SPORTS TAKE: Basketball at 45

Ronald Smith
Ronald Smith

Turn back the hands of time to the early to mid 1990s. Basketball in Dominica is at its peak, the electronic scoreboard is still in its introductory phase, the wooden stands surrounding the Windsor Park hard courts are full of spectators on a nightly basis, and teams such as Hoyas, Clouds and Harks (now Blazers) are introducing a new brand of excitement to local basketball that is finally challenging the invincibility of the mighty Cardinals.

Sad to say that of all the sporting disciplines, it appears that basketball is the biggest casualty of the Windsor Park transformation. Since that time, it has been a painful recovery process for the sport that was once the nightly entertainment for many Dominicans.

In his address to mark the opening of the 2013 season, the president of the Dominica Amateur Basketball Association (DABA) Mickey Joseph, conceded that basketball is the third rated sport in Dominica. Without the direct financial backing of the world governing body that local football enjoys, or the international appeal of cricket, it is understandable that basketball in Dominica has plunged into near oblivion.

In observance of forty-five years of organizing basketball in the country, in early April the DABA’s “Basketball Classic” competition was held. The mini-tournament, which featured past national players, brought many nostalgic moments of the glory days. In addition, basketball fans were reminded of the invaluable contributions of the few basketball faithful who have worked tirelessly over the years to keep the sport alive. With no paid executive members, basketball is floundering, hanging by a thread thanks to the dedication of a handful of hard working executive members and the small but appreciative crowds who gather at Lindo Park on Wednesday, Friday and Saturday nights.

With Lindo Park in its current state, as the main ground, it is difficult to imagine how basketball can continue to attract the interest of the young boys and girls who we depend on, to pass on the torch to future generations. Although, occasionally, evidence of resurging enthusiasm is displayed by the Lindo Park crowds, the DABA Executive is not yet ready to declare that basketball is back to the Windsor Park glory days, as they are cognizant of the many challenges that confront the sport today.

Like many other sporting disciplines on island, the involvement of the private sector is limited to a handful of corporate entities. At the beginning of the season twenty-six teams were registered to compete in the three men’s divisions and five were expected for the women’s division. However, a recent news release stated that half of the registered teams face the possibility of suspension for defaulting on their registration fee obligations.  Furthermore, the association can only depend on two hard courts for hosting games on a regular basis. The unavailability of officials and organizers for games in the out districts is also proving to be a major constraint for the league.

In spite of the challenge that the local league is proving to be for the DABA, the executive is relentlessly pursuing ways to bring the playing facilities up to an acceptable standard. Through the Dominica Olympic Committee, the DABA is seeking assistance from the International Basketball Federation (FIBA), in order to upgrade playing facilities in St. Joseph, Soufriere and Grandbay. In addition, the long time dream of an indoor facility is still being pursued.  According to the DABA president, his association is awaiting a response from government after submitting a proposal to transform Lindo Park into, at least, a sheltered facility.

There is no doubt that improved playing facilities will in some way motivate young aspiring basketballers. However, in today’s global village, it will take more than infrastructural improvements to captivate the present sports generation, and attract  the private commercial sector into a more proactive social responsibility stance. Our junior and senior national teams should be exposed to more regular regional tournaments than the sole annual Sugar Creole Basketball Competition. We also need to re-establish the scholarship opportunities that were once a regular feature of basketball development in Dominica. Improvements will also come if we recognize the position that sports should hold in the hierarchy of national priorities and the incremental social and economic contribution that can be generated through effective sports administration. A collaborative effort among all basketball stakeholders to complement the efforts of the DABA is needed to help us recapture the excitement of the 90’s and bring basketball back to the top of the rankings where it belongs.

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13 Comments

  1. Kod Bwa Patat
    May 20, 2013

    Mr. Smith. You’ve done it again. Clear, cogent writing that gets the job done. If other people want ro-ro, they will have to write their ro-ro themselves! Great job!

  2. baller
    May 19, 2013

    No team left a bigger foot-print on Dominica basketball than Bata Pros from Grand Bay. No team, not even Wilmouth “Plasic” Leblanc’s Cardinals, faced Bata Pros without the feeling the possibility that they could loose. Their big man Augustus “Perez” St. Hilaire was shooting from way beyond the arc long before before the three-pointer was introduced to the sport. Patrick “Jorky” Henderson could crash both the offensive and defensive boards with the best of them and nobody could beat Bonti liverpool for speed. No team could pack the Windsor Park like Bata Pros. Oh! those days.

  3. Onstage
    May 18, 2013

    Insightful as usual

  4. Value 4 Money
    May 18, 2013

    ABSOLUTELY RUBBISH FROM YOU “ROSEAU CENTRAL”..SHAME ON YOU TO TOTALLY DISREGARD THE GAME OF BASKETBALL LIKE THIS…THIS MAN’S ARTICLE IS SO ON POINT WITH WHAT IS GOIN ON WITH THE SPORT OF BASKETBALL ON THE ISLAND AND THAT’S HOW YOU COME ACROSS WITH YOUR COMMENT..GEZZ MAN..I CAN’T BELIEVE THIS

  5. Anonymous
    May 18, 2013

    the 80’s was more exciting than the 90’s. Also what about Bata Pros, By Trinee Flames, Wizards who stood up to the might of the Cardinals.Wizards beat all teams in the 1980 knockout competition to capture it’s first title with some razzle dazzle basketball. Saba to Juba, Juba to Bossboy shraaa!!

    • karkarhole
      May 18, 2013

      Whats your point ? That is the nature of knock out games its the winner take it all. LOL Wizards beat everybody to win the K O championship…when you lose in KO you are outtttttttttttttttttttttttttttttttttttttt!

  6. roseau CENTRAL
    May 18, 2013

    SIR WHAT are you actually saying ? This article is too long and convoluted. What has happened to proper organization and presentation of your materials? You are all over the place. What has happened to proper paragraphing ? It is better if you had stuck to some more precise theme and make your presentation in different segments so that your readers will get a more profound understanding of what is being advanced by your good self.
    I however must commend you on the attempt though failing. I hope that you dal with an issue that is more current. For example a suggested approach could well involve some investigative work on the DEMOCRATIZATION OF SPORTING ORGANISATIONS IN DOMINICA.It is apparent that the DOC does have many issues to resolve. The same applies to the Dominica Football Association and we are now hearing that there are some very serious issues with the HARLEM SPORTS CLUB with has not had its ANNUAL GENERAL MEETING ( A G M ) nearing 10 long years and no Independent Audited Financial Statement for over a decade. Do use your good offices and embark on some objective inquiry on these issues and it will be quite a revealation.

    • SMFH!
      May 18, 2013

      If you don’t understand why not ask someone who is more capable to explain to you?

      • IMF
        May 18, 2013

        what is your point SMFH it seems that the truth borgaring you. Education is not for all. ROSEAU CENTRAL piece makes sense and great advise for SMFH ( smith ).

    • Anonymous
      May 18, 2013

      Roseau central ..absolutely none of your criticism you raised nears logic…you could have simple ask the columnist to look into other issues affecting sports on the island …your comments on organisation of the article is clearly baseless since from the start to finish the writer brings across the point ..which is clearly the current state of basket ball…obviously needless hating!

    • DSC Lecturer also
      May 18, 2013

      Roseau Central in your attempt to criticize such a brilliant young man with a Master’s degree, I recognised that you used some “vocabulary” that you hoped would make you sound or appear brilliant. You are plain dumb! If English is your first language, you need a resit of the General O level Exam, because you are certainly not good at it!!! Now just to point out to you, he did an excellent job at discussing a current sport issue!!!

    • Bouble B
      May 19, 2013

      Roseau central Rubbish! Your first concern is the length of this article, but while others making short comments with sense here you come with a long senseless comment. Please, if you have no knowledge of basketball history and its present state just don’t make any comment, a comment should not be a personal attack on the writer but rather a comment should analyze the topic of the article and deal with its content. As always Ronal Smith articles helps one to get a wide view of where sports is today.

    • dfa strong
      May 20, 2013

      why don’t you find a way to get your Harlem Sport Club issue off you chess,instead of trying to drag everybody in your stress,your approach need to change,your attitude is one that does not allow people to take you serious.
      wheel and come again.Respect People.

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