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Jamaica athletes face massive setback
Published: Monday | May 23, 2011 1 Comment
Raymond Graham
Vin Blaine
Neville Bell - file photos
Dr Walton Small ... ISSA's chairman
Foreign complement on US junior college teams to be restricted soon
Gordon Williams, Gleaner Writer
Opportunities for Jamaican athletes seeking scholorships in the United States (US) have been dealt a crushing setback, following a decision to restrict the number of foreigners who can compete for those schools.
Beginning August 2012, two-year or junior colleges will be required to cut the number of foreigners on team rosters, according to a recent vote by the board of directors for the National Junior College Athletic Association (NJCAA).
Non-US residents will not be allowed to secure more than 25 per cent of the scholarships awarded any team.
affiliations
The decision was made largely to stem the growing number of foreign athletes whose backgrounds - such as age and athletic affiliations - the NJCAA could not properly verify.
"We're looking for some way we can control this with simple rules," NJCAA president Joe Tubb told the American publication USA Today, of the March decision.
Those rules are expected to have a huge impact on Jamaicans. Each year, dozens leave the island to attend junior colleges, primarily on football and track scholarships, if their grades do not make them immediately eligible to attend traditional four-year US colleges after leaving high school.
Many of Jamaica's top athletes, for example track stars like Veronica Campbell-Brown, Melaine Walker, Novlene Williams-Mills and Kerron Stewart, plus footballers including national player Dane Richards, attended US junior colleges before moving on to four-year universities and successful careers.
Usually those athletes spend a couple years at the junior college, pursuing required college credits needed to enter a four-year school.
The new ruling will cut into the numbers acquiring those scholarships. The fallout, some believe, could be devastating.
"It is going to be a significant blow to the ability of our students to access tertiary education," said Dr Walton Small, president of the Inter-Secondary Schools Sports Association.
"It's gonna be sticky on us," added national women's football coach Vin Blaine, who said between 10 and 12 female players enrol at junior colleges each year. "It will have a definite impact."
However, some familiar with the environment at many junior colleges believe the possible loss of US scholarships could prove a blessing in disguise. Junior colleges have long been haunted by reputations which suggest that athletes, especially those from foreign countries on scholarships, are mistreated. Less available US scholarships may make athletes stay in Jamaica to continue both athletic and academic careers, they argue.
"I think the junior college has its bad and good, but more bad than good," said national track coach Raymond 'K.C.' Graham, who has guided Jamaican athletes like Stewart and Walker and also had a coaching stint at a four-year US university.
"Most of the Jamaicans who go there, they are overworked. The coaches use Jamaicans to promote themselves. I know one coach who bullies the Jamaican athletes and threatens to send them home. Many are forced to transfer to other schools. Some of these athletes are abused."
Graham explained there are "lots of failures" in the junior-college system, with some Jamaican athletes getting misleading academic advice, which makes them unqualified to continue at four-year universities when their two-year stints are over. Yet, many remain keen to go to the US Their parents are equally persuasive.
"Everyone wants to go to foreign," he said. "Some parents believe if the students go overseas they don't need to take care of them. It's full time these Jamaican athletes recognise how good opportunities are in Jamaica."
VOID
Neville Bell, who coaches the St George's College Manning Cup team, insisted that athletes who cannot immediately make the academic mark required by four-year universities should be given assistance so they do not waste away if fewer two-year scholarships are available overseas.
"We need to find a way to ensure that they find a way to continue to do what they're good at," said Bell. "Don't stop them."
According to Dr Small, more opportunities are being developed locally. He cited an increasing number of scholarships offered to athletes by the University of the West Indies (UWI) and University Technology (UTech).
"One of the things I am happy about is that the two universities here - UWI and University of Technology - they are embarking on expanding their programmes," he said. "Right now, they are offering full scholarships to lots and lots of Jamaicans. For me, that has helped to replace that void that has been created there (by the reduction of US scholarships)."
For athletes who are not eligible to attend UWI and UTech, schools like G.C. Foster College offer ready options.
"I know that (the NJCAA decision) will affect some of the students who are not academically qualified," Dr Small said. "But this void is being taken care of."
http://jamaica-gleaner.com/gleaner/2...s/sports1.html#
Published: Monday | May 23, 2011 1 Comment
Raymond Graham
Vin Blaine
Neville Bell - file photos
Dr Walton Small ... ISSA's chairman
Foreign complement on US junior college teams to be restricted soon
Gordon Williams, Gleaner Writer
Opportunities for Jamaican athletes seeking scholorships in the United States (US) have been dealt a crushing setback, following a decision to restrict the number of foreigners who can compete for those schools.
Beginning August 2012, two-year or junior colleges will be required to cut the number of foreigners on team rosters, according to a recent vote by the board of directors for the National Junior College Athletic Association (NJCAA).
Non-US residents will not be allowed to secure more than 25 per cent of the scholarships awarded any team.
affiliations
The decision was made largely to stem the growing number of foreign athletes whose backgrounds - such as age and athletic affiliations - the NJCAA could not properly verify.
"We're looking for some way we can control this with simple rules," NJCAA president Joe Tubb told the American publication USA Today, of the March decision.
Those rules are expected to have a huge impact on Jamaicans. Each year, dozens leave the island to attend junior colleges, primarily on football and track scholarships, if their grades do not make them immediately eligible to attend traditional four-year US colleges after leaving high school.
Many of Jamaica's top athletes, for example track stars like Veronica Campbell-Brown, Melaine Walker, Novlene Williams-Mills and Kerron Stewart, plus footballers including national player Dane Richards, attended US junior colleges before moving on to four-year universities and successful careers.
Usually those athletes spend a couple years at the junior college, pursuing required college credits needed to enter a four-year school.
The new ruling will cut into the numbers acquiring those scholarships. The fallout, some believe, could be devastating.
"It is going to be a significant blow to the ability of our students to access tertiary education," said Dr Walton Small, president of the Inter-Secondary Schools Sports Association.
"It's gonna be sticky on us," added national women's football coach Vin Blaine, who said between 10 and 12 female players enrol at junior colleges each year. "It will have a definite impact."
However, some familiar with the environment at many junior colleges believe the possible loss of US scholarships could prove a blessing in disguise. Junior colleges have long been haunted by reputations which suggest that athletes, especially those from foreign countries on scholarships, are mistreated. Less available US scholarships may make athletes stay in Jamaica to continue both athletic and academic careers, they argue.
"I think the junior college has its bad and good, but more bad than good," said national track coach Raymond 'K.C.' Graham, who has guided Jamaican athletes like Stewart and Walker and also had a coaching stint at a four-year US university.
"Most of the Jamaicans who go there, they are overworked. The coaches use Jamaicans to promote themselves. I know one coach who bullies the Jamaican athletes and threatens to send them home. Many are forced to transfer to other schools. Some of these athletes are abused."
Graham explained there are "lots of failures" in the junior-college system, with some Jamaican athletes getting misleading academic advice, which makes them unqualified to continue at four-year universities when their two-year stints are over. Yet, many remain keen to go to the US Their parents are equally persuasive.
"Everyone wants to go to foreign," he said. "Some parents believe if the students go overseas they don't need to take care of them. It's full time these Jamaican athletes recognise how good opportunities are in Jamaica."
VOID
Neville Bell, who coaches the St George's College Manning Cup team, insisted that athletes who cannot immediately make the academic mark required by four-year universities should be given assistance so they do not waste away if fewer two-year scholarships are available overseas.
"We need to find a way to ensure that they find a way to continue to do what they're good at," said Bell. "Don't stop them."
According to Dr Small, more opportunities are being developed locally. He cited an increasing number of scholarships offered to athletes by the University of the West Indies (UWI) and University Technology (UTech).
"One of the things I am happy about is that the two universities here - UWI and University of Technology - they are embarking on expanding their programmes," he said. "Right now, they are offering full scholarships to lots and lots of Jamaicans. For me, that has helped to replace that void that has been created there (by the reduction of US scholarships)."
For athletes who are not eligible to attend UWI and UTech, schools like G.C. Foster College offer ready options.
"I know that (the NJCAA decision) will affect some of the students who are not academically qualified," Dr Small said. "But this void is being taken care of."
http://jamaica-gleaner.com/gleaner/2...s/sports1.html#
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