BY FABIAN BELGRAVE | MAR 1, 2023
Minister of Youth, Sports and Community Empowerment, Charles Griffith, presents the Champion of Champions trophy to French Village Piranhas. (Ministry of Youth, Sports and Community Empowerment)
The National Domino, Whist and Hearts Clubs’ Association has been encouraged to do more within their respective communities to appeal to a younger demographic for succession in the sport.
Minister of Youth, Sports and Community Empowerment, Charles Griffith, stated this at the recently held Annual Awards and Prize-Giving Ceremony of the Association.
He praised the Domino league for its 47 years of existence and commitment to inclusion, as demonstrated by its incorporation of the blind society.
“We need to grow dominoes at the grassroots level, and the fact that you would have taken the initiative to include the blind society means that you’re heading in the right direction,” Minister Griffith said.
He also announced plans to expand the sport’s reach by developing a youth programme. He called on the association to identify 30 coaches, to lead teams from every constituency in the country, with the goal of hosting a National Youth Tournament.
“These teams will play in a Junior Championship competition in November, and the teams will carry community names, like Edgecliff and Pie Corner, St. Lucy, because this is a way for me to empower communities by having persons from within the communities come out and support these youngsters,” the Sports Minister said.
Mr. Griffith encouraged the association to participate in sports tourism by hosting an invitational tournament, and identifying at least six countries to come to the island and play.
“Sports tourism is something that is trending; it is something that I need to have happening out of dominoes. You’ll have all the support that you will require coming from the National Sports Council; we will work with you to ensure that this comes to fruition,” Minister Griffith stated.
The Association is set to attend a tournament in Guyana later this year and hopes to bring home the trophy.
