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Jackson calls for effective sports industry
Saturday, June 09, 2012
MONTEGO BAY, St James — It is time for the Jamaican government to put the framework in place for an effective sports industry that will benefit more Jamaicans, according to Grace Jackson, first vice-president of the Jamaica Athletics Administrative Association (JAAA).
In her address at the launch of the fourth staging of the JPS Western Primary Schools Track and Field Championships at the Montego Bay Civic Centre on Monday, Jackson said it was time Jamaicans understood there were career opportunities in sport.
JACKSON... we must have a sports industry that persons can understand they can choose as a career
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“We must have a sports industry that persons can understand that they can choose sports as a career,” she said.
“They can chose to be a sports journalist, a coach, a sports psychologist; there are so many opportunities in the sports sector, but we have to, as a country and a government, help the citizens to be able to go out and do this,” she said.
She added that the discussions on the National Sports Policy is an indication that the country was on its way to understanding this.
“It must be important that we keep it in the minds of those who represent us that like our athletes who have represented us abroad, we need to change how we think.”
Jackson, the 1988 Olympic silver medallist in the Women’s 200m, said it was not up to the politicians and government to help with the new thinking, but rather, each individual.
“The paradigm shift is here and we have to have a vision as to where we want to be as a country; the vision of where the country wants to be.
“It’s not the country that is doing it; it is not the politicians who are doing it. It is we who must make it happen and... in our various sections who will make it happen,” she pointed out.
“Sponsors, events organisers, volunteers and athletes are needed to create that base and now force the government to say, ‘it is time we must move to have a sports industry’.”
A record 21 schools, including four first-timers, will take part in the event to be held on Saturday at the Montego Bay Sports Complex, starting at 8:00 am.
St Simon and Clifton Primary Schools in Hanover, Granville All-Age in St James and Sir Clifford Campbell Primary in Westmoreland will make their first appearance.
Wakefield Primary in Trelawny will defend their title after winning by a single point last year, and according to meet organiser Albert Ferguson, this year’s renewal is expected to be exciting.
After naming football referee and coach Michael ‘Bunny’ Marshall as the meet’s patron, Ferguson said athletes in Classes 1 and 2 will take part in the 100m, 200m, 400m, long jump and 4x100m relay.
There will also be 800m and 4x400m Open races that are limited to athletes in Classes 1 and 2 and will be run as timed finals.
Athletes in Class 3 will compete in the 100m, 200m, cricket ball throw and 4x100m, while athletes in Class 4 will contest the 80m, 150m, cricket ball throw and 4x100m.
Read more: http://www.jamaicaobserver.com/sport...#ixzz1xJGaOIiz
Saturday, June 09, 2012
MONTEGO BAY, St James — It is time for the Jamaican government to put the framework in place for an effective sports industry that will benefit more Jamaicans, according to Grace Jackson, first vice-president of the Jamaica Athletics Administrative Association (JAAA).
In her address at the launch of the fourth staging of the JPS Western Primary Schools Track and Field Championships at the Montego Bay Civic Centre on Monday, Jackson said it was time Jamaicans understood there were career opportunities in sport.
JACKSON... we must have a sports industry that persons can understand they can choose as a career
1/1
“We must have a sports industry that persons can understand that they can choose sports as a career,” she said.
“They can chose to be a sports journalist, a coach, a sports psychologist; there are so many opportunities in the sports sector, but we have to, as a country and a government, help the citizens to be able to go out and do this,” she said.
She added that the discussions on the National Sports Policy is an indication that the country was on its way to understanding this.
“It must be important that we keep it in the minds of those who represent us that like our athletes who have represented us abroad, we need to change how we think.”
Jackson, the 1988 Olympic silver medallist in the Women’s 200m, said it was not up to the politicians and government to help with the new thinking, but rather, each individual.
“The paradigm shift is here and we have to have a vision as to where we want to be as a country; the vision of where the country wants to be.
“It’s not the country that is doing it; it is not the politicians who are doing it. It is we who must make it happen and... in our various sections who will make it happen,” she pointed out.
“Sponsors, events organisers, volunteers and athletes are needed to create that base and now force the government to say, ‘it is time we must move to have a sports industry’.”
A record 21 schools, including four first-timers, will take part in the event to be held on Saturday at the Montego Bay Sports Complex, starting at 8:00 am.
St Simon and Clifton Primary Schools in Hanover, Granville All-Age in St James and Sir Clifford Campbell Primary in Westmoreland will make their first appearance.
Wakefield Primary in Trelawny will defend their title after winning by a single point last year, and according to meet organiser Albert Ferguson, this year’s renewal is expected to be exciting.
After naming football referee and coach Michael ‘Bunny’ Marshall as the meet’s patron, Ferguson said athletes in Classes 1 and 2 will take part in the 100m, 200m, 400m, long jump and 4x100m relay.
There will also be 800m and 4x400m Open races that are limited to athletes in Classes 1 and 2 and will be run as timed finals.
Athletes in Class 3 will compete in the 100m, 200m, cricket ball throw and 4x100m, while athletes in Class 4 will contest the 80m, 150m, cricket ball throw and 4x100m.
Read more: http://www.jamaicaobserver.com/sport...#ixzz1xJGaOIiz