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ISSA should rethink
ON THE SPORTING EDGE
PAUL REID
Thursday, May 12, 2011
LAST week, the Jamaica Football Federation (JFF) issued an edict mandating that henceforth schoolboy football players — we assume schoolgirls as well — called to a national team must give written reasons if they chose not to take up the offer.
According to the joint release from the JFF and the Inter-Secondary schools Sports Association (ISSA), the response must be in writing on the school's letter head and "signed by his or her parent or legal guardian and co-signed by the principal of the school".
Former St James High players Ricardo Morris (left) and Allan Ottey.
Failure to do so will result in that player been barred from playing for the school team for the duration of the call-up, the JFF also said.
I don't know about anyone else but this strikes me as patently undemocratic and overbearing.
While I am not surprised the JFF would have made such a declaration, I am shocked that the sensible people at ISSA went along with it.
In any democracy, citizens are free to choose how they conduct their business as long as they don't break the law or cause undue inconvenience to others.
I accept that it is an honour to represent one's country in any thing, especially sports.
However, there are a few instances where one might choose to turn down an 'invite' to a national football team. I believe that on those rare occasions, that person's right to choose should be respected.
I have no doubt this 'knee jerk' reaction came out of last year's refusal by two St James High players, Allan Ottey and Ricardo Morris, to accept an invitation to train with the national senior team at a crucial period of the daCosta Cup season.
Both players had also just returned from an extended period of training and competition overseas with the national Under-20 team and the school at the time, expressed concern about their academic performance.
At the time I was in total agreement with St James High's stated principles and if given the choice right now, I would still agree.
Given the importance of academics, it was a surprise that a few months later both boys were withdrawn from school in January at the end of the schoolboy football season. They have since been playing professional football with Portmore United and we can only hope their schoolwork is not being neglected and that they will be sitting external exams with their peers.
But let's get back to the real issue. For teenagers, no sporting endeavour -- even for the national team -- can be more important than their educational pursuit and if it means turning down an invitation to a national team, one should not need to go through the red tape that the JFF is now implementing.
Sure, it sounds simple on the surface, but what will the JFF be asking next from our schoolchildren.
I think ISSA needs to rethink their position and distance themselves from this onerous stance taken by the JFF.
While we are on the subject of student athletes, one quick question from the Penn Relays held in Philadelphia two weeks ago: Why were members of The Queens School 4x100m team allowed to run in see-through shorts, exposing matching underwear?
Read more: http://www.jamaicaobserver.com/weste...#ixzz1M9c74kPs
ON THE SPORTING EDGE
PAUL REID
Thursday, May 12, 2011
LAST week, the Jamaica Football Federation (JFF) issued an edict mandating that henceforth schoolboy football players — we assume schoolgirls as well — called to a national team must give written reasons if they chose not to take up the offer.
According to the joint release from the JFF and the Inter-Secondary schools Sports Association (ISSA), the response must be in writing on the school's letter head and "signed by his or her parent or legal guardian and co-signed by the principal of the school".
Former St James High players Ricardo Morris (left) and Allan Ottey.
Failure to do so will result in that player been barred from playing for the school team for the duration of the call-up, the JFF also said.
I don't know about anyone else but this strikes me as patently undemocratic and overbearing.
While I am not surprised the JFF would have made such a declaration, I am shocked that the sensible people at ISSA went along with it.
In any democracy, citizens are free to choose how they conduct their business as long as they don't break the law or cause undue inconvenience to others.
I accept that it is an honour to represent one's country in any thing, especially sports.
However, there are a few instances where one might choose to turn down an 'invite' to a national football team. I believe that on those rare occasions, that person's right to choose should be respected.
I have no doubt this 'knee jerk' reaction came out of last year's refusal by two St James High players, Allan Ottey and Ricardo Morris, to accept an invitation to train with the national senior team at a crucial period of the daCosta Cup season.
Both players had also just returned from an extended period of training and competition overseas with the national Under-20 team and the school at the time, expressed concern about their academic performance.
At the time I was in total agreement with St James High's stated principles and if given the choice right now, I would still agree.
Given the importance of academics, it was a surprise that a few months later both boys were withdrawn from school in January at the end of the schoolboy football season. They have since been playing professional football with Portmore United and we can only hope their schoolwork is not being neglected and that they will be sitting external exams with their peers.
But let's get back to the real issue. For teenagers, no sporting endeavour -- even for the national team -- can be more important than their educational pursuit and if it means turning down an invitation to a national team, one should not need to go through the red tape that the JFF is now implementing.
Sure, it sounds simple on the surface, but what will the JFF be asking next from our schoolchildren.
I think ISSA needs to rethink their position and distance themselves from this onerous stance taken by the JFF.
While we are on the subject of student athletes, one quick question from the Penn Relays held in Philadelphia two weeks ago: Why were members of The Queens School 4x100m team allowed to run in see-through shorts, exposing matching underwear?
Read more: http://www.jamaicaobserver.com/weste...#ixzz1M9c74kPs
? ...a ploy to put off the opposing teams? 
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