Barbados AAB President Advocates Strategic Plan for Sustainable Sports Funding

Stressing it can’t be business as usual, Athletic Association of Barbados (AAB) president Noel Lynch, says the time has come where the strategic plan and the coaching structure for local sports has to change if this country is to make an impact on the international stage.

Lynch told Weekend Sport he would like to see an end to the days when members of national associations are running around at the last minute trying to secure funds for travel and accommodation of Barbados teams. He says it was important that national federations had certainty of financial resources at the start of every season.

“This year’s CARIFTA Games to Grenada cost the AAB $100 000. The Government, through the National Sports Council, gave us 50 per cent of that money but the other $50 000 we had to look for. How did we get it, the private sector, children raising money in the school, doing all of these minor fund-raising activities, which is unsustainable in this day and age.

“I believe that every federation before the financial year begins, when the National Sports Council or the Ministry of Sports, are putting together their programme, everyone should be made to submit a four-year development plan, that can be submitted every year, and you can submit a budget and then you know for certainty at the beginning of the year what your resources are going to be.

“It is important to submit a budget, and based on your development, based upon the success of your sport, you will have a good idea of what you are going to get every year and that will give us a better opportunity to be able to then go to the private sector,” he said.

Lynch said that sport was a much more costly venture these days, hence the need for more strategic planning.

“Before the season starts, we have to do things to propel us forward because things have changed. When you have a track and field meet now, all of the officials we have to clothe them, we have to feed them, we have to pay a stipend to certain people, we have to maintain a data base.

Lynch said he will soon be meeting with his team to outline a strategic plan “which will allow us to do exactly what we want to do”.

“What are we going to do for the next four or five years? What are the key performance indicators that you want? What are the goals and objectives that you have?

“I would like to set some goals to say that by 2028, we have four Olympic finalists, two medals. I am not saying we are going to win two medals but we must have performance indicators like the Central American and Caribbean (CAC) and the Commonwealth Games.”

Lynch called for the creation of a national junior coach.

“We have reached the stage where we may have to change administratively the coaching structure of Barbados. There is a probability we may need to create the position of national junior coach, and a national junior squad that is prepared and ready from September onwards.

“Even though you have your own coach and school, you need to spend one day a week, or two days, with the national training squad so you can be exposed to the best opportunities we have on island in your particular event,” he added.

Concerned that the National Stadium remains unavailable for use, Lynch made a plea for the installation of a track.

“We need our own track. We can’t be going all the time to the Usain Bolt Sports Complex, having to pay for the use of the facility and not be sure if we are always going to be able to use it for training and everything. Those days are over.”