POWELL and FOSTER
IN 2003, Jamaica made its latest effort to honour the legacy of its athletes with the launch of the High Performance Training Centre at the University of Technology (UTech). It was established courtesy of a grant from the International Amateur Athletic Federation (IAAF) which picks up the tab for the living expenses of athletes there and pays the salaries of two of the centre's seven coaches.
To stalwart players in local track and field, like Howard Aris, the establishment of the High Performance Training Centre is a big stride in getting Jamaican athletes to stay in this country where their talent, and education, will be nurtured.
"Not all (overseas) scholarships are good, some athletes write back (to the Government) for assistance because they are in financial difficulties, so in 1996 the Minister (of Sports, Portia Simpson Miller) insisted we set up a fund to assist the athletes," Mr. Aris explained.
That year, Government launched the CHASE Fund which provides financial assistance to persons or organisations in the cultural, health, arts, sports and education fields. Mr. Aris says several Jamaican athletes attending college in the United States have benefited from this scheme which is driven by money earned from the lottery.
Sprinters Asafa Powell, Usain Bolt and Sherone Simpson and hurdler Brigitte Foster, four of the athletes who competed for Jamaica at the Athens Olympics, train at UTech. Athletes from St. Kitts, St. Lucia and Trinidad and Tobago also work out there.
Facilities at the High Performance Centre are modest. For example, its gym is small and the equipment, while adequate, is incomparable to those in other developing countries. Mr. Aris, who is chairman of the Sports Development Foundation (SDF), one of five directors at the High Performance Centre, admits conditions could be better.
"It's not ideal but it's progressing well, what we need to do is find more money so we can accommodate more athletes," he told The Sunday Gleaner.
Once funding comes on stream, Mr. Aris believes administrators can address deficiencies in areas he considers problem spots, such as coaching. "Our coaches need to recognise that they have to upgrade their skills," he said. "They have to make the transition from training students to training adults...it's a different psychology."
Bert Cameron, who coached for four years at the Northern Arizona University and has acted in a similar capacity for his alma mater since returning home, agrees with Mr. Aris. But he says ultimately it is the Government that has the responsibility to ensure that Jamaica's athletes are taken care of.
"They need to play a bigger role, don't wait on achievements before you big us up. Big up Usain, Asafa and Veronica once they start showing promise," he said. "As soon as the Olympics are over they need to put some structure in place to support the athletes so they know their country is behind them."
