REALLY! What's up with the Warriors. Training sessions are being called and most times no one or just one person turns up. Mind you, even though it's just one person I can find something for that one person to do, enough that this person would leave truly satisfied working towards their own development. But as a team, this is terrible.
The Warriors apparently, have given up. Just now! Warriors?...give up? Can you rightfully use those in the same sentence? Well, it seems you can with this team. And what of the other disparaging remarks about the Warriors over the season? Are the Warriors truly a waste?
Well I didn't think so. I continuously called training sessions because I believed this team was getting better. Yeah we're 0 and 6 now, as we've succeeded in beating ourselves out of a win in each of our last 6 games. But as 'Bashment' would put it, in the next two games we would be 2 and 0. The season is not over.
There are two more games to be played. April 18th versus #4 Dennery Dolphins and April 23rd versus #8 Canaries Moon River Champ. We are at the bottom of the table, #9, with two more games to go. So what are we doing? Giving up? REALLY! If we did that what COWARDS we would be.
I know this world is changing and the values I hold dear -- integrity, honesty, perseverence, honour, diligence -- are as few and scarce as the crayfish in out rivers, but do we really want to come off as a bunch of cowards to the rest of the island? Guys, there is still enough basketball left to end this season on a good note. Remember, there is next season. Yeah, we will no doubt be religated to the second division, but if we don't complete this season relegation would be the least of our worries.
What would the Federation do about the Warriors dishonorably bowing out at the last minute? Everything they can to discourage that kind of behaviour in the future.
- Every Warriors player and team official from this year's tournament who registers to participate in the league next year would receive a stiff fine. It would not matter which team you decided to play for, you would have to pay the money or not participate. Or, even worse,
- the Warriors would be banned for a few years from participating in the league and still, the players and team officials would be either banned as well or receive a stiff fine to play for another team in the league.
Guys, leaving this way would jeapodize the integrity of the league to the public and the sponsors. We can't expect the Federation to take this lightly. And as the current Chairman of the Vieux Fort Basketball Development Committee, I would need to take steps as well.
Please be advised that any player who refuses to assist the Warriors in completing this seasons' premier league will also be fined or banned from participating in our local league this July. Why?
The VFBDC is an affiliate of the Federation. Any tournament organised by us would need to be sanctioned by the Federation in order for us to receive resources, such as development clinics for coaches, players and officials. Also, the National Basketball Officiating Committee is an affiliate of the Federation, so you can imagine who would be approving the officiating assistance for our tournaments.
Guys, alot is riding on the Warriors completing this season properly. Let's not jeapodize the future of basketball in our community by making a cowardly decision.
