Dear Editor,
Please permit me the opportunity to publicly extend congratulations to the Guyana National 7’s Rugby Team dubbed the ‘Green Machine,’ for winning their seventh NACRA title, defeating Mexico in Mexico; what an achievement for all of Guyana.
To all the sponsors who came on board and the entire executive committee for their hard work in convincing all and sundry to support the team, congrats on a job well done.
What needs to be stressed here is that this team has formed a great unit over the years, with most of them playing together for a number of years, so there is great team chemistry amongst them.
However, even with all the sacrifices that these lads have made to keep our Golden Arrowhead flying they have never received much tangible support for the amount of blood and sweat that they have often left on the field.
The Rugby Federation is still without a base to call their own; they still have to share the National Park field, they still do not have their own modern indoor facility that would permit proper training; champions deserve such.
I am quite sure that every time we bust up a team, they keep asking questions about our team and what our recipe for success is. What would surprise them is our limited facilities and resources.
What Guyana has to realise is that there is much to be gained from the outstanding international achievements of our athletes and teams. It is only a matter of time before the international press starts to visit our home training venues, before major sponsors get on board seeking the endorsement of our teams, and we have to be ready.
But the support has to start from home; we must not be afraid to invest in our athletes. I trust that maybe our government can reward the federation with a plot of land somewhere within the confines of Georgetown and make a substantial donation towards the building of a modern training and dual purpose facility. That would be great boost to the sport and the returning team. Once again, congrats lads.
Yours faithfully,
Daniel Thomas
