She may be quiet in the classroom, but put a table tennis racket in her hand and seven-year-old Jakaila Hoyte transforms into a force to be reckoned with – out-talking her brother and outplaying competitors twice her age to become the Caribbean’s newest Under-19 table tennis champion.
In the back of the Class 3 room at Belmont Primary School, nestled among wooden desks and scuffed walls, a single battered table tennis table tells a story of resilience, ambition, and emerging talent. It is here that Jakaila honed the skills that would soon astonish the region.
Against all odds, the diminutive athlete recently claimed the Under-19 table tennis title at the Caribbean Regional Table Tennis Federation (CRTTF) Youth Championships, held at the Garfield Sobers Gymnasium from April 20 to 26. Facing players twice her age and older, Jakaila did not merely hold her own — she dominated.
“She’s only seven years old, so it was a phenomenal job for her to make the team and represent the country,” her physical education teacher, Justin Nicholls, tells Barbados TODAY. “This means a lot for the school and the community because she’s a bright spark for the area. She has lifted the whole energy of the school and brought a lot of awareness to it. We want to continue to propel her forward in her journey.”
For Nicholls, Jakaila’s success is a powerful symbol of what is possible, even without adequate resources. At Belmont Primary, pupils train with limited equipment and no dedicated sports facility. Their only table tennis table was donated and is in poor condition. Practices are squeezed into break times or cramped spaces after lessons. Yet, these challenges have not deterred the children from pursuing their dreams.
“Here at the school, we have been donated a table tennis table that we practise on… the table isn’t in the best of condition, but we are working with what we have,” Nicholls admits. “We would like to use this opportunity to ask corporate Barbados for some assistance in helping take our programme to the next level.”
With the spotlight now shining on Belmont Primary thanks to Jakaila’s achievement, Nicholls is hopeful that sponsors and supporters will come forward.
“We are currently seeking a sponsorship for the school – not just for table tennis, but for our whole sports programme. And anyone out there who wants to help, you can contact us here at Belmont.”
Jakaila’s success is not hers alone – it runs in the family. Her older siblings, Jaheim Farley, 17, and Shania Hoyte, 15, also play table tennis. Her mother, Shakira Hoyte, is a coach and a firm believer in the power of sport.
“Well, sports is very important,” says Shakira. “It keeps you fit and fulfilled, and it helps the children to see the world and get better things for themselves. It gives students opportunities to go places and discover themselves.”
Shakira, who proudly describes herself as the “studio coach” of the family, beams as she recalls the moment her daughter triumphed.
“She made me happy, proud. Even her family, friends, everybody was telling me about her games. Everyone was proud of her.”
At Belmont Primary, however, sport is more than just physical activity – it is a pathway to discipline, social development, and opportunity.
Principal Carolyn Jackman-Walters has championed this cause from the day she walked through the school’s doors.
“Let me begin by saying how proud I am of Jakaila’s accomplishments,” she says. “These children play table tennis every opportunity they can – every lunch hour – and I encourage sport in the school. From the time I arrived, I said any activity that benefits them socially and emotionally, I’m open for.”
Beyond table tennis, Belmont offers football, netball, basketball, and even self-defence classes. But resources remain tight, and expanding these programmes depends heavily on external support.
Jackman-Walters says: “We want to get them off the devices and more into socialising and activity in the school. Any sort of sport brings discipline, which is one of the things we’re finding we’re having a lot of problems with in our community. So any opportunity these children can have to go out and excel, I am behind them 110 per cent.”
“Sports is very important for the students here at Belmont Primary,” Nicholls adds. “We always highlight the academics, but we often put the physical aspect on the back burner. There are many avenues through sport for students to get out of the country and get a better life for themselves.”
Jakaila’s teachers all agree that her triumph is not just a medal for Barbados. It’s a rallying cry for investment in grassroots sport, for belief in the potential of every child, and for the transformation of a tiny classroom corner into a cradle of champions.
sheriabrathwaite@barbadostoday.bb
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