EDUCATION, SPORTS, GENDER & YOUTH AFFAIRS

JUNIOR SPORTS AWARDS CEREMONY SATISFACTORY BUT ABSENTEES CLEARLY VISIBLE

The Ministry of Education, Sports, Youth & Gender Affairs held its National Schools & Associations Sports Recognition Ceremony on Saturday, July 3, at the Sir Vivian Richards Cricket Stadium.

This is the first time that the Ministry has made a clear separation by honoring the National Associations’ Junior Athletes and Athletes in the Ministry’s Schools Sports programs.

Many of the National Associations had failed to nominate their Male & Female athletes for the Senior Sports Man & Woman of the Year, and as such, the Ministry had been forced to cancel that segment. Some of these Associations have been ‘found wanting’ over the years, in their delinquency to serve their membership by keeping statistics and proper records of their athletes and even to operate programs or providing incentives for them to participate in regional and international competitions.

Although the turn out to the Junior Sports Awards Ceremony was quite satisfactory, Executive members from many of the Associations were invisible. Which makes it ironic, that when an athlete or club does not turn up or miss a deadline for a program of these same Associations, they are, most times, the first to threaten disciplinary measures. Also
absent, except for the ABS camera-man, were other media houses and sports journalists. 

Nevertheless, the Junior Sports Awards Ceremony accomplished its goal. The student /athletes were quite elated for the honors bestowed on them. The Governor General, Dame Louise Lake-Tack presented the Awards.

Admonitions were delivered by President of the NOC, Sen. Paul Chet Greene, to the athletes, associations and Ministry of Sports. The Feature address was presented by Miss Nada Williams, former athlete, who exhorted the nominees never to give up. The Junior Sports Nominees included basketballers Tyea Ladoo of Wings & CKHS, and Aubrey Chatman, Cassie Vitalis and Cejhae Greene (athletics), Argell London and Trevaghn Harriette (football), Ashley Ashterman and Michael Hamilton volleyball), Carieshaw Whyte (netball), Jamual Fernandez (cricket), and Andrea Skerrit and Rashedi Merrifield (golf).

The judges decisions for Junior Athlete of the Year were female Cassie Vitalis and male Cejhae Greene, both Track & Field.

Three athletes of the Wings Sports Club, attending Christ the King High School, graduated on June 25, at a Graduation Ceremony held at the Holy Family Cathedral.

Iesha Peters, a middle distance runner won a number of medals for her House during her five years attending CKHS. She also assisted the CKHS at five of the school’s thirteen (13) consecutive Inter-schools Championships. Peters competed for the Wings athletic team in the Annual Easter Monday and Whit Monday Road Relays, and at the Sir Reginald Samuel Track & Field Classic.

Meanwhile, 5’10” center, Jessica Roberts and aspiring guard, Ronquet (Delite) James, received their Certificates from the Hon. Jacqui Quin-Leandro, for their keen participation in Basketball for CKHS. CKHS was successful in capturing the 2010Inter-schools Basketball Girls Championship.

Both Roberts and James participated as rookies during the Gillian Brazier Basketball Shoot-Out for Big Banana Lady Express in 2008, and the Chase Collegiate in 2009, since Wings did not field a team.

Both girls will be participating in the Youth Basketball Of America (YBOA) International Basketball Camp in Orlando,
Florida, this Summer.