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Western News
Golf was glorious, cricket... crappy
ON THE SPORTING EDGE
Paul Reid
Thursday, April 22, 2010
WESTERN Jamaica hosted two sporting events in the last three weeks, and while it kept me busier than normal, it also brought out the importance of planning for every aspect of the event.
Two games of the Jamaica Cricket Board's Cricket Festival were played at the Trelawny Multi-purpose stadium and were followed almost immediately by the week-long Mojo6 Speedway golf tournament featuring some of the top LPGA players at the Cinnamon Hills course in Rose Hall. The differential between the venues was less than 20 minutes; between the planning, light years. With the exception that the complimentary wireless card provided by the telecommunications sponsor did not fit some of the laptop computers, there was little that members of the media could fault the organisers of the golf tournament for.
Given the golf tournament's new format and the unfamiliarity of the players and personalities involved, there were a lot of questions to be asked and all were answered in a timely manner.
The flow of information at Cinnamon Hills extended to the fans as well as they too were kept up-to-date, especially late on Friday as the event wound down.
Elements of the cricket festival left a lot to be desired though.
The fact that the organisers of the festival failed to properly notify the operators of both the Trelawny facility and Sabina Park to get permission to use them for the games, should have been a hint that some of the details had been ignored.
On Saturday, the first of two days, local and international media members had to be scrambling around the Trelawny facility to find places to work from.
Given the size of the Multi-purpose stadium and the position of the main media centre, members of the press were separated from the scorers by more than just one floor, there was just no information flow which caused some early confusion.
Additionally, someone forgot to hire a cricket announcer to keep the fans and the media informed.
A quick call to Carlene Edwards, a representative of the main sponsors Supreme Ventures saw to the provision of a table and some chairs in a room next to the scorers. This cured many headaches.
Not many sports reporters or sports photographers will admit to being eager to attend cocktail parties. I stay as far away from them as I can.
Taking photographs of athletes in action in their chosen field is one thing, but to be pointing a camera at persons in deep conversation is another.
Still, the night time social events last week were not as horrible as I had expected and if I am forced to admit, the party put on by Jamaica Public Service Company on Monday and the gracious hosts and hostesses from Wray and Nephew made the experience worth it.
Maybe the cricket people can take note for next year and include some more social events in their planning.
Golf was glorious, cricket... crappy
ON THE SPORTING EDGE
Paul Reid
Thursday, April 22, 2010
WESTERN Jamaica hosted two sporting events in the last three weeks, and while it kept me busier than normal, it also brought out the importance of planning for every aspect of the event.
Two games of the Jamaica Cricket Board's Cricket Festival were played at the Trelawny Multi-purpose stadium and were followed almost immediately by the week-long Mojo6 Speedway golf tournament featuring some of the top LPGA players at the Cinnamon Hills course in Rose Hall. The differential between the venues was less than 20 minutes; between the planning, light years. With the exception that the complimentary wireless card provided by the telecommunications sponsor did not fit some of the laptop computers, there was little that members of the media could fault the organisers of the golf tournament for.
Given the golf tournament's new format and the unfamiliarity of the players and personalities involved, there were a lot of questions to be asked and all were answered in a timely manner.
The flow of information at Cinnamon Hills extended to the fans as well as they too were kept up-to-date, especially late on Friday as the event wound down.
Elements of the cricket festival left a lot to be desired though.
The fact that the organisers of the festival failed to properly notify the operators of both the Trelawny facility and Sabina Park to get permission to use them for the games, should have been a hint that some of the details had been ignored.
On Saturday, the first of two days, local and international media members had to be scrambling around the Trelawny facility to find places to work from.
Given the size of the Multi-purpose stadium and the position of the main media centre, members of the press were separated from the scorers by more than just one floor, there was just no information flow which caused some early confusion.
Additionally, someone forgot to hire a cricket announcer to keep the fans and the media informed.
A quick call to Carlene Edwards, a representative of the main sponsors Supreme Ventures saw to the provision of a table and some chairs in a room next to the scorers. This cured many headaches.
Not many sports reporters or sports photographers will admit to being eager to attend cocktail parties. I stay as far away from them as I can.
Taking photographs of athletes in action in their chosen field is one thing, but to be pointing a camera at persons in deep conversation is another.
Still, the night time social events last week were not as horrible as I had expected and if I am forced to admit, the party put on by Jamaica Public Service Company on Monday and the gracious hosts and hostesses from Wray and Nephew made the experience worth it.
Maybe the cricket people can take note for next year and include some more social events in their planning.