Sport clubs matter.
Growing up in the 1960s and 1970s in Belmont, Port-of-Spain, Trinidad and Tobago, in an era of American civil rights, the Black Power revolution, Nelson Mandela, Malcolm X, Fidel Castro, Che Guevarra, and Bob Marley, sport had deep cultural and social relevance and meaning. Sport clubs were important and influential institutions.
However, T&T was a social space where potential and talent didn't matter as much as "where you were from" and "who you were". You had to find a way to overcome social and class stigma. Failure wasn't an option. It was important "to not forget" the truth and reality. To not be fooled. What mattered wasn't how far you reached in life or how much money you made, what was instilled was the importance of "giving a helping hand"; "Each one, help one".
Here we are in T&T in the year 2025. While on the surface there are many changes and improvements, billions of oil money have passed through the treasury. The structure of T&T society remains unchanged. Too many who were given the opportunity to create change and make a difference were more focused on elevating their own status and that of their inner circle. In so doing, they became oppressors—the very same being they hated.
During the Carnival season, the song that made a whole lot of sense was Yung Bredda's "We Rise". He sung – "What are you doing" to effect that change.
As we rise up every morn
We fly through de skies like rain
Our people will rise again
Hand in hand is how we’ll start
Everyone can play their part.
Yung Bredda, Sea Lots-born-and-bred, represented the community with pride and dignity.
"We Rise. "
It's a fact of Trinbagonian life that inequality and injustices prevail. No matter the power that sport has to make a positive difference, the social and class structures that go back to the 60s and 70s and before that period of time are still unassailable. The surface rules not substance.
Every day is a beginning - a start over. The anger and frustration is pervasive.
It's as if little or no progress has been made. Or whatever progress has been made is easily erased. Status matters not meaningful and sustainable change or progress.
Nonetheless, the fight must go on. One life saved matters. And in that regard sport matters. The fight is real.
As we rise up every morning, everyone can play their part.
Grassroots equate to community. We need to rebuild sport clubs. We need to figure out how, notwithstanding the economic and financial challenges, to reignite, revitalise, revamp and rebirth sport clubs.
Without a strong club ecosystem, the grassroots admittedly will struggle. In recent years, I have heard a myriad of reasons for the demise of clubs and might I add volunteerism. However, volunteerism is an integral element of a sustainable sport club ecosystem.
There is a view that volunteerism as it used to be is a "thing" of a past era. Gone never to return.
If that is so, then we are in an even darker place. But hope springs eternal. I believe there is an army of modern-day volunteers awaiting motivation, inspiration and guidance. Sport matters; Community matters; Sport clubs matter. We need vibrant sport clubs thriving throughout T&T communities.
We Rise!
Editor’s note
The veiws expressed in the preceding article are solely those of the author and do not reflect the views of any organisation in which he is a stakeholder.