Schools want more Penns incentives
St Jago High School Girls head coach Keilando Goburn and Camperdown High head coach Okeile Stewart are both in favour of tangible incentives from Penn Relay organisers for Jamaican high schools to continue competing at the annual meet.
Jamaican high schools made their return to the relay carnival this year after the 2020 and 2021 editions were cancelled because of the COVID-19 pandemic. While the schools returned with strong performances, Goburn said that options for other meets in America should be explored because of the high costs schools endure each year to compete at Penns.
“The Jamaican contingent should seriously look into our options,” Goburn told STAR Sports. “It cost schools millions yearly to attend the Penn Relays and the Jamaicans pull the crowd. We as Jamaicans probably need to be a little bit more united in trying to [negotiate] something.”
Those other options, he says, could include the Drake Relays, and Texas Relays which are held in April, the same month as the Penn Relays.
Goburn said discussions with the Penn
Relays organisers should include guaranteed airfare should they make the Championship of America final. Goburn referenced the $5 million cost for St Jago to participate in this year’s event in calling for a collective effort to bargain for incentives to assist the schools with costs.
“We had to cut some persons at the last minute because the airfares were going through the roof, and all the other expenses that come along with Penn Relays,” Goburn said. “I think ISSA, along with the principals, need to reach out to the organisers of Penn Relays and put a proposal on the table and let them know that if you are not coming on board in assisting us, then we are going to boycott this meet.”
Stewart says that Goburn’s airfare suggestion could help to make it more attractive for schools to continue their participation at Penns. While Stewart still sees value in competing at the meet, other relay meet options could be considered if the financial support is there.
“The aim of Penn Relays was to get the athletes exposed to different atmospheres and to show their abilities to scouts for overseas colleges,” he said. “If in fact the other relays provide this opportunity and we can get the support that a Team Jamaica Bickles would have provided most of these high schools for Penn Relays, then by all means.”