Dear Editor,
I am penning this letter to the basketball fraternity, in fact to everyone who is genuinely concerned about the state of the game in Guyana. I am not throwing any stones, since I am of the view that the failures of basketball have accumulated over many years. It is a combination of factors that have led to its current state: neglect, poor administration, selfishness, indiscipline, ineptitude and the lack of a unified approach.
Some are quick to blame the National Federation for everything. But we must remember that the federation can’t succeed by itself. It is the construct of the sub-associations and represents all stakeholders.
The right thing for each stakeholder to do ‒ players, clubs, sub-associations, government, sponsors and fans at large ‒ is to ask of themselves, where have we failed and more importantly how can we help to improve the game?
That’s exactly what my associates and I have done and our efforts have resulted in (a) eight successful years of organizing the National School Basketball Festival (National Championships) and (b) the establishment of Youth Basketball Guyana with its various components.
It is what Paul and Patrick Haynes of the Haynes Foundation with their establishment of the Guyana Basketball website and through their many acts of charity. It is what Lugard Mohan did by establishing the Guyana Basketball Official Council (GBOC) and now voluntarily giving of his time to developing the next generation of elite athletes.
It is exactly what Ann Gordon is doing in Kwakwani. Despite all the challenges she faces, she still selflessly dedicates her life to nurturing young people through basketball and education.
Further it is exactly what the Ministry of Youth, Sport and Culture and the National Sports Commission have been doing for the last eight years, through the Inter-Guiana Games. They are providing the only pathway our junior basketball players have had in order to gain international exposure and experience.
But much more has to be done. But the point is we must take collective responsibility and action in order to achieve more success in the game we all love. Youth Basketball Guyana (YBG), is not an affiliate of the GABF, although we have tried, and we will continue to work for this recognition, because it is too important not to.
Whilst we will not have a representative in attendance at the upcoming meeting and election of the National Federation, YBG is hopeful that this process will provide an opportunity to begin rebuilding and rebranding the sport. As such we would like to encourage those who do have a say in determining the direction of the game to think broadly about what we need in basketball.
In my humble opinion, what we need in basketball is:
A. To establish a common vision ‒ essentially a clear sense of where the game is going for the short and long term and to effectively communicate this to key stakeholders for them to embrace as a framework for the future. In addition, the sport needs to clarify its values and have consensus on priorities.
B. To change the way the game is structured and managed. We must move beyond electing a few volunteers just because they show up or have been around a long time. We need a broader more professional model of governance and one that includes all stakeholders and is managed by skilled professionals. While the game should remain amateur at its core ‒ we need to employ new methods if we are going to change the trajectory.
C. Establish an aggressive strategy for fundraising, marketing, promotion and fan development.
D. Change the culture ‒ we need a new breed of committed leaders who can get the job done and who do not have anything to prove other than the development of the sport.
I am praying that all will go well with the GABF meeting and elections, and for our sport to have a multitude of successes in 2014 and beyond. I take this opportunity to wish everyone in the basketball fraternity a peaceful Christmas and prosperous New Year.
Yours faithfully,
Rev Chris Bowman
Youth Basketball
Guyana