Retiring veteran likes NSC direction

Veteran coach Frank Holder has praised the development of the National Sports Council, saying he likes the direction the institution has taken, despite the current challenges being faced.

The former national footballer was one of three coaches who recently retired from the NSC, former national netball player Sonia Banfield and cricket coach Raphael Atherley.

“I am relatively happy but there are a lot of things in the way of hampering the development of the council, mainly finance,” Holder told Barbados TODAY.

“But I like the direction that it is going in right now and we have a Minister (Dwight Sutherland) that is actually kind of hands-on where the actual administration of sport is concerned.

“He is trying his best to make sure that sports become a more vibrant need in society, and emphasising to people that they should take sports more seriously because you can make a living out of it. Some people can go on to achieve great things.

“We have a lot of senior staff and there will come a time when they too will have to retire.  I think the council is leaning in the right direction in terms of looking for young people who would come in with some fresh ideas.

“They can change up things a bit which could be good for the council and sports in general.”

Holder spent 32 years at the NSC after entering as a young coach and said he had no regrets during his time of service to the institution.

“I am satisfied with my work over the years. I did all that I had to do, did everything to the best of my ability and now it is time to move on. I feel it is time for younger people to pick up the mantle and run with it,” he noted.

“I always figured myself fortunate because I was getting paid for doing something that I liked doing and since I was into football from a very early age, I figured that the best thing that happened to me is that football became a career for me. Not just a sport. I was in a position where I was happy all along.”

What stood out most for Holder during his career was working with the BICO football tournament, the grassroots competition for primary schools across the island.

But Holder said he also waded into several other areas with success.

“That was something I went into from a very early age at the council and that was more or less my joy. In my later years, I was the person who was really coordinating it and doing the fixtures,” he pointed out.

“I also had some good times working with the other coaches during the Herman Griffith Primary Schools tournament, helping to umpire some games.

“I also, assisted Mr. Watson (Ralph) with some indoor and outdoor hockey. All of us did not have a choice because we also had to work with NAPSAC (athletics) as well.”

He added: “Off and on I helped out where needed in bodybuilding, badminton, basketball and all those other sports. Depending on where they wanted the assistance, I was always willing to chip in and help.” (BT)