Jamaicans have an opportunity to make the sport of baseball big on the island, said Don Anderson, chairman of the Institute of Sports (INSPORTS).

Anderson was speaking during the official launch of a baseball certification course for coaches at GC Foster College recently.

The programme is spearheaded by INSPORTS in association with Baseball Canada and will see 30 physical education teachers at the primary school level taking part during March 2-6 at the island’s sole physical education institution in Spanish Town.

“Baseball is a big sport and we believe that you can make a difference to help make it big right here in Jamaica. So I urge you to use this course as a launching pad to make it big,” the INSPORTS chairman told participants while delivering the main address.

“Conceptually, it is a small sport because not a lot of people are playing the sport and not a lot of people know about the sport. But with this particular course it sets the stage for the development of the game. Obviously communication is going to be the key so people can know that baseball is playing here,” he said.

According to the chairman, the direction being taken by INSPORTS is pivotal to the overall growth and development of baseball in Jamaica.

Anderson said: “Without coaches you can’t really grow the sport … and this is the foundation that you have to work from and grow the sport and I am very heartened by the turnout this morning and the fact that we’ve established a relationship with Baseball Canada.

“INSPORTS is poised to really make a big difference in sport generally in the near future. We are presently looking at our own corporate structure and one of the things we are looking at is to be far more involved in a number of sports.”

The full slate of 30 physical education teachers were present on the opening day of the programme, being conducted by Kelsey McIntosh of Baseball Canada.

McIntosh, who is an international certified instructor, said Jamaica is a great place for baseball to do well.

“Jamaican athleticism is very great for baseball,” he said. “Maybe in another 10 years you can produce another Devon White from a programme such as this.”

Devon White is a Jamaican-born baseball player formerly of the Toronto Blue Jays in Major League Baseball.

This is the second time INSPORTS is organising a baseball certification coaching course. The first was done in 2010 in collaboration with Major League Baseball at the National Stadium where 35 coaches participated. However, according to Donovan Corcho, baseball director at INSPORTS, this programme will be a certification of accomplishment.

“Our first course which was done in 2010 by Mr Mike Toomey from the United States was a course for participation only, but this one will see the coaches being graded with those making the grade receiving a certificate of achievement at the end of the course,” Corcho explained. “They can take this certificate and coach at the primary level anywhere in the world.”

Gary Sewell of Emmanuel Christian Academy is one of the participants and he is delighted with the opportunity.

“This course is absolutely important because we are working with youngsters and you want to make sure that you have the basics and all the rudiments are there, so you want to build a foundation. I am absolutely happy that we have reached this stage in Jamaica. It has being a long time we’ve been going at it and to reach this stage is an absolute good thing. We don’t want it to stop here, we want it to reach the optimum level so we can impart as much as possible to the youth,” he said.

International baseball instructor Kelsey McIntosh (left) of Baseball Canada has the attention of (from second left) Dr Joyce Graham-Royal, principal of GC Foster College; Don Anderson, chairman, INSPORTS; and Ian Andrews administrative director, INSPORTS, following the media launch of the INSPORTS/Baseball Canada Certification Coaching Course at GC Foster College on Monday.