— Former BSA Media Chair Tells Youth & Sports
By Perry B. Zordyu
As Liberians gear up to return to the Samuel Kanyan Doe Sports Complex in Paynesville following the preliminary rounds of the National County Sports Meet in December this year, former Bassa Sports Association Media Chairman is urging Youth and Sports Ministry to ensure training of Sports Reporters across the Country be prioritized through a collaborative approach.
Onesimus Garway said the training will enable reporters and commentators to fully understand the rules of the tournament, enhance their knowledge for quality presentation and commentary as well as helping to reduce speculations and assumptions during and after the tournament.
Garway noted that doing so will also strengthen the partnership between the government through the Ministry of Youth and Sports and the Liberian Media.
According to him, continued training Liberian sports journalists will align with international commentary format with the Liberian-based exercise.
”When the county meet is around, what comes to mind is the readiness of the Government, preparedness of players and the support of each County’s citizens; yet there’s another vital annex of the Sporting moments that is usually kept outside of the plan until the real moment is about to kickoff, the media which can hamber and undermine the entire process.” He said.
Madam Minister, Mr. Presidents of the PUL and the Sports Writer Association of Liberia, he further “this communication seeks to claim your attention to ensure early training of Sports Reporters across the Country through a collaborative approach for the sole purpose of renowned sports reporting and commentary, knowledgeable to the rules, reduces speculations on or before the tournament “.
The former PUL Bassa Coordinator stressed that the training exercises should focus more on experience sharing, evaluation of past reportage or commentaries, rollout of existing rules that govern the sporting activities in Liberia, and drilling the Sports Journalists through an advanced/professional way of analyzing the game and providing historical facts about the players and teams, beyond the Play-by-Play description.
Embarking on this initiative, Garway noted that it will not only standardize the Nation’s momentous sporting gathering, but also spotlight the potential of media practitioners in the Country and create room for advancement every year in all aspects of our Flagship convergence.
Onesimus Garway however cautioned the Ministry of Youth and Sports to place the Media at the topmost of its budgeting process for the County Sports Meet, especially for County-based Sports Reporters; judging from the constraints being experienced over the past years.
Meanwhile, the former BSA Media Chairman lamented that the paradigm shift being spoken of by Minister Kruah would shine in said direction, and the Liberian Media would similarly be impacted positively.
He wants both the Ministry of Youth and Sports, Press Union of Liberia and the Sports Writers Association of Liberia to possess the enthusiasm such an initiative for the betterment of the country’s traditional league.
