2007 a year of challenges in sport Part II

The senior players could only finish second to Grenada when the Tournament was held here. Six of our players have been selected to the 26-member squad called up for the regional competition early in 2008.
In the latter part of the year Vincentians have not fared particularly well in the Under 15 Windward Islands competition played in Grenada where Dominica emerged champions followed by St Lucia and ourselves respectively. Four of the team members have been selected to the Windward Islands Under 15 squad with two additional players among the reserves.
The national association has engaged itself in a contract with the National Sports Council for exclusive use of the Buccament playing field for seven months of the year in order to facilitate utilisation of the monies from the Stanford 20/20 for development programmes.

Cycling
Cycling has been in the process of reorganisation and the emphasis is on the youths of this country.
An expensive sport cycling has been able to garner some assistance in respect of the securing of bicycles to aid in the developmental work. The participation of the St Vincent Cycling Union in the Grassroots Talent Identification programme of the NOC has certainly served to bring some new blood in the sport. Work is being done on the Windward side of the island where there seems to be much interest among the rural youths. Some work is also being done at the Girls’ High School where some keen girls have taken to the sport.
The Cycling Union has attempted to expose the young talented cyclists to regional competition with mixed results.
The learning curve is an arduous one.
In the first week of 2008 the Cycling Union will conduct its component of the NOC’s Sports Academy with cyclists resident at Bay Hill Apartments. This programme will be intense and it is expected that the youngsters will benefit immensely as was the case with the talented athletes from athletics, boxing, table tennis and volleyball in December last.