National Schools Championships

Still coming out for their piece of the cake – West Coast Berbice (District 5)

WHEN West Coast Berbice (District 5) come out at the National Schools’ Cycling, Swimming and Track & Field Championships (Nationals), which will begin next week at varying locations, they know that they will be at a disadvantage, given the team’s small size. However, the District still look to leave their mark.

Though the District has a full capacity track and field team, like many of the other 14 Districts that will be competing at the Championships, the Berbice team are struggling with their swimming and cycling teams, and so realistically concede that going after the overall title of the multi-sport event just isn’t feasible.
But that’s not to say that West Coast Berbice by any means do not have a goal, nor will they be looking to leave Nationals empty-handed.

“We know that we cannot eat the whole cake so we are going there to at least get part of that cake. We’re not looking at the overall Championships, we’re going there to bring back some medals and show them what we can do,” declared the District head, Michelle Archibald.
“For me we are not looking at positions in terms of winning the Championships because we have weaknesses; we are not going with a full team. But our eyes are on records, and bringing back some medals. That is our aim, my athletes know that.”

After also facing a severely limited team last year, the Region Five team finished thirteenth overall, after the competition was won by the Upper Demerara/Kwakwani (District 10).
Archibald knows that the District cannot stand a chance against powerhouses like Upper Demerara/Kwakwani (District 10) and North Georgetown (District 11), the two most successful Districts at the Championships, known to always be at full capacity.
There are several longstanding woes that have plagued the Berbice District over the years, and while they have made improvements in the track and field division, the struggle continues in the other areas.

The challenges range from lack of facilities to lack of equipment.
“Up here in Region Five the focus is more on track and field than on cycling or swimming. Where swimming is concerned there is no pool that is close. For cycling we don’t have much persons equipped with their own cycles. We also won’t be participating in the high jump, because we lack that equipment,” Archibald explained.

There are just 8 swimmers and 6 cyclists, while on the more optimistic side, they have a team of 12 participants for the teachers’ competition, but even there they have challenges.
She further described that over the years a few efforts have been made by the Regional Democratic Council to address some of the team’s issues, but the remedies did not pan out well.

“Where the cycling is concerned our region in previous years purchased two cycles; but after the Nationals the cycles were back at the region, and when we were ready to use them again, we had to service them and so after a time they deteriorated.
“So they said that it’s a personal sport and the athletes, if they are interested, have to get their own cycles. But just a few children can afford a racing bike,” Archibald noted.

However, in the case of procuring other equipment, like those for the high jump, Archibald says she has been appealing to the RDC, who promised to address the issue.
“The Region is the one that the children are going to represent and if we are going to represent you then you have to ensure we have these things.

“Every year when we come back to the region we write a report and do our recommendations and say to them: look this is where we fall short, this is what we would like you to do for us.
“But then it just go under the carpet, and when it’s Nationals again it comes back to the same old story again,” she pointed out.

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