Anderson: I believed that all persons who were able, should be allowed to make a contribution to the sport. - File
PAT ANDERSON has quietly established himself over the past 30 years or more as one of the country's most able sport administrators.
Without much fanfare he has carved a niche for himself in local sport. Long before he was elected to the high-profile post of president of the Jamaica Amateur Athletic Association (JAAA), Anderson had been serving football, cricket, netball and other sports on the national level and in the mid-island areas of Manchester and Clarendon.
In 1978-79 he was president of the Jamaica Football Federation (JFF), he was for many years the president of the formerly very influential Bauxite Sports Council and he is currently president of the Manchester Cricket Association, where he is ably assisted by his chief lieutenants Baron Watson and Danny Senior.
Under his watch at the JAAA, Jamaica's athletes have continued to do well on the international stage with outstanding performances at two World Champion-ships and the recently concluded 2004 Olympic Games in Athens. In Athens, Jamaica, for the first time since 1952, won two gold medals at the same Olympic Games. It also saw a Jamaica women's relay team winning their first ever gold medal at the Olympics.
UNEARTHING TALENT
As a veteran member of staff at Alcan (now Windalco) and the man responsible for community relations, sports and youth development, Anderson has helped to unearth a lot of talent in the environs of the bauxite company.
The country's first female Olympic gold medallist, Deon Hemmings, came under the influence of Anderson before she obtained a track scholarship to the United States. Olympic 400m silver medallist Lorraine Fenton-Graham came out of programmes Anderson developed in Manchester.
National representatives Beverly Grant, Linton McKenzie, George 'Turbo' Powell, Norval Jones and Delroy Hayden nurtured their talent as members of the Alcan Sports Club.
Anderson has also made a big mark in youth development. Windalco, and Anderson, were and still are synonymous with youth development in the mid-island area.
Inez Turner, the national 800m record holder, was one of the first to come under the youth development umbrella of Windalco (then Alcan). In recent years the company has helped the programme at Holmwood Technical and seen the emergence of outstanding juniors such as Anneisha McLaughlin, Sheryl Morgan, Nadine Palmer and Karen Gayle.
One on One caught up with Anderson last Friday.
QUESTION: You were elected president of the JAAA in 2000, why did you decide to take up the challenge?
PAT ANDERSON: I had been involved with track and field for a long time as committee member and rose to the post of vice-president of the JAAA. Then four years ago former president Teddy McCook and Howard Aris suggested I try for the top job.
ACHIEVEMENT
Q: Do you think you have accomplished most of your goals as president of the JAAA?
PA: Yes. One of my main goals then was to include all persons of goodwill in the development of the sport. I was not a big supporter of the so-called slate system as I believed that all persons who were able, should be allowed to make a contribution to the sport.
Therefore, under my tenure many people who were on the opposing slate were co-opted. I speak of good hardworking people like Lincoln Eatmon, who was manager for the track and field team in Athens, assistant manager Ian Forbes and Juliet Parkes, who has done an outstanding job as the person responsible for ceremonies.
I think we have also done very well in youth development where Alfred Francis has done very well. In that regard we have achieved a smooth changing of the guard on the track with youngsters like Veronica Campbell and Sherone Simpson among the leading performers in Athens.
OUTSTANDING PERFORMER IN ATHENS
Q: Who would you say was the most outstanding performer in Athens?
PA: Well, of course, there is the double gold medallist Veronica Campbell. I must, however, single out for special mention Aleen Bailey, who reached the finals of the 100m and 200m and also won gold in the 4x100. Her general attitude was superb and she did a lot to lift team spirit and morale, especially among the athletes who were attending their first big meet.
Q: Jamaica got two gold, a silver and two bronze medals in Athens. Are you satisfied with that medal haul?
PA: I am satisfied. We must remember that apart from the medals we actually took home we went very close on several other occasions: James Beckford in the long jump, Maurice Wignall in the men's 110m hurdles, Aleen Bailey in both the 100m and 200m, the men's 4x400m, which was disqualified. These were all near misses.
HELP FOR ATHLETES
Q: Some athletes have complained about not getting enough help. Do you think the JAAA did all it could to assist athletes in their preparation for Athens?
PA: With the limited funds that we had I think we did as well as we could.
Q: Will you be running for another term as JAAA president?
PA: No, four years is enough. I have done my share and it has been very rough. I will still be with Windalco helping to develop Jamaica's athletics.
Q: You were in Athens for the Games. What do you think about the facilities there?
PA: I think they were first-rate. I also liked the food but was troubled by the great amount of dust around some venues.
Q: The athletes, especially some in their early 20s, performed well in Athens. What can be done to ensure that they remain on top of their game?
PA: We have to get the government more involved, especially in providing incentives for the athletes. They have to work too hard to survive. The provision of incentives for medallists in Athens was a move in the right direction. We have to look closely at keeping more of our athletes here by providing scholarships for them in local institutions.
With most of our athletes here we can then begin to put a higher emphasis on inter-collegiate sports. Sherone Simpson and Asafa Powell of the University of Technology have both shown that with the right coaching, athletes can reach world-class level on home soil. We can coach the athletes here and get them to European and American meets and back home during the season.
- Elton Tucker
