Barbados is advancing its years-long effort to earn formal international acknowledgement for its homegrown sport of road tennis, with a seven-person official delegation set to depart the Caribbean island nation Wednesday for the 2014 Commonwealth Games in Glasgow, Scotland. This trip marks a critical milestone in the country’s campaign to introduce road tennis to a global audience and secure its place as an internationally recognized competitive sport.
Leading the delegation is Dale Clarke, widely known as the Road Tennis Czar who has spearheaded the global expansion push for the sport. The core mission of the visit is to put on a live demonstration of professional road tennis for top leaders of the Commonwealth Sport Secretariat, alongside influential sports stakeholders from across the Commonwealth bloc who have gathered in Glasgow for the Games.
In comments ahead of the departure, Clarke emphasized the unique value of this high-profile opportunity. “This lets Commonwealth sports leaders see top-tier professional road tennis in person, played by our very best local athletes,” he explained. “It opens the door for productive dialogue and lets us introduce this one-of-a-kind Barbadian sport to every member nation of the Commonwealth.”
Clarke also shared that the global expansion effort has already garnered significant traction, with growing interest coming from every corner of the globe. Interest has been registered from multiple countries across Africa, Europe and South America, while a formal development program is already underway across North America. Looking ahead, the next major phase of growth will focus on regional expansion across the Caribbean, a priority Clarke says is long overdue. “It makes no sense for a Caribbean-born sport to stay confined to our borders when we have so many neighboring nations right here in the region that could help it grow,” he noted.
The delegation includes a mix of top athletes and sports administrators to cover both demonstration and outreach work. Joining Clarke is Mark “Venom” Griffith, a three-time reigning men’s champion of the Barbados Road Tennis Open, rising teenage star Jael Greaves, sibling players Jessica and Jalesa Holder-Vaughan, Shawn Burke, chair of the Barbados Road Tennis Open Committee, and Taahir Bulbulia, a senior adviser to Barbados’ Minister of Sports Charles Griffith. After completing their showcase and meetings at the Commonwealth Games, the full delegation is scheduled to return to Barbados on Monday, August 3.