The Plight of Jamaica's Athlete.

Photo credit: Twitter @jasondadzmorgan 
The Current Situation. 
Some people believe that because some of Jamaica's top athletes get local and international endorsement deals that all of them are earning millions of dollars. Kayon Raynor's interview Thursday night during TVJ Sports News with discuss thrower Jason Morgan and shot putter Odayne Richards, 400 meter runner Dane Hyatt and 400 meter hurdler Leford Green brought to the forefront the lack of support the nation's athletes receive from the Government of Jamaica. The feature helped to answer the question of why those who decided to switch allegiance to other countries made that choice.  I felt Morgan's pain as he shed tears while speaking to Raynor about his rough journey as an athlete and how many times he felt like giving up. The interview put into perspective how much more work the Government and the JAAA needs to put in to ensure that Jamaica does not lose anymore athletes to countries that are willing and able to pay and provide them with necessary benefits so they can perform at their best and survive outside of competition season.

What's Really Happening 
We see our athletes at these meets and we don't  imagine them not being able to do their best because they have a nine to five and supervisor calling them days before a competition to find out when they will be coming back to work. We couldn't guess that for all the pride they bring us some are basically coaching them self because they can't afford a full time coach, paying their own way to different competitions, taking care of medical bills for injuries sustained at meets or during training and just like everyone else they are worried about  how their bills are going to be paid and how they are going to take care of their families. We need not imagine because the reality is the life described is being lived by some of our elite track and field stars.

 What We Think.
As Asafa Powell said in the interview with Kayon Raynor many Jamaicans believe that the nations track and field team is made up of just ten people. Let's keep it real; how many athletes of the forty Asafa says is on Jamaica's track and field  team to the 2015 World Championships to Beijing do many of us know? Fact is, if they aren't breaking records or getting medals many of don't care to know their names. We forget that those at the top were once at the bottom. We assume that because some have endorsement deals and drive flashy cars and live in big houses or own businesses all of them are living that dream life. Many of our high school stars are hurrying to become professional athletes hoping to join the likes of Usain and Shelly- Ann at the top. They don't understand that it will take them sometime to begin earning and I hope after watching the Kayon Raynor feature they are re organizing their goals and setting up a plan B.

 What Next?
 Brand Jamaica needs brand ambassadors and we have plenty talented ones; but brand ambassadors need to get paid. Maybe the money being using to fund large contingent of political representatives to attend these world games should be spent on helping to finance some of the nation's athletes throughout the year. Instead of spending millions to host a big celebration when the athletes return from competition why not put that cash in a trust fund aimed at providing financial aid for the athletes who need it not just those who are still working but those who are retired too. JAAA needs to not make anymore small mistakes that will cause an athlete an opportunity to compete and possibly earn. Corporate Jamaica needs to stop being wagonists and not only sign athlete after they begin winning. The Jamaican athletes at the top won't be at the top forever so private and public sector entities need to start showing that they believe in the future of Jamaican athletics by investing in or adopting an upcoming talent now or we will find in the years to come more of our athletes opting to compete for other countries.