Minister of Sport Charles Griffith has announced Barbados’ intention to collaborate with Jamaica to elevate the standard of track and field coaching on the island.
The Barbadian government aims to engage with Jamaican authorities, including Minister of Sport Olivia Grange, to facilitate the exchange of expertise through the development of a memorandum of understanding (MOU).
During a constituency meeting of the governing Barbados Labour Party, Minister Griffith revealed his discussions with Minister Grange, highlighting Jamaica’s successful collaboration with Trinidad in coach development. Plans are underway to formalize this cooperation through an MOU, enabling the exchange of coaches and fostering mutual development initiatives.
The need for quality coaching to nurture world-class performers
Pointing to the success of Barbadian athletes training under renowned coach Stephen Francis in Jamaica, such as world 400-meter bronze medallist Sada Williams, Griffith emphasized the need for quality coaching to nurture world-class performers. He stressed the importance of matching elite athletes with elite coaches to achieve optimal results, underscoring the initiative’s focus on enhancing Barbados’ coaching capacity.
While details regarding infrastructural developments, including the redevelopment of the national stadium, remain forthcoming, Griffith affirmed the government’s commitment to sports infrastructure enhancement. Additionally, he announced the commencement of work to convert the open-air national netball arena into an indoor multi-discipline facility catering to netball, basketball, and volleyball.
Griffith’s remarks signify Barbados’ proactive approach to leveraging partnerships with Jamaica and prioritizing coach development and sports infrastructure improvement to bolster the island’s athletic prowess and competitiveness on the global stage.
