I was listening to the programme "Mixed Nuts" on Radio 105FM some Friday mornings ago, and was very pleasantly surprised to hear George Bovell III speaking as a guest on the show. Naturally, the topic of conversation was swimming, and the talk show hosts were asking Bovell about the evolution and progress of the sport and its promotion in T&T. Bovell had a lot to say, and much of what he discussed could be applied to most sports, if not to all, in T&T. The conversation addressed the problem of the lack of popularity of swimming as a spectator sport and the difficulties of promoting it. The fact is that most spectators at swim meets are parents and maybe even a few friends. This is reflective of the youthful population made up of kids and adolescents involved in swimming. But what of the longevity of the athletes? Why do we not have more adult swim meets? The answer is as simple as the fact that we have very few adult swimmers who choose to compete. Those who are good enough to make it to international competition are lost to scholarships and greater opportunity in foreign countries.
Others succumb to the ever-popular shoulder injury, a consequence of poor injury prevention programmes and substandard periodisation by their coaches with a lack of access to quality injury rehabilitation. Such injuries force the athletes into early retirement. Similar comments can be made for volleyball, and water polo, to name a few. This is not to say that watching adolescents and children swim in international meets is not exciting. However, there is something to be said for adult competitio maybe adults relate more to their peers competing. Is there is a greater appreciation of adult athleticism as grown-ups can understand how difficult it is to perform such feats? Apart from the lack of highly competitive adult swimmers, the major issue is the poor promotion of swimming events. There is no incentive for the spectator, nor for any foreign athlete to come to a meet in Trinidad. Bovell stated that he makes a living by traveling to other countries which provide monetary incentives to attract international swimmers to their meets. T&T does no such thing. Cricket is in the same boat. Bravo is now a Chennai Super King, rather than a Trini, a victim of the almighty dollar.
But who can blame him? I guess there is no Jack Warner of swimming or cricket who can "pull strings" financially or otherwise for T&T to host a "Swimming World Cup" or keep its cricketers. So brain drain in the professional world has its counterpart in sports-brawn drain. If all the top athletes are lost, then who would attract spectators? In addition, spectators and sponsors would certainly not be willing to pay the big bucks to see mediocrity, so the promotion of the sport without the big wigs is financially risky. Bovell and the hosts suggested promoting a "George Bovell vs The World" swim meet in T&T. I somehow find it hard to believe that Michael Phelps and Ryan Lochte would entertain swimming a meet in Trinidad, unless some big bucks were involved. There was some discussion about having an international meet in Tobago. Maybe the promotion of our island paradise would encourage the top swimmers to consider a meet here in their off season, not for financial reward, but to bask in the warm Caribbean sunshine and enjoy a taste of island life.
So how else to promote the sport of swimming? The discussion continued and was led by one of the talk show hosts into a downward spiral of disrespectful, inappropriate and tasteless suggestions, despite the subtle efforts of Bovell to change to a more intellectual tone. This host thought that if the women swam in thongs, surely the spectatorship would increase! Surely! Not only was the comment in poor taste on national radio, but it trivialised the sport and skill of the athlete, and the challenges he must conquer with long hours of assiduous practice and effort. It belittled the athletic feat and underscored his ignorance of the athlete's lifestyle. The comment was reflective of the way sport is viewed in T&T. Bovell said it with respect to coaches. He stated that we do not respect our coaches. Coaches in the Eastern Block countries are regarded in as much the same way as are doctors. Without respect, there is little support and if our local coaches must fight and struggle for every ounce of money, equipment, uniform and training location, then how is the sport to be successful?
Sport is still viewed by most as just recreation. "So you're a coach? That's a hobby, that's not a real job!" This is reflected in the salaries of most coaches. "You swim for a living? Must be nice!" It is superficial recreation for local fans, where they go to lime. One goes to a Test cricket match nowadays, and those that are there are the serious, analytical fans, who appreciate the critical thinking and problem solving challenges of the sport, as well as the athletic skill and talent that is required of the athlete. If one is not a die-hard cricket fan, what incentive is there in a test match? Compare this with the excitement of a T-20 match, and one realises that the majority of spectators are fans of the lime. The challenges in the promotion of swimming and other sports are many and diverse. Not only are they monetary, but cultural and behavioural as well. Belittling the athlete with sexual innuendos on national radio highlights the very long, meandering and rocky rapids we must swim in order to make such changes in attitude. How we negotiate these rapids will determine if sport in T&T will sink or swim. I suggest we do not do it in thongs.
Carla Rauseo PT, MS, CSCS, is a state-registered and licensed physiotherapist and a certified strength and conditioning specialist. She can be contacted at: Total Rehabilitation Centre Limited, 1 Chanka Trace, El Socorro (868-675-4973)