‘College athletes are physically tired’

VETERAN Jamaican athletics mentor, Wayne Jolly, who currently provides mental health advice to some of Jamaica’s elite college athletes, is of the belief that the current collegiate programmes being offered to local athletes in the United States is only geared at the athlete’s performance during the collegiate season and nothing else.

Speaking with The Gleaner, Jolly, who wishes to have the athletes remain nameless due to the sensitivity of his job, says many times when these college athletes arrive in Jamaica for national duties, they are both physically and mentally tired.

“It’s more of a physical issue. For the collegians I speak with, it’s never really a mental issue. A mental issue would affect their schoolwork and a lot of them have graduated. There is a mental part where despite being tired, you still have to go out there and perform,” Jolly said.

Apart from being physically tired, Jolly also explained that following a long collegiate season, he would have athletes approach him stating that they just can’t perform at optimum for a pending national trials.

“The complaint is always ‘Mr Jolly, I can’t bother’. And I always respond by telling them that no one is forcing them. I often remind them that come this time of year, it’s up to them if they want to stop. The choice is yours if you want to represent Jamaica,” Jolly added.

The athletics mentor also stated that they’re major factors behind the lack of productivity from athletes who perform well in the collegiate programme and fall short while performing at the national trials.

“When you come to Jamaica, you basically have to pay for everything. When you’re at college, you go to the training room, which is part of your scholarship, if anything happens, they’ll refer you to a doctor, that is also part of your scholarship, and your insurance covers it. When the collegiate season is finished the struggle is real,” Jolly added.

Overall, Jolly said the job of the collegiate coaches is simple, prepare the athletes for their season and that’s it.

“Yes, because that’s what they are getting paid for. Sometimes the coaches often come with the athlete, and I’m like, ‘you must know that there is nothing left there’,” Jolly concluded.

orane.buchanan@gleanerjm.com