Scholarship Squeeze – By Kisean Joseph
Scholarship Squeeze
[email protected]
Sports Commissioner Dr Colin Greene says it is becoming harder for Caribbean athletes to secure scholarships abroad, as more countries turn inward to prioritise support for their own talent.
“Whereas in the past, it was easier for our student-athletes to access full scholarships, now it is more difficult because people are becoming more nationalistic and are focusing on their own,” Dr Greene said.
Dr Greene pointed to the United States as one example of how sporting scholarships can create pathways well beyond athletics.
He recalled a visit to Florida State University, where he said a significant share of administrative staff had originally entered the institution as athletes.
“About 50 per cent of the administrative staff were Jamaicans,” Dr Greene said. “There were people who started as athletes, but never ended at athletes. Fields such as education, business, medicine and engineering benefit from individuals who have accessed sporting scholarships.”
Dr Greene said that with international opportunities narrowing, local institutions and corporate entities will need to build stronger scholarship foundations at home to support young athletes.
