Minister of Youth, Sports and Community Empowerment, Charles Griffith, is pleased about the recently developed Courtside Software that will be used in the Barbados Road Tennis Open 2024.  

Mr. Griffith, who was speaking at the launch of the Road Tennis event, along with the software, in the Training Room at his Ministry, said the introduction of the software marks another significant milestone in the development of the island’s indigenous sport.

The software tool offers real-time scoring, performance analytics, and a user-friendly interface, making it an essential asset for players, coaches, and enthusiasts alike.

Noting that the Courtside Software was developed in Barbados, he said: “I’ve always been preaching that technology should be embedded in our sports, in terms of not only video analysis, but using technology to better the game and to have our athletes rise to a different level.”

Nathan Agard, of Riveting Media Inc., who developed the software noted that traditionally road tennis scoring had been a manual process, which was often prone to errors and lacked detailed performance insights.

“This outdated method can be slow and unreliable, hampering the competitive nature and enjoyment of the game. Courtside software aims to revolutionise the sport by providing accurate and instant scoring, thereby reducing disputes, and enhancing the overall experience,” he said.

Mr. Agard stated that one of the key advantages of the Courtside Software is its ability to gather and analyse performance metrics. He added that this data-driven approach offers valuable insights into strengths and areas for improvement, helping players and coaches refine their strategies.

The 2024 Barbados Road Tennis Open is set to commence on July 28 and run until September 22, with matches taking place at Belfield, Black Rock, St. Michael; Bush Hall, St. Michael; Gall Hill, St. John; and Diamond Corner, St. Peter.

The weekly schedule will be released with locations throughout the community, with the semi-finals and finals to be played at the Wildey Gymnasium. Online registration may be done at www.roadtennisopen.com. (PR/GIS)

Caption: Sports Minister, Charles Griffith is all smiles at the launch of the Barbados Road Tennis Open (BRTO) 2024. He is joined by (from left to right) 2023 BRTO Women’s Champion, Sheldene Walrond; partners Neil Corbin of NPure Water Filtration Inc.; and Paulette Jones of Nation News Barbados; and 2023 BRTO Men’s Champion, Mark ‘Venom’ Griffith. 

Prime Minister Mia Amor Mottley is encouraging sportsmen and women to pay greater attention to maintaining their fitness levels if they are to be at the top of their chosen sporting discipline.

She made this call yesterday during the launch of the Prime Minister’s Cup Football Tournament at the Barbados Football Association’s (BFA) headquarters at the Garfield Sobers Sports Complex, Wildey, St. Michael.

Ms. Mottley stressed that there needs to be a change in the approach by those who play sports in this country so that they can maintain good fitness and wellness.

“And that has to change in Barbados, and we need community by community … to be able to [achieve this] …. Mac [Fingall], I am appealing to you because you have spent your life teaching and he was the first one to tell me, as a young Minister of Education, that we must talk with, and not talk to, or at [people].

“We need to talk with our young people from ages seven, eight, nine, 10 and 11 and even the ones who are teenagers now and to explain to them, why their diet…their fitness… and the things that undermine fitness, like alcohol and smoking, will not help them if they intend to be a serious athlete,” the Prime Minister insisted.

Ms. Mottley continued: “That does not mean that when you are in the off-season that you cannot have a drink ‘here and there’, but the reality is that you and I both know that once that becomes too much, what happens to the body.

“It starts to underperform and therefore, the very thing that you want, which is an opportunity, who is the denying it?  not a stranger…but yourself. That has to be the message that goes out there.”

The Prime Minister stressed that if the tournament achieved nothing else, she is hopeful that it would result in a change in the ecosystem “surrounding” how sporting individuals sustain themselves and make themselves capable of being the best that they can be as they proceed to higher levels in sports.

“This issue of wellness is a habit and it has to stay with you for life. Those who inculcate that habit from an early stage, have a better chance of sustaining [themselves]….  We have to understand that this is an individual choice, but if we don’t expose our children to it…if we don’t value it, if we don’t hold on to it, we are going to find that this thing is going to have diminishing returns….  Lung capacity matters and balance matters and I want that message to go through to our youngsters as we go forward,” Ms. Mottley underlined.

The structured semi-professional tournament will run for 14 weeks, starting on Sunday, August 25,  and ending on Independence Day, Saturday, November 30.  

There will be 89 matches played by 24 teams in communities across Barbados vying for the top prize of $100,000 and other prizes. Under this format, players and management will be paid for each game. 

There were also addresses by Minister of Youth, Sports and Community Empowerment, Charles Griffith, and President of the BFA, Randolph Harris, while the Chairman of the Organising Committee, Omari Eastmond, gave an overview of the competition. (PR/GIS)

CAPTION: Prime Minister Mia Amor Mottley speaking at thel aunch of the Prime Minister’s Cup Football Tournament at the Barbados Football Association’s headquarters at the Garfield Sobers Sports Complex today. Looking on is Chairman of the tournament’s Organising Committee, Omari Eastmond.

India won the ninth edition of the International Cricket Council (ICC) Men’s T20 World Cup after defeating South Africa by seven runs in the final at Kensington Oval this afternoon.
India scored 176 for seven wickets after winning the toss and deciding to bat, they were wobbling at 23 for two after Keshar Maharaj picked up two wickets with the second and sixth balls of his first over.
The left-arm spinner had Rohit Sharma caught Hendricks Klaasen for nine and forced Rishabh Pant to play the ball into the gloves of the wicketkeeper Quinton de Kock for a duck.
Suryakumar Yadav fell in the fifth over for three runs, caught by Heinrich Klassen on the leg-side rope off fast bowler Kagiso Rabada which left the Indians in a fragile position at 34 for three.
Axar Patel joined Virat Kohli at the crease and the pair went about repairing the damage with a busy 72 run partnership, with Patel smashing 47 from just 31 deliveries which included one four and five sixes before his lack of awareness and de Kock’s accuracy resulted in him being run out with the score 106 for four.

Kohli, the Player of the Match, featured in another half century partnership of 58, this time with Shivam Dube. He made the eventual top score of 76 with six fours and two sixes before his gem of innings ended when he was caught by Rabada of left arm seamer Marco Jansen in the 17th over.
After Kohl’s wicket at 163 for five, Shivam Dube holed out to David Miller five balls and11 runs later to pacer Anrich Nortje for 27, Dube counted three fours and one six in his entertaining innings, Nortje also claimed the wicket of Ravindra Jadeja of the of the final ball of the innings. Maharaj was the pick of the Proteas bowlers with two wickets for 23 runs from three overs.
Chasing 177 runs for victory and their first ICC title, South Africa were restricted to 169 for eight, their innings began badly losing two wickets for 12 runs in the third over; opener Reeza Hendricks was bowled by Jasprit Bumrah for four and Aiden Markham made four.
Quinton de Kock (39) and Tristan Stubbs repaired the damage with a third wicket partnership of 58, after the dismissal of de Kock and Stubbs, a quickfire 52 off 27 balls with five sixes and two fours from Heinrick Klaasen give South Africa hope.
India appeared to have miscalculated when South Africa needed 30 runs off the same number of balls, but captain Sharma turned to Bumrah and the ace fast bowler stepped up to the plate, he conceded six runs in two overs.
Hardik Pandya was India’s most successful bowler with three wickets for 20 runs, Arshdeep Singh took two for 20, and Bumrah, the Play of the Tournament captured two for 18.
The match, the 100th T20 game to be played at the Oval was before a capacity crowd which included the Prime Minister of Barbados Mia Mottley, the president of Guyana Irfaan Ali, the Prime Minister of St Lucia Pierre Philips, and former West Indies captain and National Hero of Barbados the Right Excellent Sir Garry Sobers. (article by David Harris)