Jamaica's softball team to compete at Pan Am qualifier with backing from JOA

By Sports Desk February 24, 2023

As the national women's softball team prepares to leave the island shortly, they do so confident in the backing they have received from the Jamaica Olympic Association (JOA).

The team leaves for the US Virgin Islands where they will participate in a qualifying tournament for the Pan-American Games as a precursor to an Olympic bid.

The national association is funding the aspirations of softball on a journey which, hopefully, will be historic.

“History making and their love for country compel our support for softball and I have watched them in training exemplifying commitment and going beyond the challenges of not having the luxury of resources in the sport to creating a wealth of talent,” said JOA President Christopher Samuda.

The national team has been in training at their home ground at Up Park Camp and for JOA Secretary General/CEO,  Ryan Foster, “the JOA is proud of and committed to the softball artillery as part of our armoury of building capacity in several sports in giving them a fighting chance in the international arena of combat. This investment is bankable.”

Softball Jamaica’s President, Marvalyn Campbell, thanked the nation’s governing sport body “for believing in softball and responding every time to the call which will not be forgotten and for which the team is very grateful.”

The JOA Executives also lauded the directors of Softball Jamaica for growing the support and providing our sportsmen and women opportunities for self-actualisation and national representation.  

 

 

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     Highlighting the evening was the presentation of cash rewards to the Paris Olympic medalists. Gold medalist Roje Stona was awarded JMD$3 million for his remarkable achievement, while silver medalists Kishane Thompson, Wayne Pinnock and Shanieka Ricketts received JMD$1.5 million each. Bronze medalists Rajindra Campbell and Rasheed Broadbell were each rewarded with JMD$1 million. Additionally, Jaydon Hibbert, the Olympic Spirit Award winner, recognized his outstanding sportsmanship, will receive JMD$500,000.

     In his address, JOA Secretary General Ryan Foster emphasized the significance of recognizing excellence and the JOA’s commitment to supporting Jamaica’s athletes. “Excellence is not time bound. It is timeless,” Foster said. “So whenever and wherever the JOA observes it, we will applaud with respect and record for posterity while saluting our Olympic ambassadors, those inspired change-makers of a great sporting heritage of which the Olympic movement is the cornerstone.”

     Olympic medalists with their plaques and trophies from left to right: Wayne Pinnock, Rajindra Campbell, Shanieka Ricketts, Roje Stona, Kishane Thompson, and Rasheed Broadbell. At right is rising star Jaydon Hibbert.

    Foster also unveiled a JMD$250 million investment plan for the next Olympic cycle, targeting key areas critical to athlete development. The funding will support scholarships and grants for 12 athletes aiming to qualify for the 2028 Los Angeles Olympics, amounting to JMD$80 million over the quadrennial. These funds will cover training, attendance at qualifying events, transportation, nutritional support, and access to advanced technology.

     An additional JMD$50 million will be invested in an equipment grant, ensuring athletes have the tools they need to train and compete effectively. Coaching scholarships, amounting to $50 million, will bolster the expertise of national and elite coaches, fostering the development of athletes at all levels. A travel grant of JMD$70 million will ensure that athletes can participate in crucial Olympic qualifying events without financial barriers.

     In summing up the JOA’s approach, Foster underscored the organization’s role as a key player in the sporting financial market. “The JOA is a major player in the sporting financial market as we continue to amass capital by brokering innovative partnerships and employing prudent strategies,” he said. “The Olympic Reward is an investment instrument that we have created, the dividends of which are payable to deserving sportsmen and women.”

    Looking ahead to the conclusion of the 2028 Olympic cycle, Foster revealed that $50 million is already being set aside for the next Olympic Salute, ensuring that future successes are met with equal recognition. “At the end of this Olympic cycle culminating in LA 2028, we will salute again, and of course, it is hoped that this investment of JMD$250 million will reap even greater dividends for our athletes,” he stated.

     Foster closed by reinforcing the JOA’s unwavering dedication to the athletes and their success. “We salute your excellence and will continue to provide avenues to monetize your hard work and your brand,” he said.

     The event was a testament to the JOA’s belief in Jamaica’s athletes and their potential to achieve greatness, both now and in the future.

     

     

     

     

     

     

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    Drawing inspiration from other global sports formats like tennis and Formula One, Grand Slam Track aims to create an experience that celebrates the culture of each host city. This aspect particularly resonates with the JOA’s vision of sports as a cultural and economic driver. “The concept is allied to the advocacy of the JOA,” Samuda noted, “as we treat sporting events as experiences in physical culture, fan engagement, cuisine, music, entertainment, and tourism—all of which are drivers in creating a viable sports industry.”

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    The CGF initially struggled to find a host after the Australian state of Victoria withdrew last year, before Glasgow, known for its rich sporting history as a host city—including hosting the 2014 edition of the game—stepped in to save the 2026 Games. However, this comes with the reality of hosting a more compact edition than previous iterations.

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    “The circumstances in which the Commonwealth Games Federation unavoidably found itself inevitably led to a scaled-down edition of the games. I regret the exclusion of badminton, table tennis, squash, and hockey; for those sports, the Jamaica Olympic Association has earmarked for real transitioning. The CGF’s decision was clearly influenced by commercial factors and the economy of a diminished sporting agenda, for at the end of the day, the games must be viable to ensure sustainability,” Samuda said.

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    He argued that the CGF must find ways to compensate the sports that have been excluded, as they are integral to the diversity and spirit of the Commonwealth Games.

    “Going forward, however, the CGF has to develop a strategy that will compensate those sports that are being excluded so as not to lose the interest and confidence of their international federations, commercial partners, and most importantly, the players and athletes for whom sports exist,” he reasoned.

    Despite the current challenges, Samuda remains optimistic about the future of the Commonwealth Games and the role it plays in uniting nations through sport. He sees the 2026 edition in Glasgow as an opportunity to innovate and adapt, ensuring that the Games remain relevant in a changing world.

    The Games will feature a 10-sport programme across four venues within an eight-mile corridor, with more than 500,000 tickets made available for spectators.

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    “It is critical that the next games, while being an economic reinvention, should retain that unique traditional value that has given many sports and invaluable space on the Commonwealth sporting agenda and which have made it competitive as a sporting and commercial product amidst growing competition for the partnership dollar and public viewership and appeal,” Samuda said.

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