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Following an executive board meeting, the Junior Baseball League of Nassau (JBLN) has decided to complete its 2020 season, albeit under social distancing guidelines and with the proper safety protocols in place.

FILE July 8, 2020

Sheldon Longley

0551 Views

With the country now into phase five of the plan to reopen the economy, sporting activities are gradually on the return.

Following an executive board meeting last week, the Junior Baseball League of Nassau (JBLN) has decided to complete its 2020 season, albeit under social distancing guidelines and with the proper safety protocols in place. The league is the first to make such a decision in local sports in the face of the COVID-19 pandemic.

League president Jeffrey Walcott said it’s important that they keep their players active and get back to some state of normalcy, while respecting safety guidelines and procedures. As it stands now, they will start with a test run using junior and senior players, and then move into a phased opening in order to compete the season that has been on hold since the second week in March. Right now, there is no timeline for the games, but the test run is expected to take place this summer.

A meeting is set for July 18 with coaches, umpires and league officials, so that everyone can be brought up to speed on how the league intends to proceed with its 2020 season.

“We’re very excited. We will discuss what we need to do and what we need to have in place for the test run and then again for the resumption of the season,” said Walcott. “It’s important that we get back to some sense of normalcy but do it safely. Whenever the permission is given, we will start again. We believe we owe it to our players and spectators to complete the season. If it runs late into the year, then we will start the 2021 season a little later – everything will be parallel with completing the 2020 season,” he added.

Walcott said that fans will be allowed to the fields but under social distancing guidelines.

“What we will do is have a reduced schedule of games, so that there can’t be a huge gathering at any one time,” he said. “We cannot afford to have any level of overcrowding for obvious reasons. Physical distancing is important,” he stressed.

Usually, registration starts in September and the league’s draft takes place in October. That is followed by team practices and scrimmages, and then the season gets underway. Over the past few weeks, the Bahamas Baseball Association (BBA) has produced an extensive 10-page document detailing a safe and secured return to baseball and presented it to the Ministry of Health and the Ministry of Youth, Sports and Culture. They are still awaiting a response on that document. Over 100 recommendations and items of consideration were put forth in the document by the COVID-19 Response Committee for baseball, inclusive of executives from JBLN and the Freedom Farm Baseball League (FFBL) along with BBA officials. That committee was chaired by Freedom Farm Senior Director and Commissioner Clarence ‘CJ’ McKenzie.

Committee member Shane Albury earlier said the document outlines prevention and safety methods and measures, and addresses all aspects of play on the field – pre-game, during the game and post-game. Included, he said, are social distancing measures; cleaning and sanitizing protocols, as it relates to equipment, stands and premises; and safety training for coaches, players, officials, volunteers, parents and concession stand workers.

Walcott said: “We will appoint health and safety officials to ensure that we adhere to all of the protocol as it relates to COVID-19 and follow the guidelines of the document. We are very concerned about health and safety but we want to get back some state of normalcy. There is no better way to do that than to get back to the field of dreams and do what we all enjoy – playing baseball. That’s very important for us and we’re looking forward to it.”

With the country being in phase five of the economic reopening plan, all restrictions on movement are lifted with the exception of it being during curfew hours – from 10 p.m. to 5 a.m. daily. Group training is allowed as long as it is done with social distancing in effect.

“We’re still waiting on the competent authority to give us the go ahead but we’re going to have all the protocols in place and get it right,” said Walcott. “We’re going to start the resumption of the season with a phased approach and that is going to be after we have a dry run this summer, where we’ll have the junior and senior boys come out and play games with the proper protocols in place – let them go through the motions of an actual game to see how it works. There are still things that we have to mitigate in terms of physical distancing and the only way that we could put the respective protocols in place is to have a dry run session.”

Walcott said they may have to make tweaks to how the games are organized and executed based on what happens during the test run.

“The idea is to go through all of the steps during the dry run, so that when we get back to the fields and resume the 2020 season, and also at the beginning of the 2021 season, we could make the necessary adjustments and tweak protocols if we have to do so,” said Walcott. “Once the competent authority gives us the OK to return to baseball activities, we will go ahead and put a schedule in place. The dry run is very important to us. We have to be able to learn from that and tweak certain things if we need to, so that protocols could be in place for the resumption of the 2020 season and we have a smooth transition back to regular baseball.”

The test run will only be for the juniors and seniors, 14-and-under (14U) and 16-and-under (16U). As for the phased opening, it would be done in such a way that caters to the older players first. The first phase will encompass players 13 and older (junior, senior and girls softball); the second phase will feature the nine to 12 year olds (minor and major); and the final phase will cater to the younger kids, eight and under (tee ball and coach pitch).

“The older players could appreciate what we are trying to implement and they understand it better, so we feel that it would be best to start with those two age groups and then transition to the others,” said Walcott.

Bahamas Olympic Committee (BOC) President Romell Knowles said that as long as they are following the safety protocols put in place by the Ministry of Health, they have their support and approval.

“I think it is a good thing to get the kids out of the house and practicing some outdoor activity, so that we could gradually get back to some type of normalcy,” said Knowles. “I’m sure that the leadership of JBLN is responsible enough to ensure that the health of their athletes and patrons is not compromised. That should be of paramount concern.”

Walcott is optimistic that the 2020 season will be completed by the end of the year, so they can then move gradually into the 2021 season. Baseball, in the country, has been stagnant since mid-March, due to the presence of the COVID-19 pandemic.

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ANDRE MOSS, Vice President of the Bahamas Football Association

 July 14, 2020  

FN Sports Reporter Shayne Stubbs

Grand Bahama native Andre Moss serves not only as a Vice President of the Bahamas Football (soccer) Association (BFA), but he also serves as the Director of Women’s Football. 

Over the years national women’s soccer teams have seen a considerable amount of representation from Grand Bahamian players. The BFA credited that success to the hard work of coaches Donnie and Mary Knowles for their continued investment into girls’ soccer with the Girls Developmental Soccer League. 

Despite the BFA’s plans for Grand Bahama being delayed by Hurricane Dorian and COVID-19, Moss shared that they will ensure to do all they can to strengthen their relationship with Grand Bahama. 

“Believe it or not, 2020 is actually the year of women’s football in CONCACAF (The Confederation of North, Central American and Caribbean Association Football). Before Hurricane Dorian plans were already made to make the trip over (here) to have a dialogue and begin to make sure to find out the needs (of Grand Bahama) and get things working more harmoniously between Grand Bahama and us in Nassau as a federation. 

“Now we got hit with COVID-19. Be that as it may, know that we’re going to do what we can. We’re still trying to do a number of things as far as making sure we engage a number of females into soccer and remove the stigma associated with it and make sure we grow the sport and make sure we show them the opportunities available for women in soccer.”

Moss shared that the BFA is hoping to launch their grassroots league once it is safe to do so. This would be in addition to other programs like futsal, which was introduced last summer, and beach soccer. They will also resume once the proper protocols are put in place. 

Being assigned his position as Director of Women’s Football Moss feels he is in a greater position to ensure that Grand Bahama is not forgotten. 

“What was interesting for me having actually been assigned this position is it gave me an opportunity to say that Grand Bahama is not forsaken or forgotten. You have a son of the soil and feel comfortable that leadership is taking steps to ensure we’re going to do what we can.

“As far as the women’s side of football, in CONCACAF we had a six-week webinar series where they discussed technology for training using Zoom platforms so even if we were on lockdown or limited curfew, we could still engage ourselves. 

“We also talked about the CONCACAF Under 20 women’s championship team and managing engagement and training during quarantine. So there’s a number of activities that we can still utilize using social media to engage our females in particular with one-on-one activities. 

“We just want to say we appreciate everything you’re doing here with women’s football. I’m going to continue reaching out to Mary and Donnie. We had a good long conversation when she was in Nassau and we’re going to make sure we can increase the numbers once everything is safe.”

For 25 years Donnie, Mary and other coaches have had a passion for women’s soccer. After the conversation they had with Moss, Coach Mary felt hopeful that Moss’ connection to Grand Bahama will indeed pay dividends.

“We’ve been doing this for 25 yeas, Donnie and I and other coaches. That was our passion and it’s been Donnie’s passion since I met him. So, I’m hoping that Moss being a son of the soil makes sure that mission continues. 

“But no matter what we’re going to continue here, Donnie and I, for Grand Bahama.” 

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Monday, July 13, 2020

#By RENALDO DORSETT

#Tribune Sports Reporter

#rdorsett@tribunemedia.net

#BALLIN’ By Da Beach Basketball Camp may be postponed due to the COVID-19 pandemic, but the organisation will ensure that its participants continue to benefit from its network of partners.

#BBDB, in conjunction with Global College Access, is scheduled to host its seventh annual “Student Summer Success Series” – sponsored by the University of the Ozarks. The series will include nightly Zoom sessions July 14-17 from 6pm to 8pm, featuring university presidents, athletic directors, coaches and college admissions leaders.

#Geared toward high school students, student-athletes, parents, coaches, guidance counsellors, and educational stakeholders, all sessions are free of charge.

#Sessions will include: Leading the Change through A Global Crisis; Executing The Change; The College Athlete and Coaching Through the Crisis and Expanding Opportunities for Student Success.

#“Under the theme, ‘Crucial Conversations in Higher Education: COVID-19 Threats and Opportunities,’ this year’s series will provide relevant insight into international college recruitment, admissions, enrolment and financing – but in an unprecedented way. From the comfort of their homes, scholars, parents and educational stakeholders in The Bahamas and within the Caribbean region will have access to the faces behind college and university mascots who are pioneering, leading change, creating new pathways and making crucial decisions to address the way forward,” the organisation said in a press release.

#“Hear from international college presidents as they speak about the process of navigating through a pandemic into a successful school year in the fall and beyond. Connect with international college vice-presidents and admissions directors as they discuss the evolving college admissions processes during a world crisis. Watch as college athletic directors and coaches tackle topics such as the notable changes in the recruitment process, social distancing on respective college campuses, how the ‘new normal’ will impact student athletes and other topics involving the expanding opportunities that some students and parents have not even considered.”

#Night three (The College Athlete and Coaching Through the Crisis) features several standout names in Bahamian coaching including Yolett McPhee-McCuin – Head Coach Ole Miss Women’s Basketball; Kimberley Rolle – Athletic Director of the University of the Bahamas Chris “Fireman” Brown – Olympic Gold Medallist and Head Track & Field Coach at Clayton State University; Edric Poitier, Head Women’s Volleyball Coach at Florida State College at Jacksonville and Dr Stephany Coakley – Sports Psychologist and Associate Athletic Director/Mental Health at Temple University.

#Interested persons can register for the 2020 Student Summer Success Virtual Series and can visit studentsummersuccess.com

#“Undoubtedly, the COVID-19 pandemic has placed extreme demands on leaders in almost every sector of the world with a considerable amount of uncertainty and apprehension pushing them into crisis mode. However, the true test of leadership is based on the response to the chaos and disruption; a response that unites people to propel an articulated mission and university leaders are no exception. The uncertain times of social distancing, quarantine, sanitizations and feelings of loss control and emotional instability demand a leadership change in behavior and mindset of calm and resilience to navigate its stakeholders throughout the epidemic,” they said, “We have sought to embrace this time to educate and challenge our participants as we embrace the challenge and threat of COVID-19: a way to create an even grander opportunity to connect students with higher education opportunities.”

#BBDB was created by Jurelle Mullings in 2010 when she saw a need to place a greater focus on the development of women’s basketball at the youth level. She is also the coordinator of the Student-Athlete Resources and Support (STARS) Programme in the Ministry of Education.

#Since 2010, the camp has featured hundreds of underserved, aspiring student athletes.

#In addition to the camp, the organization also hosts a Recruitment Exposure Showcase to aid aspiring players in their college recruitment process.

#“Our mission is to take a personal interest in every basketball player and coach to help them become game changers on and off the court. Our vision is to build a movement of passionate basketball players by delivering excellence through the game. Our vision inspires us in our daily work. We create a diverse, collaborative, encouraging environment where teamwork and openness are the cornerstones.”

#GCA was founded by Monique Hinsey, who specialises in college readiness and career consulting and also serves as the programme developer and coordinator, Public School Scholars Program (PSSP) program.

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Monday, July 13, 2020

#By BRENT STUBBS

#Senior Sports Reporter

#bstubbs@tribunemedia.net

#COACH Jamal Smith liked what he saw in the reunion of guard Deyton Albury and forward Garreth Edgecombe at the Big Shots Myrtle Beach Tournament in South Carolina over the weekend.

#The two 18-year-olds, who are heading to two different prep schools in South Carolina, made their presence felt in the three games they played in so far for the Defenders.

#The Defenders won their opener 70-66 over the Dallas Seawolves on Thursday. Albury was the team’s second highest scorer with 11 points, eight rebounds and six assists. Edgecombe added eight points.

#On Independence Day on Friday, the Defenders lost 70-66 to the Big Shots Elite Tri-Cities 17 as Edgecombe turned out to be the second highest scorer with 10 points. Albury was held to just eight.

#And in their third game on Saturday, the Defenders lost again (69-52) to the Flight 22 Elite UA Rise 17. Once again, Albury finished with eight and Edgecombe added three.

#Despite his numbers, Albury was named the Player of the Game in all three games.

#Smith, who reunited with both Albury and Edgecombe since he last coached them at Temple Christian about two years ago, said they performed very well.

#“Deyton had a couple of games where he matched up well against some division one players and he performed very well,” said Smith of Albury. “He took care of the ball and he showed that he is capable of playing at this level.

#“As for Garreth, he’s making the adjustment to the wing and he performed very well. All in all, I was very leased with the way they both played. They came in and gelled well with the team that we had in place.”

#The Defenders closed out play in the showcase on Sunday, but results were available. Smith said the good thing is that both Albury and Edgecombe got to display their skills to over 200 coaches, who got to live stream the event.

#This week, the Defenders will be participating in the National AAU Tournament that starts today at the same venue in Myrtle Beach. The Defenders first game will be played on Tuesday. The tournament will run through Sunday.

#Albury, a graduate of Sunrise Christian Academy, is looking to enroll in a Prep school before he decides on which college he will participate for next year.

#“We’re still trying to get the chemistry back, but individually the performances were good,” Albury said. “Every time I get a chance to play against the high level competition, I try to make the most out of it.”

#With an average of 12 points, eight rebounds and five assists, Albury said he was able to hold his own in the showcase. He noted that it was extra special doing it alongside Edgecombe.

#“We haven’t done it in a long time,” said Albury of Edgecombe, who transferred from Temple Christian to finish his high school at Galilee Academy. “Every time we get a chance to get on the court together, we play like we did before.

#“We still had the chemistry and we got to get each other involved in the offense, which was good for our team. We hope that we can continue to gel together for the rest of the summer in the tournaments ahead of us.”

Edit Post Edit with Elementor Switch to draft Preview(opens in a new tab) Update Add title A number of panelists are scheduled to speak during the four-day series Permalink: http://sportsinthebahamas.com/blog/2020/07/15/a-number-of-panelists-are-scheduled-to-speak-during-the-four-day-series/‎(opens in a new tab) Edit University of Bahamas (UB) Athletics Director Kimberley Rolle. July 15, 2020 Simba French 0153. Views The 7th Annual Student Summer Success Series kicked off Tuesday night via Zoom, and it continues this evening and tomorrow, featuring a number of collegiate coaches and leaders, including Bahamians, along with international athletic directors. They will be engaging in sessions about the process for student-athletes abroad and coaching through the new coronavirus crisis. The seminar will run from 6 p.m. to 8 p.m. daily, and the four-day series wraps up on Friday. On the panel for the student-athlete portion of the series are eight persons – five of whom are Bahamians. The Bahamian panelists are legendary athlete-turned-coach Chris Brown; Dr. Stephany Coakley; women’s basketball coach Yolett “Coach Yo” McPhee-McCuin; volleyball coach Edric Poitier; and University of The Bahamas (UB) Athletic Director (AD) Kimberley Rolle. Tara Owens, Shawn Trochim and Albert Roche are the only three panelists for that portion of the series who are not Bahamian. Poitier is head volleyball coach for the Florida State College at Jacksonville BlueWave. The BlueWave compete in the National Junior College Athletic Association (NJCAA). “I am excited to be a part of the seminar. It gives me an opportunity to help our kids with some of the tools necessary to becoming a student-athlete,” Poitier said. Poitier coached The Bahamas senior men’s national volleyball team from 1992 to 1999, leading them to two gold and two silver medals at the Caribbean Volleyball Championships (CVC). Poitier said he plans to present on the advantages of considering a junior college as opposed to a four-year school. During this COVID-19 pandemic, he said, he has kept in touch with his team. As a result of the pandemic, a number of fall sports have been cancelled or the seasons have been shortened, including volleyball. Right here at home, UB AD Rolle is looking forward to being a part of the panel. “I am looking forward to the round table discussion because you have a number of persons throughout the United States, Canada and The Bahamas who will be participating and sharing ideas and insights,” she said. “This is an opportunity to learn from them as well as them from us about how we are managing during this pandemic and how best to stay student-centric. I think that it is going to be very interesting – to see what others bring to the table and to share and deliberate on those ideas. At the end of the day, the goal is to be able to provide the best experience for our student-athletes, given the conditions,” she added. As far as keeping her department motivated is concerned, Rolle said it is a daunting task because sports is physical in nature. In addition, she stated that they have a phased approach, which includes ensuring that student-athletes and staff are protected, as they take the necessary precautions in small, incremental steps. McPhee-McCuin is the head women’s basketball coach for University of Mississippi (Ole Miss) Rebels. She is the daughter of legendary Bahamian basketball Coach Gladstone “Moon” McPhee. The Rebels play in a tough Southeastern Conference (SEC) in Division I of the National Collegiate Athletic Association (NCAA). Brown is an Olympian and one of the most formidable Bahamian runners of all-time in the 400 meters (m). He is head coach of the track and field team at Clayton State University. The Clayton State Lakers compete in Division II of the NCAA. Coakley is the senior associate athletic director, and specializes in mental health, at Temple University, which competes in Division I in the NCAA. She will touch on the mental aspects of student-athletes. Poitier, Rolle, McPhee-McCuin and Brown were all former collegiate student-athletes. Roche is the AD at Holland College on Prince Edward Island, Canada. Owens is the AD at Central State University. Rounding out the eight panelists is Trochim, who has Bahamian roots. She is the AD at McLennan College. All three of these schools have a number of Bahamians on campus. Global College Access and Ballin’ by da Beach are uniting efforts, along with their sponsor, the University of the Ozarks, to put on the series for the four nights. High school students, student-athletes, parents, coaches, guidance counselors and educational stakeholders have a unique opportunity to connect with university presidents, athletic directors, coaches and college admissions leaders. The co-hosts are Global College Access’ Monique Hinsey and Ballin’ by da Beach’s Jurelle Mullings. “When selecting the panel, we definitely wanted to speak to leaders in the field. It was particularly important that we had Bahamian leaders in the field. They would be able to speak to the unique experiences of an international student-athlete not only from a coaching standpoint or athletic director standpoint but they were once student-athletes,” Mullings said. “I definitely wanted it to be a source of inspiration to our student-athletes, so they can know that even beyond your playing time, there is still opportunities for you and they get to talk to them first-hand.” In addition to the areas of discussion mentioned, Mullings said they will also be touching on what successful preparation for college looks like, pre- and post-COVID-19; what they can do to stand out and distinguish themselves, especially during this time when in-person recruiting is limited; and what universities are doing to prepare athletes for post-collegiate life. Mullings is also the co-ordinator of the Student-Athlete Resources and Support (STARS) Programme in the Ministry of Education. Tonight’s session, which starts at 6 p.m., will focus on “executing the change”, in which the panel will include representatives from the University of Ozarks, Johnson and Wales University, King’s University, the University of Central Arkansas, Saint Leo University and Georgia State University. The series will be held via Zoom nightly from 6 p.m. to 8 p.m. To register for the virtual series, interested persons are asked to please visit the website studentsummersuccess.com.

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July 15, 2020

Simba French

0183 Views

Bahamian junior national team standout Deyton Albury is back on the basketball court, having played in two Big Shots Tournaments in Myrtle Beach, South Carolina, USA, this past weekend.

Albury suited up for the Defenders 2020 in the Big Shots Myrtle Beach 1 Tournament that was held July 9-10. He then played in the Big Shots Myrtle Beach 2 Tournament the following two days. The athletic guard suited up in the 17-and-under division.

Albury averaged 12 points, 8.6 rebounds and 5.3 assists in the first tournament, and walked away with the player of the game award in two of the games he played in. In the first game on Thursday, he scored 11 points, pulled down eight rebounds and dished out six assists.

He finished the tournament on Sunday with 13 points, eight rebounds and six assists in his final game, and won two more player of the game awards in the second tournament to bring his total to four in four days.

“It feels good. My mindset was just to represent God, myself, my country and my family to the best of my ability and this performance got me player of the game four times. It’s a blessed position to outplay a lot of high-level players and being named player of the game three times,” Albury said.

Over the four days, Albury played in six games. His team finished with a 1-2 win/loss record in the first tournament and an 0-3 record in the second tournament.

Nevertheless, he was happy to be back on the court doing what he loves doing.

“It feels good. Being quarantined for a whole two months isn’t healthy at all for a basketball player. I was itching to get back on the court. It’s a big relief just to be out there playing the game,” Albury said.

Albury spent the last school year at Sunrise Academy in Bel Aire, Kansas. He is still undecided on where he will be next season.

Albury will play in three more tournaments over the next few weeks. That will give him between 15 to 20 games under his belt this summer. The Big Shots Tournaments get a lot of attention from National Collegiate Athletic Association (NCAA) Division I coaches and scouts.

Last month, the Bahamian was set to help The Bahamas’ junior national team battle in the FIBA (International Basketball Federation) Americas Under-18 Championship. However, that was pushed back to a later date, due to the COVID-19 pandemic.

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Drumeco Archer.

July 15, 2020

Sheldon Longley

0246. Views

Hundreds of Bahamian student-athletes won’t have to worry about being sent home to The Bahamas following a reversal of policy consideration that was surfacing in the United States (U.S.).

Facing immense pressure from the universities themselves and school boards across the nation, the U.S. Government rescinded a rule on Tuesday that would have required international students, including Bahamians, to either transfer or leave the country altogether if their respective schools held classes entirely online because of the presence of the COVID-19 pandemic.

The U.S. is the most impacted nation in the world for the coronavirus with over 3.5 million total cases and about 140,000 total deaths. The closest state to The Bahamas, Florida, is a hotbed for the virus right now, recording tens of thousands of new cases daily.

A number of Bahamian student-athletes, in Florida and throughout the U.S., chose to remain on their respective school campuses this summer. According to reports, hundreds of universities opposed the stance to send international students home, with some threatening federal lawsuits.

U.S. District Judge Allison Burroughs said federal immigration authorities agreed to pull the July 6 directive and “return to the status quo”, according to NBC News.

“I believe it’s a good idea because, ultimately, it affects the commercial environment allowing our student-athletes to realize their full potential and fulfill their collegiate dreams,” said Bahamas Association of Athletic Associations’ (BAAA) President Drumeco Archer. “This is an opportunity to reshape the mindset of a new educational regime where viruses such as COVID-19 will become the new norm. I commend the U.S. Government for showing the resolve that allows them to adapt to change.”

The announcement is said to bring relief to thousands of foreign students who had been at risk of being deported from the U.S., along with hundreds of universities that were scrambling to reassess their plans for the fall. Understandably, a number of schools were concerned with the risks of losing out financially as well. Many schools rely on tuition from international students, and some stood to lose millions of dollars in revenue. Not to mention, returning to the United States for a number of student-athletes would have been increasingly difficult because of the related costs of doing so and the red tape in place.

Under the policy, it is understood that international students in the U.S. would have been forbidden from taking all their courses online this fall, and new visas would not have been issued to students at schools planning to provide all classes online, although federal officials stated otherwise.

A number of university leaders believed the rule was part of U.S. President Donald Trump’s effort to pressure schools to reopen this fall, of which a number of them have still not stated their intentions.

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July 16, 2020

Simba French

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The Bahamas Basketball Federation (BBF) has opted to participate in the FIBA (International Basketball Federation) Under-17 (U17) Skills Challenge competition that gets underway the week of August 10 to 16, virtually.

Marvin Henfield has been selected by the BBF as the head coach for both The Bahamas’ boys and girls teams. The announcement was made at a BBF press conference held yesterday at the Kendal G.L. Isaacs National Gymnasium.

The U17 skills challenge is a new competition that FIBA has brought about during the COVID-19 pandemic. The purpose is to have national federations like the BBF bring their teams together for a training camp and allow players to enjoy a competitive activity without traveling internationally.

Players must be born after January 1, 2003 to participate.

The number of participating teams in the competition is set to increase from 16 to 20, with four additional spots qualifying from each FIBA region.

The Bahamas will be participating in the Americas region where one spot is up for grabs. The competition is a qualifier for the FIBA World Cup Skills Challenge, and it is similar to the NBA Skills

Challenge competition except there is a points system. The World Cup finals will be held the week of August 17 to 23.

Henfield said he is very competitive and very hopeful that The Bahamas teams will be in the finals.

There are 24 spots available on the team, but Henfield said they are looking at selecting 20 athletes.

All the competitions are recorded and the videos are submitted to FIBA one hour after the end of each competition. FIBA will evaluate the scores, then determine a winner.

Registration for athletes opens today and closes on Thursday, July 23. Athletes and parents will have to visit www.bbfbasketball.com to register. Once registration is closed, they will notify the athletes on Friday, July 24, for the order of the trials.

The first phase of the trials gets underway on Saturday, July 25 through Monday, July 27 at the Kendal G.L. Isaacs National Gymnasium. The second phase of the trials will be on Wednesday, July 29 and Thursday, July 30. The trial blocks will be determined by an athlete’s last name.

The final selection will be made on Friday, July 31. The roster will be ratified and submitted to the BBF, who will make the final submission to FIBA on Monday, August 3.

The trials are also opened to Grand Bahama and the Family Islands.

“We have also comprised a format that we will submit on Friday, July 17, that we will submit to the federation. It will comprise the format for virtual tryouts for the Family Islands. I will be the first to admit that this process, in order for us to be entirely inclusive, requires us to be far more exhaustive than we are, given with the timeframe that we have. We intend to access all of the best athletes that we could in the timeframe that we have allotted to us,” said Henfield. “The format will entail a three to four skills point aspect that we would submit to the federation and then they have the responsibility in connecting with the local coaches on the island.”

The federation is asking all the islands, with the exception of Grand Bahama, to submit their top three male and female athletes. Grand Bahama will submit their top six male and female athletes. Grand Bahama and Family Island participants will have their trials recorded. Henfield and his team will make a decision by July 27.

If the athletes from those islands are selected, they will travel to New Providence for the official practices that are scheduled to begin August 3.

The challenge will see an athlete advance the ball up the court 15 feet through a passing hole in three attempts, and if successful they will receive a point. They will then go and make a layup on the same side of the basket, then take the basketball dribble around five cones and go to the opposite end of the court. They will then attempt a two-point jump shot behind the free throw line and if successful on their first attempt, they will be awarded two points. If they miss, they will have to get their rebound, make a layup and then dribble the full length of the court to the three-point line. If they make the three-point shot on their first attempt, they will be awarded three points. If they miss, they will have to get their rebound and pass the ball to their next team member and the other four members will continue with the process.

The highest score that can be obtained by an individual is six points. A team of five could achieve a total maximum of 30 points. The total score will be subtracted from the team’s total time in seconds, and at the end of it, the team with the lowest time wins.

Henfield is no stranger to the local basketball scene, having started his coaching career back in 1996. He has served as the director of mini basketball for the federation, is a FIBA instructor and is a skills instructor for The Bahamas’ national teams, to name a few of his responsibilities. He runs the Caribbean Sports Academy (CSA) on New Providence.

Filling out the coaching staff for the boys team is assistant coach Sanchez Moss. Francis Delva and Garvin Clarke are the team managers.

Moss will also assist Henfield on the girls team. The managers for that team will be Jabari Wilmott and Maleah Henfield.

Henfield said he and his team will abide by COVID-19 guidelines.

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July 16, 2020

The Nassau Guardian

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The University of The Bahamas (UB) Mingoes men’s basketball team has started its conditioning in preparation for the upcoming season – whenever it happens.

Following COVID-19 protocols, the team has been working out on Goodman’s Bay during the mornings. Under the leadership of Head Coach Bacchus Rolle, Assistant Coach Lavar Johnson and Head Athletic Trainer Sasha Johnson, the team has been focusing on its condition and endurance.

The team hit the beach Wednesday morning, going through foot drills, core building and aerobic endurance by running on the beach.

Coach Rolle said the team is very excited to be back to basketball-related activities.

“It feels really good to be back to our normal, in that we [are] out conditioning and knocking it out early in the morning and getting it out of the way. Some of the guys haven’t worked out that much during the quarantine and lockdown, so they are feeling the burn. With the guys being young and resilient, we anticipate them

bouncing back very quickly,” said Rolle.

He said the team is going to change a bit for the better.

“We are looking good this year with some good recruits,” he said. “This isn’t even the entire team and we are having a good time getting back in shape.”

As the country shifts to the new normal, adjusting in the face of the COVID-19 pandemic, UB Athletics has instituted strict rules in relation to the deadly coronavirus.

“We are in UB Athletics’ phase three that allows the athletes to participate in outdoor workouts,” Sasha Johnson said. “We are making sure they observe social distancing – no hand shaking and every athlete brings their own water bottle and towel. We want to protect them from COVID-19.”

Phase three of UB’s return to play protocol policy, which follows worldwide best practices, allows for small group training with minimal contact. This phase also requires student-athletes, coaches and trainers to self-monitor for COVID-19 symptoms along with performing constant temperature monitoring. There is also no contact between athletes in phase three.

The final phase – phase four – allows for full team training with no restrictions on contact. Temperature monitoring will continue. Student-athletes can share equipment but will continue to use personal water bottles and towels. During this final phase, equipment will be disinfected on a rigorous and continual basis.

Head Trainer Johnson said that they are very strict with the application of these protocols.

“The well-being of the athlete is paramount,” she said. “We don’t want anyone to get sick, so we are complying as strict as possible with the guys. Of course, this is a new normal for them, so it’s taking some adjustment and constant reminding but they are being very compliant.”

The Mingoes compete in 11 sporting disciplines including men’s and women’s indoor and outdoor track and field, men’s and women’s cross country running, men’s and women’s golf, women’s volleyball, women’s softball, men’s basketball, men’s soccer, and men’s and women’s judo.

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COORDINATOR Terrance ‘Red Eye’ McSweeney shows Raven Jones, Marcia Hall and Jasmin Roker how to dribble the ball.

Tuesday, July 14, 2020

#By BRENT STUBBS

#Senior Sports Reporter

#bstubbs@tribunemedia.net

#MARCIA Hall and Reyanah Green were the first two participants to attend the Diamond League Basketball Camp that got underway yesterday at the Hope Center Church.

#Held in memory of the late Jonique ‘Mini’ Webb and coach Sherman Smith, the camp didn’t have the numbers that coach Terrance ‘Red Eye’ McSweeney had anticipated, but as the daily sessions run through August 15, he anticipates the participation to increase. Webb, a former versatile athlete whom McSweeney coached at basketball, is being honoured during the segment for girls from 9am to noon, while Smith, who McSweeney assisted with his programme at Carlton E Francis, is being honoured during the boys’ segment from 1-4pm.

#McSweeney said in all things, the bible has taught him to “give God thanks and so I’m thankful for the two participants so far in the Diamond League Development Camp.

#“I’m expecting the camp to be rather slow this week as all camps that I’ve had in the past were all slow on the first day and then on the second day, things start to pick up.”

#He encouraged parents to take advantage of the safe environment to enrol their children in the camp that will run from Monday to Friday for the next five weeks.

#“We anticipate that the numbers will definitely increase as the weeks go on,” he insisted.

#Here on her summer break from Eleuthera where she attended the Harbour Island All-Aged School, Hall, the daughter of sportscaster Marcellus Hall, said she decided to attend the camp because she enjoys playing basketball.

#“It’s actually fun for me and I got to learn a lot of new stuff,” said Hall, who admitted that she was interested in basketball through her mother, but her father has pushed her.

#In attending the camp, the 10-year-old said she “hopes to get better at it” because he feels that the instructors will be able to “help me along if I do something wrong and if I am doing something wrong, they will help me to get it right.”

#Green, a 12-year-old entering grade nine at St John’s College, said she decided to join the camp to improve her skills as a member of the Giants’ basketball team when they participated in the Bahamas Association of Independent Secondary Schools’ season when school reopens.

#“I want to better my skills,” said Green, who hopes to one day become a professional basketball player. “So far, it (the camp) has been good. I am enjoying it.”

#Jasmin Roker, one of the two instructors helping out McSweeney, said the camp is all about learning the game of basketball and having a fun time in the process. “This is just the first day, so it’s a bit slow,” said Roker, who will be entering the 12th grade at St John’s and will also be playing a pivotal role on the Giants’ basketball team.

#“We want to encourage the others to come out. We are thankful that we only have two people today, but I’m hoping that they leave having learnt a lot.”

#Raven Jones, the other instructor who is also a member of the Giants’ basketball team, who will be entering the 11th grade at St John’s, said the camp will be good for the participants.

#“I’ve already seen some improvement in the two that came out so far,” she stated. “We just want to help them to get better and improve on their skills.”

#During the first week, McSweeney said the campers will get the opportunity to work on their ball-handling skills on Monday, Wednesday and Friday and today and Thursday on shooting.

#“The whole premise of the first four weeks of this five-week camp is to develop the child,” McSweeney pointed out. “If it is a first time or they want to work on their skills for GSSSA or BAISS and they want to do some summer training, we will provide that.

#“Diamond Basketball Development is a very slow process. We take our time and we work with you. I encourage your daughter, in the morning sessions, to make as many mistakes that you want to make, but come the second and third weeks, I want you to limit those mistakes as much as possible.”

#By the fifth and final week of the camp, McSweeney said they will concentrate on playing a lot of games with the participants before they end with an awards presentation session.

#The camp, for girls between the ages of 8-16 years and 8-11 for boys, is designed to help keep the memories of Webb and Smith alive.

#Webb passed away at the age of 30 on January 19 after a battle with lupus and 53-year-old Smith died on April 22, having been diagnosed earlier with sickle cell that led to complications with COVID-19.