JAAA open to Drake, Texas Relays participation
Jamaica Athletics Administrative Association ( JAAA) President Garth Gayle says that they continue to see the value in local high schools competing in the Penn Relays but would be open to assisting high schools who are interested in exploring other options.
Jamaican high schools returned to Penns last month, after a two- year absence caused by the COVID- 19 pandemic. Some coaches are of the view that additional incentives would help to continue Jamaica’s participation in the meet. With other options such as the Drake Relays and Texas Relays in the United States, Gayle said that any opportunity to improve the relationship with Penn Relay organisers would be explored in collaboration with ISSA.
“The JAAA is always happy for any and every competition that our junior athletes can enter,” Gayle told STAR Sports. “This initiative has been born out of the past students, ISSA, and other entities that work to make the Penn Relays the success that it is. We wouldn’t want to go into interfering with that, but where we can strengthen, we strengthen.”
St Jago High School Girls head coach Keilando Goburn and Camperdown High head coach Okeile Stewart both said that travel incentives would help to alleviate what they said is a high cost to participate. They said that other events such as the Drake Relays or Texas Relays, also held in April, would be options to consider with a good proposal in place.
Gayle said that they would also collaborate with ISSA if there is a desire to explore other options.
“Where we can also seek other overseas opportunities for our athletes and schools, we will work with ISSA in this respect and also provide some level of support or guidance for our athletes,” Gayle said.
While Goburn is supportive of high schools exploring other meets given the cost of participating in the Penn Relays, he says that a shift cannot be done with just a single institution.
“I don’t think one school can send that message,” he said. “The heavyweights, the schools that traditionally go to Penn Relays and do well [would have to do that]. If an individual school decided to take up that on their own, I don’t think it will have the same effect.”