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Stop Abusing School Athletes
Published: Thursday | January 23, 20140 Comments
By Devon Dick
This week was earmarked for a best-of-three schoolboy basket-ball finals to be held on Monday, Wednesday, and Friday. Having three matches, in five days should be classified as abuse of school athletes and it should stop. There will be little time for these young physical bodies to rest, to recover, to train, to strategise for high-intensity matches and concentrate on their primary reason for going to school, that is to learn. This involves their studying, attending classes and doing homework. These three matches in five days increase the risk of burnout and injuries.
In a given season, Jamaican school basketballers play fewer games than their counterparts in the United States (US). In the US, they will play approximately 34 matches, while in Jamaica, it would be about 17. The issue is not the number of games over a period of a season, but rather three high-intensity games in five days. It seems that the Inter-Secondary Schools Sports Association (ISSA) and its sponsors are abusing these youngsters by hosting three highly competitive games in five days.
These three matches for the finals seem more intent on competition and less on fun, development of technical skills, and character building of students. It seems that the Jamaica Basketball Association got it right when they did not have competitions at the preparatory and primary-school levels and instead had weekend clinics which imparted knowledge about the basics of the game while the youngsters had fun.
An alternative to the best-of-three finals over five days could be a straight final. This would be more reasonable and humane for all concerned.
FOOTBALLERS SUFFER
It is not only schoolboy basketballers who suffer, but also footballers who are given ridiculous schedules to play as the competition season nears its end, with teams playing two matches within a short space of time and also having to travel, sometimes long distances.
I remember, some years ago, a schoolboy football team refusing to travel some 50 miles because there was a weather alert, and the sporting body punished that team! The safety of students appeared to have been on the back burner.
In addition, at Girls and Boys' Championships, there should be a limit on the number of races a child can enter, bearing in mind the number of rounds for each race, that is heats, semi-finals, finals, etc. A school should not feel that it has to use the best athlete for all events. It should be more about participation of more athletes, fun, and friendship.
NO REST FOR SCHOOLBOYS
Additionally, there was a recent schoolboy cricket competition that was held on Sundays. There is no rest for schoolboys. When do we expect them to study and get passes in mathematics and English, two basic subjects to get employed or to further one's education? We are blighting schoolers whose primary purpose is to go get a good education and to be wholesome citizens.
The Inter-Secondary Schools Sports Association (ISSA) has a rule about the minimum academic performance to be achieved before the students can participate in its sporting events. Unwittingly, ISSA, by its heavy schedule for sporting competitions, is depriving students of performing at their optimum in classes. ISSA is controlled by principals who should have the welfare of student athletes as a foremost concern. So many of these decisions are baffling.
Students should be handled with care and allowed to develop as rounded students by getting a solid education, developing social skills, and being taught technical sporting skills.
Stop Abusing School Athletes
Published: Thursday | January 23, 20140 Comments
By Devon Dick
This week was earmarked for a best-of-three schoolboy basket-ball finals to be held on Monday, Wednesday, and Friday. Having three matches, in five days should be classified as abuse of school athletes and it should stop. There will be little time for these young physical bodies to rest, to recover, to train, to strategise for high-intensity matches and concentrate on their primary reason for going to school, that is to learn. This involves their studying, attending classes and doing homework. These three matches in five days increase the risk of burnout and injuries.
In a given season, Jamaican school basketballers play fewer games than their counterparts in the United States (US). In the US, they will play approximately 34 matches, while in Jamaica, it would be about 17. The issue is not the number of games over a period of a season, but rather three high-intensity games in five days. It seems that the Inter-Secondary Schools Sports Association (ISSA) and its sponsors are abusing these youngsters by hosting three highly competitive games in five days.
These three matches for the finals seem more intent on competition and less on fun, development of technical skills, and character building of students. It seems that the Jamaica Basketball Association got it right when they did not have competitions at the preparatory and primary-school levels and instead had weekend clinics which imparted knowledge about the basics of the game while the youngsters had fun.
An alternative to the best-of-three finals over five days could be a straight final. This would be more reasonable and humane for all concerned.
FOOTBALLERS SUFFER
It is not only schoolboy basketballers who suffer, but also footballers who are given ridiculous schedules to play as the competition season nears its end, with teams playing two matches within a short space of time and also having to travel, sometimes long distances.
I remember, some years ago, a schoolboy football team refusing to travel some 50 miles because there was a weather alert, and the sporting body punished that team! The safety of students appeared to have been on the back burner.
In addition, at Girls and Boys' Championships, there should be a limit on the number of races a child can enter, bearing in mind the number of rounds for each race, that is heats, semi-finals, finals, etc. A school should not feel that it has to use the best athlete for all events. It should be more about participation of more athletes, fun, and friendship.
NO REST FOR SCHOOLBOYS
Additionally, there was a recent schoolboy cricket competition that was held on Sundays. There is no rest for schoolboys. When do we expect them to study and get passes in mathematics and English, two basic subjects to get employed or to further one's education? We are blighting schoolers whose primary purpose is to go get a good education and to be wholesome citizens.
The Inter-Secondary Schools Sports Association (ISSA) has a rule about the minimum academic performance to be achieved before the students can participate in its sporting events. Unwittingly, ISSA, by its heavy schedule for sporting competitions, is depriving students of performing at their optimum in classes. ISSA is controlled by principals who should have the welfare of student athletes as a foremost concern. So many of these decisions are baffling.
Students should be handled with care and allowed to develop as rounded students by getting a solid education, developing social skills, and being taught technical sporting skills.
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