Editorial | Francis’ relevance beyond athletics

Stephen Francis, the Jamaican athletics coach, fully deserves all the domestic and international tributes that have been paid to him since his death on Saturday at age 64.
For Mr Francis’ genius was unquestioned as demonstrated by his role in shaping recent generations of great Jamaican athletes – from Asafa Powell to Shelly-Ann Fraser-Pryce, Elaine Thompson-Herah, and many others in between.
Indeed, the tributes of several of his former charges, including some who subsequently went their separate ways – such as Fraser-Pryce and Thompson-Herah – testify to his influence.
“Thanks for paving the way – the greatest to ever do it,” said Thompson-Herah, whose 10.54 seconds in the 100 metres stands among the finest performances of the modern era when drug-testing protocols have become increasingly rigorous and sophisticated.
“Rest in peace to an ICON,” she posted on social media. “You will surely be missed.”
Fraser-Pryce, the greatest female sprinter of all time, surpassing another Jamaican legend of the 1970s and ‘80s, Merlene Ottey, said: “He was not only my coach but a steady source of guidance during some of the most defining moments of my career.
“He challenged me to dream beyond my circumstances, demanded excellence in every race, and instilled in me the confidence and resilience that shaped the woman I have become. Everything we accomplished together was built on sacrifice and the relentless pursuit of greatness.”
“My heart aches as I say goodbye to the man who saw in me what I couldn’t see in myself,” said Asafa Powell, who, under Mr Francis’ guidance, twice set world records in the men’s 100 metres.
“For more than 20 years, my coach was a father, a brother, and a friend. He brought me from the countryside, from Charlemont High School, to Kingston. He held a dream for me when I had none and taught me to believe in myself. He told me I could break records.”
Or as Jamaica’s sports minister, Olivia Grange, put it: “Stephen Francis is responsible for a large part of the pride and joy Jamaicans feel when our athletes do well on the international stage.
“He was a unique person who used his talents to bring glory to our country and improve the lives of countless athletes who benefited from his guidance and tremendous expertise. Our country owes Stephen a debt of gratitude.”
These sentiments speak to more than affection for a coach to whom athletes can become very close. They translate into hard statistics of performance.
Apart from domestic competitions and lesser meets, the website of MVP (Maximising Velocity and Power), the track club that Mr Francis co-founded and where he served as head coach, lists 76 medals won at the Olympic Games and World Championships by athletes under its charge:
The website also lists five world records, including the 4x100-metre relay in which MVP athletes were part of the Jamaican team. It could credibly add Shericka Jackson’s 21.41 seconds in the 200 metres in Budapest in 2023 to that list.
The bottom line is that under Stephen Francis’ coaching leadership, MVP became a powerhouse for producing elite athletes, helping to transform Jamaica into a sprinting superpower.
But the sentiments of his former athletes and the statistics are insufficient as a complete measure of Stephen Francis’ achievements. Another crucial dimension relates to the ongoing debate over what Jamaica must do to transform itself from a low-productivity, low-wage, low-value-added, low-growth economy.
This transformation, as The Gleaner’s Editorial Board and others have argued, demands a focus on total-factor productivity (TFP), including investment in technology and an aggressive commitment to innovation.
Analysis of MVP has, understandably, concentrated on its success in producing world-class athletes and on Stephen Francis’ abilities as a coach. Less attention has been paid to its role as an innovative enterprise.
When Mr Francis, Bruce James – both of whom had backgrounds in finance and statistics – Paul Francis, and David Noel formed MVP, they created not only an athletics club but also a new business model and supporting ecosystem for Jamaica.
Before MVP, young Jamaican athletes seeking to become elite performers at the global level generally pursued scholarships through the United States collegiate system. MVP’s founders believed that this could be achieved in Jamaica through the domestic training of world-class athletes.
The strategy included, as MVP reports on its website, establishing a formal relationship with a Jamaican university to provide education, accommodation, and training facilities for athletes and to “increase the level of research into training international athletes”.
The founders also had to become certified officials or World Athletics coaches. They had to persuade corporate Jamaica and international organisations aligned with athletics to support the club. Importantly, a critical element of MVP’s success was its early business model of “targeting non-superstar high school athletes to be members of our club”.
MVP innovated to gain a comparative advantage.
An even more significant measure of the success of Stephen Francis and his colleagues is the number of coaches and athletics clubs that later adopted the MVP model, often without realising it.