Barbados Athletics Officiating Shows Promise Despite Challenges: CARIFTA Track Referee André Procope

Seasoned CARIFTA track referee Andre Procope believes officiating in Barbados is on the right

path despite the logistical difficulties that exist in Barbadian athletics.

Having just completed his seventh Caribbean Free Trade Association (CARIFTA) Games as a

track referee at the Kirani James Stadium in Grenada, Procope said the quality of officials in

Barbados was good enough to be a more regular feature at events like these.

“We have a number of very good officials in Barbados,” he began. “I try to share my

experiences with them back home and let them know that we are on the right track. The truth

is many of our officials are as good as the ones you see at CARIFTA or even further

internationally.”

Procope also admitted that the lack of athletics infrastructure currently in Barbados has

impacted the development of more than just the athletes.

He said “It has been difficult recently as an official in Barbados. Some people are discouraged

given the lack of a track (national stadium) and prior to that COVID-19. We are hoping to get

them more enthused and rewarded so that they feel that they can play a role. One area in

which we are trying to get people more enthused about officiating is to rotate them around so

that they are not stuck overseeing the same events every day. Some prefer that to get familiar

but for those that wish, we can give them a wider experience of more events so that they know

they can progress whilst still making a contribution.”

In his position as First Vice President of the Athletics Association of Barbados (AAB), Procope

has reaffirmed that the association will be striving to push the sport locally so that it maintains

its popularity for more than just the peak periods in the first quarter of the year.

Procope explained “We have a public relations team who have been given that mandate (of

increasing the sport’s popularity) so I know they will help push it so that the wider public in

Barbados hears more about track and field. I know that when the Barbados Secondary School

Athletics Championship (BSSAC) is on, everyone is interested and the same for National