STETHS sports programme suffers massive hit

Kerry-Lee Ricketts, senior coach at St Elizabeth Technical High School (STETHS), says the institution's sports programme has suffered a massive setback in the wake of Category 5 Hurricane Melissa, which devastated the western end of the island last Tuesday.

The hurricane has left widespread destruction in several western parishes while claiming the lives of more than 30 Jamaicans.

Ricketts, who serves as the school's jumps coach, told STAR Sports that a number of STETHS athletes remain in shelters after losing their homes to the hurricane.

"I have spoken to some of my athletes and where we are located in St Elizabeth, we attract a lot of athletes from Westmoreland, also from Trelawny and from St James, and so 60 per cent of our athletes are from within that region," said Ricketts. "Several of my athletes haven't got a home right now and they are basically still staying in shelters."

He noted that while the school's field remains in good condition, several of the institution's facilities were badly damaged, particularly the gym and dormitories.

"The field is good, but we have damage on the general facility, in terms of the stands, the seating area, the gym, and we are going to need a lot of equipment and repairs to the roof and general structure," Ricketts said. "I think the gym is what took the biggest hit, where some of the equipment are damaged."

He pointed out that the boarding facilities were among the hardest hit, causing significant damage to the school's sports and academic programmes.

"The school itself suffered a lot of damage, so the STETHS programmes will have a big setback," Ricketts said. "The boarding facility needs a lot of repairs. On the female dorm, we lost the roof and a lot of equipment that were there, and the male dorm is the same as well.

At the moment, we haven't had athletes back on dorm as yet and I don't think we will be reopening any time soon due to the damage to the classrooms as well," he said.

Despite the widespread destruction, Ricketts highlighted that there has been an outpouring of support from members of the Jamaican track and field community, including several of the nation's top athletes who have been lending a hand to recovery efforts.

"Several Jamaicans who are from this side, and some who are not from down here have come down and are giving back," he said. "Shelly-Ann Fraser-Pryce, Asafa Powell, Nesta Carter, Shanieka Ricketts, Tajay Gayle, Hansle Parchment, Junelle Bromfield, along with myself, have been assisting in the best way we can."

Ricketts, who also suffered personal losses, indicated that while the recovery process will be long and difficult, he remains grateful to be alive.

"It rough down here because my roof is damaged, and we will have to tile back my entire house," he said. "But it is nothing compared to others who I know who don't have a house. We have to be grateful at the moment as we still have life because I have never experienced anything like that in my entire life."

- Robert Bailey