Hot Shots

It seems that I have misled my readers. Structural Systems Silver Raiders has not won the Barbados League - YET. I am told that they have one more game against Banks Spurs which is shrouded in controversy.

Well I promised you my uncut views on the season and before my telephone rings off the hook, here goes. I am sure that it will ring even more after this some how...


Umpiring
I am starting with the umpiring because this is what I am closest to. Angela Gibbs started the season brilliantly as the scheduler and coordinator of the umpires. She was doing a fantastic job until controversy struck and she resigned prematurely ending what I considered to be the best management of the umpiring fixtures since Deborah Lynch-Theobalds gave this up for a higher calling.

Then between Stephanie Greaves and Mona Alleyne the scheduling was a disaster. Some umpires were fixtured twice an evening while others did not make the fixture for an entire week. Check out last week's fixture and you will see what I mean. There has also been numerous problems with umpires not showing up. As a matter of fact, Veronica Rock who is preparing for the series between Jamaica and the Australian Institute of Sport at the end of the month mentioned that she was at the stadium on Monday with gear, was not scheduled but was ready to umpire. She was not asked, while Tony Brathwaite who is creeping along in his umpiring and will probably go no further than Barbados netball, got to umpire twice.

I was not scheduled for a bit despite my offer to umpire twice a week, now I get at most one day. According to Kizzy Marvel, Banks Spurs and National player who I had to discipline in the last game I umpired, I will never become an international umpire. She said it out of spite but at the rate the scheduling is going she just might be right because I will definitely not be getting in the match practice.

Standard of Play In Barbados
The standard of play this season was very poor, no wonder the country has fallen so low in the world ranking. In the lower divisions there are glimpses of hope for the future, but at the rate the administrators are going, there maybe no future.

The Executive
The BNA executive has failed netball and held Barbados up to criticism. On failing netball - There has been no fund raising - yet there is a fund raising committee, there is no promotions - yet there is a pr committee, there are no teams in training (well until last week) - yet there is an AFNA tournament this year, an under 21 tournament next year, and there was an invitational in Singapore.

On holding Barbados up to criticism. After accepting Singapore's invitation to travel to that country this year to play in a six nation tournament, the executive pulled out last month on the the grounds, I am told, that they have no funds to carry the team. The host was providing everything other than airfare. At this late stage in the game, they had everything prepared from printed tickets to painted buses. This was not only a fantastic opportunity for Barbados to prepare it's under 21 team for worlds next year, but it was also a fantastic sports tourism opportunity for the country. To withdraw at this late stage makes us look unprofessional and disorganise as a people. I would like to see who will invite Barbados anywhere anytime soon.

Singapore is faced with looking for a replacement at this late stage. Their website now quotes the participating countries as:

Botswana (from Africa, finished 10th in the World Champs 2007)
Northen Ireland (from Europe, World ranking: 21st)
Papua New Guinea (from Oceania, World ranking: 14th)
Samoa (from Oceania, World ranking: 6th)
Singapore (from Asia, Asian Champions & World ranking: 15th)
Another Nation to be confirmed

more controversy
Nisha Cummins who I have a lot of respect and admiration for resigned as VP last week. Denise Alleyne has also resigned. I think that this executive has a lot to answer to and I hope that the general body asks the questions when the time comes.

The call in programmes was also hot all week long. Even Reds Pereira got in the do last night on VOB calling for the president, Octavia Gibson to call in and answer the charges being made by callers. These are some sad days for Barbados netball. Unfortunately they are not the saddest as the more things changes the more they remain the same. The sport has had its share of controversies and netball has always won out. Let's hope that this too passes swiftly.