The opportunity to work in the field of sport has always been an aspiration for the passionate Sheldon Wright, director of the four-year-old Jamaican company Front Runner Sports Management (FRSM).

Pursuing a bachelor’s degree in Literatures in English at the University of the West Indies, Mona, was done in honour of his parents, who funded his education. He felt as though he was obligated to make good use of their money so, according to him, he had to do away with the thought of becoming a professional athlete.

Wright admitted how much he loves sports, and in alignment with his studies, he trained as a badminton player since his high school days. “I used to play badminton at Calabar High and the University of the West Indies, but I also play football, did track and field and a little bit of cricket…I always wished I was a professional footballer, but I have a love for all sports,” Wright shared with the Jamaica Observer.

Working in the field of sport for approximately 10 years, Wright has carried out his research, garnered the requisite experience, and also established bonds with sports professionals through networking. Through all of that he saw the gap in the Jamaican society; where there wasn’t many people getting the support that they needed. This is why he started this business idea. “Jamaica has so much talent but we don’t have systems in place where we can foster and develop sports talent,” Wright suggested.

He found that some athletes lacked the support they need, even from their family, or they simply cannot afford certain services. But Wright spoke of the importance in being the type of manager who sometimes has to function as a friend, big brother, and even a father at times. whether you sign the athlete at 16 years old or 35 years old, keeping the athlete grounded, protecting his image in both the private and public domain of sport is extremely important, he maintains.

Wright describes his displeasure when Jamaican athletes “fall by the wayside” because of mismanagement. He believes that high schools are not really there to train sportspeople, they are there to educate. “You can’t expect a high school to develop stars and help them progress to the next level in their career. If we had more sports academies in Jamaica, like in Europe, our athletes could better make the transition to professional sports careers. But what happens is that they have the talent, but they just don’t see the avenue, so they take alternate routes, like a 9-5 job or migrate to other countries,” he expressed.

The mandate of FRSM is to promote and manage sporting events, manage professional athletes and their careers, and Wright mentioned their holistic approach which sets them apart from other sports management operations.

Working with business partners and professionals — such as his lawyer Kimmon Henry and Duvaughn Dick, who is the vice-president of operations for FRSM, and also a registered physical therapist for the Advantage Physical Therapy and Rehabilitation, Wright is hopeful that, with all their efforts combined, it will be good enough for the advancement of their business. Next year marks five years since the inception of FRSM, and building and strengthening their partnership is what Wright holds dear to him.

Choosing this group of individuals, Wright says, was the “right move” because he needed someone to take care of the clients whom he has worked with, owing to the fact that medical attention for any athlete is very costly. He wanted people to know that for personal support, financial aid, getting sponsorship, physical therapy treatment, medical attention, and legal aid, FRSM is the company to talk to.

Wright’s idea is that of a “one stop shop. “We have connections, local and international, and what we were doing over the years was learning the business and the culture in Jamaica, building relationships and attending sporting events such as track meets, cricket events etcetera,” he said.

Dick explained to the Sunday Observer at his Constant Spring Road offices how he got to partner with the Front Runner team. “Well, I knew Sheldon from he was about ye high…” Dick indicated (Wright’s height) by outstretching his hand just below his hip, and continued, “and we reunited in college, and he told me about his sports management company and said I’d be a great addition… you know ’cause in Jamaica, no team have their special medical facility, unlike international teams. so when he approached me I agreed because I’ve been a sportsman for a majority of my life,” Dick shared.

Wright reiterated the importance of partnerships,. He shared some of whom he worked with and the bulk of work, which goes on behind the scenes. “Right now, I work with marketers, doctors, publicists… so many people, and I still have farther to go. If it wasn’t for Duvaughn Dick and Advantage Physical Therapy I don’t know what I would do right now.”

Wright stressed how much he valued mentorship and took no experience for granted. He shared that he and his “world -class team” try their best to facilitate their clients, even for free.

“I’m looking to more build a friendship or a relationship with my clients…we’re less interested in making money, but more interested in the satisfaction of our clients, which is why I spent many years offering myself for free in order to learn about how I can offer the service in a more affordable way, as well as still gaining the confidence from whomsoever I work with that I will be the best person for the job,” Wright said.

Wright believes that the passion comes before the money, which is why he’ll go the extra mile for the client. He’s more inclined to doing things that other managers won’t do to ensure the clients’ happiness, he said. He thinks that this is what accounts for such a favourable response from them. “My approach is that I have to teach a client something,” Wright added.

“If it is that the student athlete has the desire to become a professional athlete they can still come and talk to us and I’d be more than happy to guide him. but he has to hold some kind of national ranking or be in line to become a professional. The most we can do is offer more advice.”

Being a sustainable business, Wright said that he and his team are looking to build their brand and stabilise athletics careers.

“I try to seek out other professionals based on my clients’ needs; for example, sports psychologists et cetera.” Following the signing of their contract, FRSM’s clients’ needs are catered to based on their personal development. He shared some of the services offered, which include: public relations services, image and brand consultation, physiotherapy treatment, financial services, contract negotiation, housing for athletes, financial management, athletes’ development, sport event planning, and management services.

Wright mentioned some challenges that he has faced over the four years since FRSM’s inception but, according to him, the conceptualisation was a God-given one which has proved rewarding over the years. “God is everything to me; he has showed me that if I want something as badly as I need to breathe air, I will make no excuses, and I’ll get it done,” he said.

He has had the experience of being sought by sports and media professionals who regard him as a well-learned individual in the field. He has given commentary, coached various teams and sat on sports panels both locally and abroad and with this he intends to pass on these skillsets through mentorships.

Wright has the desire to give back to his alma mater, Calabar High School, by going in to seek potential professional athletes and speak to the school population about careers in sport and so on.

“I believe next year should be a better year according to my five-year plan. I believe in building a foundation, the philosophy of the Chinese bamboo tree is what guides me at times. It takes five years for the tree to grow. In the fifth year I believe it shoots 60 to 80 feet tall within six weeks. But in the four to five years there is no sign of growth but you have to keep watering it, nurturing it, and there’s is no sign of growth, but beneath the earth there is a foundation being developed. So I believe in having a solid foundation,” he advised.

According to Wright, the aim for the business’s future is to acquire more partnerships, while looking towards building a brighter, stronger team.

“An organisation is nothing without a strong team, and I believe in teamwork and also personal support. If it wasn’t for my faith in God I wouldn’t even bother, but what I realise is that Jamaica needs more organisations, especially like this one here that has catered to the public, ’cause we need persons to help and help take care of people; not so much to rip them off and take advantage of them, even though our aim is to build and make money, but we want to also show people that we want to take care of them [and] we give them our support and show them that we want to take care of them.”