The first term of school sports in St. Lucia is nearing its conclusion, with competitions wrapping up in team sports by the second week of November, well ahead of end-of-term exams. However, the Ministry of Youth Development and Sports (MYDS) is grappling with challenges in raising participation levels, coaching consistency, and overall standards. Despite these hurdles, school sports coordinator Isabel Alexander-Marquis expressed satisfaction with the term’s activities, particularly highlighting the smooth scheduling of basketball and netball tournaments at the Beausejour Indoor Facility, which remained unaffected by adverse weather conditions. Nevertheless, participation rates have been a persistent issue, with only about half of the island’s 24 secondary schools involved in netball and basketball. Football, on the other hand, has seen stronger engagement, with 19 teams in the Under-16 boys’ competition and 21 in the Under-19 boys’ tournament. Alexander-Marquis attributed the low participation to staffing gaps, including a lack of dedicated coaches and limited teacher availability. She also noted that some educators may lack confidence in coaching sports, while physical education teachers often juggle multiple responsibilities. Netball coordinator Shem Maxwell echoed these concerns, emphasizing the need for more schools to participate and for additional coaching support. Financial constraints and waning volunteerism have further exacerbated the staffing shortage, particularly with rising temperatures discouraging outdoor activities. Despite these challenges, both Maxwell and Alexander-Marquis observed improvements in the quality of play this year, with more competitive games and consistent progression from younger age groups to varsity levels. Alexander-Marquis urged schools to establish alumni organizations and seek support from graduates to enhance coaching, transportation, and nutrition, which could significantly boost the success of school-level and national sports programmes.