I am coming to the end of my contract on November 27. I would say that the exposure and the experience of delivering rugby to the communities and schools has been excellent, in the sense that there is a lot of potential for growth. It will be enlightening if I could be here a little further to see the end result. The kids are very athletic and enthusiastic about learning the sport.”
Technical Director for the St Lucia Rugby Football Union (SLRFU), Wayne Pantor
made the opening remarks at Tuesday’s first ever Schools Rugby Festival, which recently took place at the SAB Playing Facility. He has been imparting his immense knowledge of the game throughout Saint Lucia at several schools and has also spent time coaching the men and women’s national teams who, under his leadership, have prospered.
President of the SLRFU, Roger Butcher said: “The Schools Rugby Festival is a culmination of the SLRFU’s seven-month pilot programme of trying to introduce rugby
into schools. Initially we had a cadre of 20 schools. Unfortunately all of them could not attend today because of various commitments. Today we have secondary and primary schools here. Our objective is to introduce the game into the primary and secondary schools, with the intention of establishing a strong rugby base from which we can develop an under-16 national team and a national under-19 team.” Butcher praised Pantor for what he has accomplished during his short time here. He would love nothing better than for Pantor to have his contract with the SLRFU extended.
The St Lucia Olympic Committee Inc made it possible for Pantor to be here and undoubtedly will have the final say when it comes to renewing his contract. Butcher is keeping toes and fingers crossed that Pantor will stay on a bit longer. “Not having him [Pantor] here anymore is a heavy, heavy loss but we are trying to find some way of keeping him here, short of kidnapping,” he joked.
Butcher looked on the bright side: “Our objective does not end when he ends his contract. Our immediate objective is the 2021 Youth Games and, coming out of that, our next objective is the 2024 Olympics.”
In that regard Pantor has definitely played a part in assisting the SLRFU in preparing for what lies ahead. Both the men’s and women’s national teams benefitted from his tutelage and experience, which will serve them well in preparation for the World Rugby Sevens taking place in Barbados December 13-14. Saint Lucia (male and female teams) is competing in the elite division which consists of professional and semi-professional players.
