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High user fee at sports complex robs athletes of competition
Let down!
By PAUL A REID Observer West Writer
Thursday, June 02, 2011
CATHERINE HALL, St James — THE high cost of using the Montego Bay Sports Complex has robbed western Jamaica based athletes who are preparing for the National Junior and Senior Trials to be held later this month of a chance to compete this weekend.
A number of athletes mostly from high schools in the western region were looking forward to the opportunity to gauge their readiness in a number of events but will now have to travel to seek competition.
High user fee at Montego Bay Sports Complex prevents track meet.
Reports reaching the Observer West are that the organisers of the scheduled Jamaica Athletics Administrative Association (JAAA) all-comers meet were being asked to pay over $400,000 for the use of the facilities for a few hours on Saturday.
As a result, plans for the meet had to be shelved, depriving the athletes of the chance to compete.
When contacted by telephone yesterday, Winston Palmer, Secretary/Manager of the St James Parish Council which has responsibility for the sports complex, blamed "miscommunication" and "misunderstanding" for the situation.
Palmer said the parish council had been unaware of the nature of the meet and had simply responded with the standard rates set out by the Management Committee.
He said the parish council would be willing to meet with the meet's organisers to negotiate rates for an event at a later date.
The cancelled weekend meet was part of a series of events planned by the JAAA to assist athletes who are preparing for the Junior and Senior Trials.
The athletes are hoping to make national teams to the IAAF World Youth Championships in France, July 6-10; the Pan-Am Junior Championships in Miramar, Florida July 22-24; the World University Games in China August 12-23; the IAAF World Championships in Daegu, South Korea starting in late August and the Pan Am Senior Championships to be held in Guadalajara, Mexico in October.
Among the dozens of athletes affected is triple World Junior Champion over 100 metres, Dexter Lee who is based in Montego Bay. He is preparing to for the Senior Trials later this month.
One coach, Michael McIntosh who conditions several athletes including national junior representative Odail Todd said the cancellation of the meet was a big blow.
"The ineptitude of those who should have vision is hampering us," he told the Observer West.
Todd the CARIFTA Games Under 20 200m bronze medalist who is expected to make the team for the World Youth Championships has not competed since the Easter weekend and McIntosh said this meet would have helped him to see any flaws and to "help fine tune his technique."
Travelling to Kingston for a meet this weekend, McIntosh said meant the athletes would not be able to train again until Wednesday -- hampering their preparation for next weekend's National Junior Trials.
Read more: http://www.jamaicaobserver.com/weste...#ixzz1O7kzrYsW
Let down!
By PAUL A REID Observer West Writer
Thursday, June 02, 2011
CATHERINE HALL, St James — THE high cost of using the Montego Bay Sports Complex has robbed western Jamaica based athletes who are preparing for the National Junior and Senior Trials to be held later this month of a chance to compete this weekend.
A number of athletes mostly from high schools in the western region were looking forward to the opportunity to gauge their readiness in a number of events but will now have to travel to seek competition.
High user fee at Montego Bay Sports Complex prevents track meet.
Reports reaching the Observer West are that the organisers of the scheduled Jamaica Athletics Administrative Association (JAAA) all-comers meet were being asked to pay over $400,000 for the use of the facilities for a few hours on Saturday.
As a result, plans for the meet had to be shelved, depriving the athletes of the chance to compete.
When contacted by telephone yesterday, Winston Palmer, Secretary/Manager of the St James Parish Council which has responsibility for the sports complex, blamed "miscommunication" and "misunderstanding" for the situation.
Palmer said the parish council had been unaware of the nature of the meet and had simply responded with the standard rates set out by the Management Committee.
He said the parish council would be willing to meet with the meet's organisers to negotiate rates for an event at a later date.
The cancelled weekend meet was part of a series of events planned by the JAAA to assist athletes who are preparing for the Junior and Senior Trials.
The athletes are hoping to make national teams to the IAAF World Youth Championships in France, July 6-10; the Pan-Am Junior Championships in Miramar, Florida July 22-24; the World University Games in China August 12-23; the IAAF World Championships in Daegu, South Korea starting in late August and the Pan Am Senior Championships to be held in Guadalajara, Mexico in October.
Among the dozens of athletes affected is triple World Junior Champion over 100 metres, Dexter Lee who is based in Montego Bay. He is preparing to for the Senior Trials later this month.
One coach, Michael McIntosh who conditions several athletes including national junior representative Odail Todd said the cancellation of the meet was a big blow.
"The ineptitude of those who should have vision is hampering us," he told the Observer West.
Todd the CARIFTA Games Under 20 200m bronze medalist who is expected to make the team for the World Youth Championships has not competed since the Easter weekend and McIntosh said this meet would have helped him to see any flaws and to "help fine tune his technique."
Travelling to Kingston for a meet this weekend, McIntosh said meant the athletes would not be able to train again until Wednesday -- hampering their preparation for next weekend's National Junior Trials.
Read more: http://www.jamaicaobserver.com/weste...#ixzz1O7kzrYsW