Time To Fix Structure of Sports Federations

Image: Members of the various national sports federations in closed session. (Photo: Anthony De Beauville)

I always loved this fairytale when I was growing up, “The Emperor’s New Clothes.” It’s such a wonderful metaphor for situations in life in which one person sees things one way and another person doesn’t see it at all. But even before I commence what I am about to write about our national sports federations and their respective structures, allow me to commend Fair Helen’s sons and daughters in sports.

Pakistan To Tour

St. John’s, Antigua – The West Indies and Pakistan Cricket Boards have agreed to play three Tests, three One-Day-Internationals and two Twenty20 matches in the Caribbean from Monday, March 27 to Monday, May 15. The series is scheduled to start in the twin-island of Trinidad and Tobago and end in Dominica.

WICB’s New CEO

Image of Johnny Grave

THE West Indies Cricket Board (WICB) has appointed Johnny Grave as its new Chief Executive Officer, following a rigorous recruitment process led by PricewaterhouseCoopers, Barbados. Grave joins the organization with a wealth of experience from both the Professional Cricketers’ Association (PCA) in the UK, where he has been the Commercial Director for the past 9 years and Surrey County Cricket Club, where he held several senior leadership roles.

Windies U-19 Victors To Tour South Africa

Image: The U-19 team celebrates World Cup victory

ST JOHN’S, Antigua – The West Indies Under-19 team will have a seven-match tour of South Africa in mid-year as they continue preparation for the International Cricket Council’s Under-19 World Cup. West Indies won their first Under-19 World Cup in February 2016 in Bangladesh, under the captaincy of ShimronHetmyer. The Caribbean side will again be coached by Graeme West and will look to defend the trophy when they play in New Zealand in January, 2018.

Flow Plate Semi Finals

Image: Vieux Fort South goal scorers on Saturday. (Photo: Anthony De Beauville)

THE semifinalists of the 2016-2017 Veterans/FLOW Plate Football Championships have been decided following last weekend’s quarterfinals at the Phillip Marcellin Grounds in Vieux Fort when 23 goals were scored. Vieux Fort South got things underway with a clinical 4-0 win over Behind the College All Stars. In a battle of former champions, it was the home team that looked better from the start, getting two goals in both halves coming from the boots of Ernie Soudatt (28th. minute), Daymon Phillip (32nd. minute), Nicholas Marcellin with a beautiful bicycle shoot in the 58th. minute) and Elsberg Vital (72nd. minute) respectively.

K.O. FOOTBALL – Vizions Tournament Launch Jan.30

Image: DidusFedee says, “It’s the biggest football fiesta ever in Saint Lucia.” (Photo: Anthony De Beauville)

ORGANIZERS of one of Saint Lucia’s most-talked-about football tournaments are set to launch the highly-anticipated Vizions Entertainment Super League Knockout Tournament on January 30. The $100,000-plus launch will be attended by a number of stakeholders/sponsors, including the Saint Lucia Football Association (SLFA), which has again sanctioned the tournament, as well as representatives from the various teams who will be anxiously waiting to hear which team they will play and where the main draw is held.

World ARC Sets Off Here Today

Image: The departure of World Arc 2016 (Photo: Anthony De Beauville)

TWENTY six boats will set sail from Rodney Bay today for Santa Marta on the first leg of this year’s World ARC. The crossing is expected to be quick as the boats will take around five days to reach Marina Santa Marta. Officials from World Cruising Club, government, representatives from the Saint Lucia Tourist Board and members of the media will be on Reel Extreme to witness the official start of the event.

High Jumper Jeannelle Scheper Inspires Young Athletes

Image of Jeannelle Scheper ....on and off the track. [PHOTO: Anthony De Beauville]

ONE of Saint Lucia’s female athletes who competed at 2016 Olympic Games in Brazil had a few words of encouragement to those in attendance at the recently-held Elite track and field club annual awards at Bay Gardens Resort and Spa in Rodney Bay. World-ranked high jumper JeannelleScheper was in scintillating form off the track with her inspiring words, using the theme for the evening, “Investing now for the future”.

Veterans Football Series Resumes This Weekend

THE Veterans Football Tournament organized by Veterans In Sports Inc. and Caribbean Alliance Insurance resumes this weekend with the quarter final stage at the Phillip Marcellin Grounds. From 6:00 p.m. Saturday, former champions Behind the College All Stars who had the worse finish in the preliminary round in Group B since the inception of the tournament will take on home team Vieux Forth South who opened their campaign with a 5 – 1 drubbing of Laborie Veterans, but lost momentum along the way in Group A.