A few years ago, the Caribbean Maritime University (CMU) had little representation in intercollegiate sports competitions in the island. Fast forward to 2018, with a thriving sporting department, dedicated students, and hard-working coaches, the University is making waves in collegiate sports.
“It’s a major achievement,” says Stacy Ann Jack, who jointly manages the sports programme at CMU with Stephan Williams. “We [CMU] are now challenging a lot of the other universities in sporting areas in which they’ve had a much longer history. I believe after this season, more CMU and even secondary students will see the progress being made, and join the programme.”
Although known for seafaring, logistics, engineering and related fields, excelling in sports sits easily alongside the university’s vision of being the university of choice for global leaders. Like its strategic approach to its educational offerings, the institution’s progress in sports is no accident.
“Our sporting strategy was to first establish ourselves in non-traditional sports like rowing and fencing,” Ms. Jack said. This—according to her was a major success, the University now holds the top-ranked+
male and female fencers in the island, who have also represented CMU as well as Jamaica in international competitions.
From traditional sports like football and track and field, to non-traditional sports like rowing, fencing and cheerleading, the diversity in sporting disciplines at CMU means that no student is ever stuck for choice.
With titles in football, cheerleading, fencing, swimming and hockey, and promising performances in basketball, netball, track and field and rugby, one by one, CMU is expanding its reach in collegiate sports in Jamaica.
Captain of the CMU Hockey team, Gregory Gayle, is still celebrating his team’s victory over perennial sporting heavyweights – the University of the West Indies Mona and GC Foster College at the recently held inter-collegiate hockey finals.
Gayle, a standout hockey player at his alma mater Munro College, expressed confidence that the future for CMU hockey is promising. “The team has great chemistry, and we are students of the game itself,” he said. “We are confident that come next season, we’ll be able to defend our title.”
In an effort to ensure that the CMU continues to improve in sports, the sporting department has implemented several strategies to revolutionize sports at the institution. With greater emphasis being placed on attracting student athletes from secondary schools.
Stacy Ann Jack believes the sky is the limit for sports at CMU, and with more lucrative sports packages, the CMU can attract talented athletes.
“We [Sports Coordinators] are in dialogue with University’s management to look into offering more financial support to student athletes, especially in areas like track and field,” she said.
Many believe with adequate support from major athletic brands, the CMU is poised for great things in this area.
Leading that charge is student-athlete and Intercollegiate 100 metres silver medallist, Dushawn Mighty. He hopes his recent performance in track and field will serve as inspiration for the growing track and field programme at the institution.
“This silver medal means so much to me,” Mighty expressed. “I think more students will start to believe they can compete and actually win medals. Before, the belief was that only UWI/Utech athletes can win at these championships.”
Mighty’s performance was not only inspirational, but historic. He became the first student from the institution to win a medal in track and field at the collegiate level.
While the facilities in some areas are overshadowed by the older universities, the variety, vibrancy and value still exists.
“There’s tremendous value to what we’re doing,” she said. “No one can disregard the importance of a good sports system within a university, from attracting more students, building awareness, and improving mental and physical health.”
The CMU received official university status in September 2017.
