Project Lace Them Up – Providing spikes for the nation’s athletes
In life there are people and there are people. Some are committed to development while others are committed to the pursuit of all that is antithetical to such a noble ideal.
Some years ago, Mr Yemi Khensu, communicated with the technical director of Team Athletics St Vincent and the Grenadines (TASVG), Chester Morgan. The interest was in gathering information on the procedure to be followed for his son, Jabari Khensu, to be able to compete for St Vincent and the Grenadines since he is of Vincentian parentage.
Morgan directed Yemi Khensu to TASVG and there started a long-term relationship.
Jabari has since represented St Vincent and the Grenadines at some regional competitions. He has just graduated and continues to train in preparation for competition.
Impact of new track
On learning of the government’s commitment to the construction of a new track at Diamond in St Vincent and the Grenadines, Yemi and Jabari communicated with TASVG about developments taking place in the sport in the country and requested information about how they could assist the organisation in any way so that development of the sport could be all the more effective.
The duo were very interested in the new track and anxious for Jabari to one day soon, is able to compete against his peers on the surface in front of a Vincentian crowd all enthusiastic about the sport.
Shoes
The executive of TASVG had received a similar expression of interest before but that did not lead anywhere.
Upon receipt of the offer from the Khensu’s, TASVG’s executive adopted the same stance it had done in respect of the earlier offer that did not materialise. The decision was that the new synthetic surface is very unkind to the feet of children and others training and competing on it without shoes. Individuals can experience serious injury to their feet.
TASVG’s executive recommended that the best way to assist St Vincent and the Grenadines in track and field athletes is to provide interested persons whose parents cannot afford, running spikes.
It was thought best to start with the little children at the primary school level who wish to compete in athletics. If they are introduced to the proper training and competition equipment at an early age, they are more likely to stay with the sport and also enjoy participating through to the highest possible level.
The idea was not to dismiss older athletes but to give the children a proper beginning and help them to stay with the sport. Older athletes who cannot afford will, eventually, also be provided with the requisite training and competition spikes.
Yemi and Jabari then decided to provide shoes, using their own resources. The initial option is to provide approximately 50 pairs of shoes for Vincentian primary school children. These have since been procured and will soon be shipped to TASVG for distribution to primary school children in need.
Jabari and his friends have also been discussing the matter of providing shoes for children and other athletes in St Vincent and the Grenadines. Eventually they agreed on the conceot, ‘Project Lace Them Up’.
Project Lace Them Up is now officially operating on the ‘GoFundMe’ fundraising platform, where the details of the project are explained. The intention is to ensure full transparency and accountability for every dollar contributed, every pair of shoes purchased and every child that receives a pair.
The official document online reads:
With the new synthetic track constructed in St. Vincent and the Grenadines (SVG), there is a need for proper running shoes for the children of the island where obtaining them can be difficult and often financially prohibitive.
Because of the nature of the surface, it is not advisable that athletes be allowed to run barefoot, as was possible on the old grass track. The risk of injury is significant. There is a great need for spikes (running shoes) to help and encourage children to use the right competition gear on the new surface.
Initially, we made the effort and purchased spikes for the primary (elementary) school children. However, we discovered that there is a greater need than we anticipated. The country needs more spikes and other track and field equipment, including starting blocks, sleds, hurdles, timing systems, etc. to aid the athletes in receiving the proper training to compete on a level playing field at national, regional, and international Meets.
The competitive season is here. The Vincentian children are in urgent need of the aforementioned supplies. We are seeking donations to assist in this campaign, and you can rest assured that your contributions will be greatly appreciated.
For more information about athletics in St. Vincent and the Grenadines, doners can view Team Athletics SVG website (the governing body for athletics in St. Vincent & the Grenadines) at https://teamathleticssvg.com/new-initiatives-loom-large/
There is a major, global appeal for contributions to the project and the hope is that the response would lead to a major transformation in the quality of performances from young athletes in St Vincent and the Grenadines.
Running is one of the first physical activities of every child. This is one of the reasons that the sport of athletics so readily stimulates interest amongst children. Everywhere children go in growing up there is a tendency for them to run. The activity comes almost like second nature.
We have seen the interest of our nation’s children in the annual sports day of the several education institutions, from pre-school through to tertiary level.
There is an abundance of athletics talent in St Vincent and the Grenadines. Project Lace Them Up can make an immense difference in interest, participation and performance.
Challenges
The initiative is a major challenge, especially in these times of the COVID-19 pandemic and its impact on the economies of countries around the world.
The decision of Yemi and Jabari to make a significant contribution to the growth and development of track and field athletics in St Vincent and the Grenadines through the provision of spikes for children interested in the sport means that arrangements have to be made to facilitate their transportation to St Vincent and the Grenadines, their clearance and eventual distribution.
It is therefore important that the government is involved in the process since only this institution can approve the waiver of duties such that additional costs are placed on what amounts to gifts to the children and athletes of St Vincent and the Grenadines.
It is therefore imperative that all the appropriate documents revealing the origins and processes being undertaken by the Khensu family and TASVG be fully provided to the governmental authorities to ensure full disclosure at every stage.
The idea is that no child should have to pay for any of the spikes provided.
One major challenge is that there is a tendency for us not to take care of things that are freely given. Some are not always appreciated for their worth and their intent. We are hopeful that this will not be the case with the spikes being provided through Project Lace Them Up.
The idea is to have schools engaged as also the parents of children so that the shoes provided are used for the intended purposes and that they are appropriately cared for.
Like all other sports, the development of track and field athletics requires a rather expansive and all-encompassing approach. In contemporary times, athletics requires an ever-increasing number of skill competencies all of which do not usually reside in a single individual. This is the reason for the team approach to the development of both the sport and the individual athlete.
The initiative of the Khensu family is to be applauded. However, the best way of expressing our immense gratitude would be to ensure that an increasing number of children gain access to the requisite equipment, starting with the most fundamental, shoes.
We congratulate Jabari and Yemi and look forward to their continues leadership and support.
