JC coach fears ‘Champs’ shake-up could stymie athlete development

AT LEAST one coach is sounding the alarm that moves being considered by the Inter-Secondary Schools Sports Association (ISSA) to streamline and make the Boys and Girls’ Championships more efficient could end up stymying athlete development.

According to STAR SPORTS sources, major changes are being considered to the schedule of events for next year’s ISSA GraceKennedy Boys and Girls’ Athletics Championships, as the governing body looks to make the five-day meet more efficient.

Boost attendance

From shifting events to days that would boost spectator attendance, to reducing the number of entries per event, ISSA is weighing changes aimed at benefiting most stakeholders ahead of next year’s staging.

While decisions are yet to be finalised, highly placed STAR SPORTS sources with knowledge of the developments indicate that discussions are far advanced, with much of what’s now being ventilated having first been raised during the post-Champs evaluation earlier this year.

Chairman of the Boys and Girls’ Champs technical committee, Anthony Davis, declined to comment on the developments when contacted on Monday. Chairman of the organising committee, Richard Thompson, similarly declined to comment when contacted on Saturday.

It is understood the proposed schedule changes will align with World Athletics guidelines.

Reducing the number of entries in the sprint events, the 100m, 200m, and 400m, was among the major discussion points at Sunday’s technical committee meeting.

There is a recommendation to cut entries from 64 to 48 in an effort to limit each event to fewer than two preliminary rounds.

Significant proposal

Another significant proposal would see the 100m finals, for both genders and across all classes, moved back to Friday from Wednesday.

ISSA shifted the blue riband event to Wednesday following the COVID-19 pandemic in 2020, in a bid to draw spectators out earlier in the week rather than concentrating attendance on Friday and Saturday alone.

Consideration is also being given to trimming the number of entrants in the 5000m, 3000m, and 2000m steeplechase events to convert them into straight finals, “a move understood to be geared toward eliminating unnecessary tactical heats while reducing overall mileage and fatigue for athletes,” said one source, who spoke on condition of not being named.

But Duane Johnson, head coach of defending boys’ champions Jamaica College (JC), speaking exclusively to STAR SPORTS on Monday, indicated he was unconvinced the proposed changes won’t come at a cost to development.

“While I understand the necessity of some of the decisions being made by ISSA, because I do understand there is a commercialised aspect of the product Champs, and I do understand why it might be important for them to look at ways to keep the product interesting to the general public, I would guard against some of these decisions,” Johnson told STAR SPORTS.

“We have to remember the importance of high school sports in Jamaica. This is where we normally develop our talents, and the experience garnered at Champs is like no other in the world, and I think that gives us an advantage when we go on the international stage,” he added.

Formally briefed

Johnson also revealed that coaches have not been formally briefed on the proposed changes.