The Tribune

JUST A THOUGHT

By LANECE CLARKE, Elite Sprinter

FROM generation to generation, from ancestor to ancestor, a passage is paved for us. But are we responsible for picking up the baton and continuing where each generation left off or should it be passed to us?

In many sports we have had high calibre athletes who have made their mark at national and international level and the gap between those athletes and those who are on the way up has been fairly close.

Recently, however, the gap appears to have widened. The burning question now us “Who will fill their shoes?”.

Are we investing enough in our sport to ensure that the shoes be filled and the baton passed on to the upcoming athletes?

Apart from financial investment, athletes need encouragement, verbal support and, most importantly, proud Bahamian spectators.

Sports are a part of our cultural identity. In order to continue our growth and development and to compete at an International level, the support of our fellow countrymen should not only occur after a major win, but should be apparent at the events of all the various sports at home.

In 2002, the Bahamas hosted the 31st Carifta Games Championships, held at the Thomas A. Robinson National Stadium. My mom and I were spectators at the prestigious event. As I looked around in amazement at the large groups of persons from the Bahamas and nations such as Jamaica and Trinidad and Tobago, I got a feeling of excitement.

Whenever the Bahamians saw an athlete crossing the line wearing aqua-marine, gold and black, the crowd roared, clapped and chanted. 

The sound of the crowd piercing through the air sent chills through my body and it was at that very moment I whispered to my mom “I want to wear those colours and compete for the Bahamas”.

Without sharing in the experience of my mom’s passion for supporting athletics I would have not been inspired to participate in sports - therefore receiving the baton.

To answer my orignal question, it doesn’t matter whether or not the baton is passed on inspirationally or through mentorship.

What’s important is that the information and knowledge, so useful in becoming successful, are also passed along to the upcoming generation as a resource for their future success.

As “The Great Philosopher” Dr. Myles Munroe said: “Great leaders pass the baton on before they die” and they live to see the other person run or compete.