‘Make larger than life stars for local basketball’

Minister of Creative Economy, Culture and Sport, John King had lots to say at the recently held Barbados Amateur Basketball Association (BABA) Opening and Awards Ceremony and one of the main pieces of advice he gave was to make the local ballers larger than life stars.

The ceremony which was the official start to the 2020 domestic season saw awardees and clubs congregate at the Golden Sands Hotel in Maxwell. Minister King started his down to earth address by admitting that one of the things missing in basketball and sport in Barbados in general is communication.

“A lot of the things that the president would have spoken about was the first time I have heard any of these things, so it tells you therefore that there is a lack of communication between the basketball fraternity and the ministry itself. If there is anything, that would be the perfect place to start,” he stated.

King expanded by saying that it would allow the BABA to highlight the challenges faced, so the ministry would be aware and guide the association in attempts to solve some of the issues hampering the progression of basketball. A link between the two entities along with the Barbados Olympic Association and the National Sports Council, is a path to better use of available resources to lift the sport of basketball from the all time low where it presently resides.

The former entertainer expressed concern about the problem of low spectator turnout and said that he believes that there is a need to create larger than life stars and place them on the map of the public via forms of media.

“If you communicate with people, they have an affinity for whatever it is. Then if it becomes real to them, that they can feel it, that they could touch it, that they could see it, they are more inclined to get involved,” it was pointed out.

To King, that community awareness is a key component to bringing the game of basketball back to its glory days and lamented that only the basketball fraternity knew who were the top players in the sport.

“If I ask now, who are the stars today in basketball in Barbados you might be able to tell me. If I ask three people out on the road, maybe one would be able to give me one name but cannot tell me who is the top forward on a team, who are the teams, who are the coaches. None of these things, but these things are important.”

Plans are in the works for covered courts in Barbados but in the meantime, the minister said he believes that money and state of the art facilities are not the only part of creating a good sporting product.

"We are cashed strapped but I always tell people that it is not just cash. If it was only cash, trust me, none of the entertainers, what you would call the big ones would have been anywhere because there was not any cash. But it was commitment, it was making the best use of what we had and continuously seeking to improve and improve. If you are a coach, player or statistician, whatever.”

Lastly the minister asked those present to applaud the sponsors, the Co-operators General Insurance Co. Ltd. and for the women, the #1 Beauty Supplies and Exchange. Encouraging them to say thanks whenever they could because he found that it was not a common occurrence for the players to thank those who support them in the background. (AS)