Modernisation of sporting organisations in Jamaica

Carole Beckford, Contributor

Sporting organisations should aim for more effective and efficient management of their resources to reap the success sport has become accustomed to. Sport also deserves effective and efficient management, based on the potential returns it can have on an athlete, the continued development of the sport, the community and the country, Jamaica in this instance.

Carole Beckford

A suggestion for the Jamaican sport sector is to have it reorganised. Organisational development involves the modernisation of Jamaican sporting bodies. The role of governing sporting bodies has changed tremendously over the last decade. Today, governing bodies need to confront increasingly complicated external issues, such as the need to remain current with changing legislation, policies and procedures.

These factors demand that governing bodies have structures and people in place to provide them with the ability and flexibility to adapt to the requirements of such changing circumstances.

Most governing bodies grew 'bottom up' rather than the more traditional 'top down' of business organisations. This and in some cases the impact of funding (or the lack thereof) has resulted in some governing bodies having insufficient capacity to effectively manage growth and change and to deliver the outcomes necessary for the well being of their sport.

While there is a significant amount of good practice around, some governing bodies would gain much from stronger administrative and professional support. Others are overly dependent on government funding, and would find themselves in significant difficulties if that funding was reduced.

So what is the solution? I say, let us change the culture of how sport is taught and managed from an early stage in a child's life. While we hope for some ideals including:

Improved delivery

Enhanced credibility

Less financial dependence

More operational autonomy

Better risk management

Capacity to meet the demand for participation.

The better managed our management teams are, the greater their ability to deliver sport.

In a sport strategy which I have completed a draft, here are some targets I have recommended which can help to achieve that culture change over the next 10 to 15 years:

Eighty per cent of those aged 13-17 will take part in sport, in addition to the school curriculum, more than once a week.

Fifty per cent of those aged 14 plus in social inclusion partnership areas (inner city communities) will take part in sport at least once a week.

Fifty per cent of those aged 17-24 will take part in sport more than twice a week.

Forty per cent of those aged 45-64 will take part in sport at least once a week.

At least 50 per cent of the Jamaican population (which is now estimated at 2.7 million) should be a member of a sport club and participate in at least one sporting activity a week - it could be walking.

Jamaica will sustain 50,000 volunteers who are contributing to the development and delivery of Jamaican sport.

I invite the Ministry of Education (all schools and colleges), ministries of Sport and Health; the Social Development Commission, the Sports Development Foundation to join this programme. Let us save sport in Jamaica.

Please send feedback to: cubeckford@gmail.com.