I was happy when I first learned that Levi Cadogan was granted a contract by Adidas as one of their stars of the future. Evidently Adidas officials have seen the potential that the young athlete has to become a world class sprinter in the future and has invested in him by honouring him with a contract. I am very happy for him, his family and the country. On the other hand, I am very sad and my heart is heavy to see that he has been badly advised to stay at home and not to take up a athletic scholarship to advance his skills and further his education. Whoever his advisers are have made a terrible decision, one that will only stymie his future progress as a world class sprinter. I have been following his progress for the past three years and have watched his development to become a world class junior sprinter even with a major flaw that the coaches have not been able to iron out. Once this flaw is corrected, he will be a force to be reckoned with in the world and one who is capable of being Barbados’ next Olympic medallist along with Akila Jones; but it cannot be done by training here at home.
In order for him to be a world class sprinter he needs to compete every weekend against other world class sprinters of his class and it certainly cannot be done in Barbados, because we do not have the calibre of competitive meets, athletes or coaches that is required to take him to that next level. With the exception of one or two coaches; I am sorry that I have to say this, but if you were to put all the rest of coaches in a hat, they cannot add up to one. I heard one coach saying that they prepare athletes on a platter and send them to America for coaches there to get all the credit.
I would certainly like to know who these athletes are that they have prepared and sent off to America and are burning up the track worldwide. Every so often a super star would come along and achieve greatness. Since Obadele Thompson, Barbados has not produced an athlete of his calibre. One can argue that Ryan Brathwaite and Shane Brathwaite has shown some degree of ability but so far has not produce the goods in the same manner as that of Mr. Thompson.
If the coaches here are making a prognostic decision based on the fact that the Jamaican athletes are home grown, they have to realize that the entire Jamaica sports program and attitude towards sports are completely different to that of Barbadians. Jamaican athletes can afford to stay at home, because they have the facilities, quality track meets, coaches and a plethora of top rated world class athlete’s in every age group category. We have approximately twelve track clubs in Barbados and our biggest track and field meet are Nationals yet we can only field four athletes for the finals for the premier race of track and field, the 100 meters. Barbados does not even have a premier track and field meet that can attract athletes from the other islands to compete at. When was the time that Barbadians had the opportunity to see world class athletes competing in Barbados? Base on the calibre of local athletes and the quality of track meets it would be impossible for Levi Cadogan to develop into a world class athlete training and competing here at home. It is easy to look at Jamaica, but their athletes compete at meets in Puerto Rico, Cuba, Bahamas and the USA because of their proximity to those destinations. Barbados is not afforded that luxury.
It is unfortunate that whoever was responsible for advising Levi Cadogan not to take up an athletic scholarship but to stay at home has made a grave error on his future as an athlete and the opportunity to further his academics. It will be a shame to see this superior talent go to waste and become just another ordinary athlete like some in the past by staying at home just to say that he is home grown. One can equate his progress training here at home to a gold fish in a bowl. Take that same gold fish out of the bowl and put it in a pond and one would see how fast that gold fish develops.
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