GC Foster’s Inaugural Sports Film Writing Retreat

Jamaica’s rich sporting history is set to take centre stage in a different arena this October as GC Foster College of Physical Education and Sport hosts its inaugural Sports Film and Documentary Writing Retreat, October 19–21, 2026.

The three-day, in-person retreat is designed to bring together students, emerging writers, sports practitioners and creatives with ideas, drafts, scripts or completed projects, while connecting participants with industry professionals from Jamaica, the wider Caribbean and the Jamaican and Caribbean Diaspora in the United States and Canada.

For Adjunct Lecturer and Sports Marketer Carole Beckford, the initiative represents another step in GC Foster College’s evolution as a leading institution for sport education and professional development. “The business of sport film and documentary is worth pursuing. The Caribbean is a potpourri of interesting stories, so the retreat is one way of galvanizing the stories and the people,” Beckford emphasized.

She believes GC Foster’s established role in training practitioners for the sport business provides a natural platform from which to expand into sports storytelling and creative production.

As the College continues to introduce diverse programs and initiatives aimed at strengthening its capacity in sport, Beckford sees the retreat as part of a broader effort to widen the institution’s impact.

Jamaica has produced generations of athletes, teams and sporting moments that have captured local and international attention. Yet Beckford believes many of these stories remain undocumented or have not received the treatment they deserve through film and documentary.

Asked why an initiative of this kind is particularly important for Jamaica’s sports storytelling and creative industries at this time, she pointed to the number of stories still waiting to be told.

With a collaborative approach, she believes, those stories can become viable creative and commercial projects. “It can connect generations and that is key,” Beckford said, highlighting the potential for stronger sports storytelling to preserve Jamaica’s sporting heritage while introducing it to new audiences around the world.

For Beckford, the opportunity is not simply about looking back. It is also about creating pathways for emerging writers and practitioners to develop ideas that can compete in the international sports film and documentary market.

“Sharing ideas is a good place to start,” she said, while stressing the importance of keeping abreast of developments and trends in the global industry.

A think tank for sports stories

The retreat is deliberately focused on sport and is expected to function as a collaborative “think tank” rather than a conventional writing workshop.

When asked about the gaps the retreat hopes to address among aspiring sports film and documentary writers, Beckford said the retreat itself will help identify those gaps.

The target audience includes students pursuing further studies in sport, particularly those seeking viable career options beyond traditional roles, as well as established practitioners interested in diversifying their professional opportunities. “This is a program for anyone with an idea, draft, script and finished product. We will connect you with the key people. We are zoning in on Sport,” Beckford explained.

Industry experts from Jamaica and abroad have been invited to lead sessions during the inaugural retreat. Through GC Foster College’s existing Memorandum of Understanding with St. Thomas University in the United States, the university is also expected to participate.

Discussions are additionally being pursued with JAMPRO, the Development Bank of Jamaica (DBJ) and other key stakeholders in the business and creative sectors.

The approach reflects an understanding that successful sports storytelling requires more than writers alone. It demands collaboration among storytellers, athletes, producers, marketers, financiers, broadcasters, institutions and other industry players.

From the field to the screen

GC Foster College has long been associated with developing practitioners for sport, but the institution is increasingly looking beyond the playing field.

With the College set to celebrate its 50th anniversary in 2030, Beckford sees opportunities to strengthen its role as a connector within Jamaica’s sporting ecosystem. “We can do more to document and tell those stories through film and documentaries,” she noted, while describing the retreat as an important beginning driven directly from the sport sector.

The potential economic value is also part of the equation. Beckford argues that Jamaica should view its sporting stories not merely as historical records but as intellectual and creative assets capable of reaching international markets.

Asked why Jamaica should invest specifically in developing writers for sports film and documentary storytelling, Beckford was unequivocal: “It is already a competitive advantage. It is worthy of building.”

Measuring success one story at a time

For Beckford, the measure of the retreat’s success will not necessarily be the number of participants or ideas generated during the three days. The real test will be what emerges afterwards.

Asked what success could look like six months to a year after the retreat, she offered a simple benchmark: “If we get one series, documentary or film idea, that is a win.”

That goal underscores the retreat’s practical focus: transforming ideas and existing material into projects that can be developed, produced and ultimately shared with audiences beyond Jamaica.

With the Caribbean’s sporting history providing a deep reservoir of stories and GC Foster College seeking to expand its role in the business of sport, the October retreat is positioned as an opportunity to begin connecting the people, ideas and expertise needed to bring those stories to the screen.

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