want to look at the Caribbean Sport Industry, one which, over the years, has made a considerable impact on the field of play, but has not in any way scratched the surface of its potential of its economic earnings.

The key success factors for sport as an economic driver, looks at

• Events
  • Tickets
  • Media Rights
  • Sponsorship
• Apparel and Equipment
• Fitness and Training
• Venues, Food & Beverage, Betting

In the region, cricket has been the most consistent to fulfill any of the above economic activities listed above. With 10 international cricket venues across the region, Cricket West Indies (formerly West Indies Cricket Board) has hosted other cricketing nations across the region.

TV Rights are considerable for incoming tours from India, Australia and England for the most part. While the revised Super50 and 4-day Championship have been able to attract a sizeable amount. With the standard expenses of CWI estimated to be about $45million annually, the rights deals use that as a base to negotiate from. The figures have really never been made public, but we guess the incoming India tours attract the highest amount. Ticketing and Sponsorship are next in line and then a gear deal.

The region has an impressive list of elite athletes in several sporting disciplines. These range from cricket, track & field, netball, basketball, swimming, volleyball, football among others. The brands in the region should be prepared to invest.

The world recognizes our athletes and we should too. There are a host of products and services that can be aligned with the overall performances (on and off the field). Agents and Managers should collaborate to seek the support as they package our athletes who represent the region consistently.

Two important calls

1. Sport Ministers should meet before the end of the first quarter 2021 and devise a policy plan to upgrade its policy guidelines, while seeking to look at overall preparation for International competitions in Football, Netball, Tack and Field, Cricket and the other major sporting events for the next four years
2. I am challenging the agents and managers based in the Caribbean to assemble and discuss the packaging methodologies for the current elite athletes and teams, while looking at the athletes they are preparing for the future

Well maybe three, I am calling out to the major Caribbean Brands to have their marketing teams re-consider investment opportunities for elite teams and athletes.

On another matter

A 2018 Inter-American Development Bank (IDB) report says the Latin America and the Caribbean lags in sport spending. The report stated that “the region could get a development boost from sport activities that improve the region’s social and health benefits.” The report also warned that the programs must be “properly designed and monitored.’

The report also showed that the region needs to spend more on sport, “not just to produce better athletes, but also to foster happier, less violent and healthier societies. To gain the social benefits, there is need for better sport programs and evaluate those that already exist.”

The full report is available here https://www.iadb.org/en/news/idb-report-underscores-social-benefits-sports-development-warns-against-program-design-flaws

What of Jamaica Sport?

KINGSTON, Jamaica – Over the next three to five years, Jamaican superstar athletes will be involved in a series of global and international Games and Championships in several disciplines. Football, Cricket, Track and Field, Netball, Basketball, Swimming (diving) and Volleyball are just some of the sport that will see considerable action.

Most, if not all of the events, will take place out of the Caribbean region, which offers an opportunity for the (Brand) Jamaica to strengthen and deepen its roots in the global space.

From as long as 1948, Jamaican athletes have long established themselves as superstars and have continued to do so in traditional and non-traditional areas.

Yona Knight-Wisdom, for example, just finished second in the 3 metres British Diving competition in preparation for upcoming World Championships in South Korea (July) and European Championship in Ukraine (August) all towards aiming for the 2020 Summer Olympic Games, scheduled for Japan.

Yona Knight Wisdom

The Reggae Girlz will take the field for the first time at this level on Sunday, June 9 against Brazil, in the FIFA Women’s World Cup. The Reggae Boyz are in the Gold Cup as they look to campaign for the 2022 World Cup. There is a long list of football competitions to take place in all age groups on the turf and even in the sand.

Netball heads to Liverpool this summer for what could be a great chance for the Sunshine Girls to climb to number one.

In the last quarter, track and field will dominate with the World Championships and will be the first time since Osaka (2007) that Usain Bolt won’t be competing. We wait to see what that will look, feel and sound like.

That summarizes the outward events. And from all indications, the national federations along with the Jamaica Olympic Association (JOA) have their work cut out for them.

JAMAICA MUST BENEFIT

What of incoming events though? And how will Jamaica benefit from earnings from the global sport industry? Time for a sport agency of known skill and repute to make this happen. We continue to skirt and dance around with the possibilities.

Time for the upgraded version of Jamaica Sport to return – an agency with skills, resources and the requisite financial backing to coordinate island sport tours, major and targeted sport events with franchises, national and international teams and personalities.

This was written some time ago – Bring back Jamaica Sport https://carolebeckford.wordpress.com/2018/09/15/bring-back-jamaica-sport/

It is time, to #CallTheGame

One Love!

TINO BEST AND JIMMY ADAMS LEAD TEAMS FOR CHARITY

Bridgetown, Barbados – Former West Indies, fast bowler, Tino Best and former Captain, Jimmy Adams will lead two teams for a T-10 Charity match under the theme, Understanding Risk, Friday (May 31) in Barbados.

The match, which is scheduled for the 3Ws Oval at the UWI, Cave Hill Campus is part of an overall conference scheduled for the island May 27 to May 31.

Best, now a cricket commentator, will lead a team that will include outstanding retired Windies players, like Philo Wallace, Ridley Jacobs, Nixon McLean.

Adams, Director of Cricket at Cricket West Indies, will lead a team that will have among its line up Sylvester Joseph, Sherwin Campbell, Nikita Miller and Alick Athanaze.

Four of Barbados’ women’s team players, Keila Elliott, Pam Lavine, Reshelle Griffith and Charlene Taitt will also share the spotlight. Elliott and Griffith will play with Best; while Lavine and Taitt are on the team with Adams.

Best is always happy to give back and he thinks “this initiative is worthy of support.” And Adams agrees, that “any opportunity to unite the people of the region through sport, is always a wonderful opportunity.”

The rest of the line up will include a mix of local players (currently playing in the domestic competition) corporate executives and cricket enthusiasts.

The match will begin at 5pm.

About the conference

Scheduled just before the 2019 hurricane season begins, the Understanding Risk Caribbean Conference aims to celebrate the Caribbean’s disaster resilience; identify gaps that still exist; and galvanize governments, companies, and private citizens to share information, innovations and lessons learned to address disaster risk.

Understanding Risk is a global community of 8,000+ experts and practitioners active in the creation, communication, and use of disaster risk information. The community convenes every two years at UR Forums – five-day events that highlight groundbreaking work, facilitate nontraditional partnerships, and showcase new technical know-how in disaster risk identification. In the interim, regional conferences like UR Caribbean are also held to galvanize localized efforts and build regional capacity in the area of disaster risk assessment.

The partners for this event are the World Bank Group, Caribbean Disaster Emergency Management Agency (CDEMA); European Union, Global Facility for Disaster Reduction and Recovery (GFDRR) and Barbados.

-ENDS-

Squads read:

1. Tino Best – Captain
2. Zorol Barthley
3. Tamani Best
4. Shavon Brooks
5. Shak Cumberbatch
6. Keila Elliott
7. Reshelle Griffith
8. Ronald Jackson
9. Ridley Jacobs
10. Nixon McLean
11. Philo Wallace

Other

1. Jimmy Adams – Captain
2. Alick Athanaze
3. Sherwin Campbell
4. Romi Holder
5. Sylvester Joseph
6. Pamela Lavine
7. Michael Matthews
8. Nikita Miller
9. Winston Reid
10. Kemar Smith
11. Andrew Straughn
12. Charlene Taitt

Kensington and Lucas Cricket Clubs – representing Rollington Town

KINGSTON, Jamaica – On Saturday, May 4 when Kensington and Lucas Cricket Clubs take the field for a Junior Cup match; the game will not only have an important result for defending champions, Kensington, but will have an all-important historical context for the roles these two sporting/cricketing clubs continue to play in the Rollington Town community.

Kensington Cricket Club

The cricket has been the core focus of the two clubs from as far back as 1879 and 1895 respectively; but when Kensington hosts its 140^th year of existence this October, the weekend event will seek to do a few things:

• Identify the role cricket has played in the community
• Show the impact all the great cricketers have had on the community, Jamaica, the West Indies and the World
• Help to re-focus the community on how it can re-engage residents to continue the path to growth and development

Lucas Cricket Club

Rollington Town sits in the Eastern Kingston constituency and is surrounded by schools and other inner-city communities all with similar characteristics – close knit families; rich sporting history, once a quiet community, but now begs basic development to include the necessities for a place to live, grow families and so business. The accessories of the place, as it is, are not sufficient to transform the legacy of a community with that much history and more.

CRICKET

Kensington for instance has had outstanding personalities like JK Holt Jr, Chester Watson, Alf Valentine, Lawrence Rowe, Herbert Chang, Richard Austin, Basil Williams, Patrick Patterson, Uton Dowe, Robert Haynes, Laurie Williams, Wavell Hinds, Darren Powell and David Bernard Jr. 

Lucas is the home of George Headley, Frank Worrell, Easton “Bull” McMorris, Everton Mattis, Gareth Breese and Chris Gayle. The immeasurable impact these men have had on cricket is what helps to consolidate the role of the game and how it may help to influence the community and cricket for the next generation.

Since 2012, Lucas has been the base of the Chris Gayle Foundation, an organization which has partnered with the England-based Cricket For Change. The resources from the partnership have been used to train at-risk young people while guiding them to become better employment prospects. Lucas is believed to have been the first club in Jamaica to admit black players in the late 1920s.

SENIOR CUP

On the occasion of the 110^th anniversary of the Senior Cup in Jamaica (2007), Historian Arnold Betram wrote this about Kensington Cricket Club:

The cricketers who registered Kensington Cricket Club in 1879 began as the St. Andrew Juniors, a group of students of St. George’s College who left with their headmaster, Father Jaeckel, to establish the Marie Villa School at 37 Duke Street, in September 1877.

Among these young cricketers were J.M. Burke, S.C. Cargill, Ernest DaCosta and Dr. J.F. Cargill, who gave a part of his property in Camperdown for their playing field. In 1881, the club moved to Emerald Park on North Street and Cosmo Lorenzo Dicks succeeded E.G. Orrett as captain. The Dicks family owned a property in St. Catherine called Kensington, hence the name change from St. Andrew Juniors to Kensington.

Coming into the competition, Kensington certainly had the most enthusiastic group of cricketers, including two of the finest young cricketers in the island, J.J. Cameron and G.V. Livingston.

In the two decades preceding the start of Senior Cup Cricket in 1897, the record shows that they played 202 matches, winning 125, losing 61 and drawing 16.

Kensington – 2019 Junior Cup Squad

Wavell Hinds captains and coaches Kensington’s Junior Cup Team. His twin sons Alex and Corey play for this team (both attend Wolmer’s). He is surrounded by a set of youngsters all aimed at balancing their lives on and off the pitch.

While Lucas will look to Brandon English, Shane Ricketts and Jaheem Rankine for leadership for this league.

The 10 am match on Saturday, May 4 should deliver on its promises of an exciting match-up; and should spark an interesting conversation concerning the clubs’ history.

See you there!