By Renaldo Dorsett

Thursday, October 1, 2020

#THE Bahamas made history by becoming the newest member of the International School Sports Federation.

#The federation is recognised by the International Olympic Committee and aims to promote the values and interests of Education through Sport.

#Chess will be the first sport contested for The Bahamas.

#Team Bahamas will compete at ISF World Schools Championship Online Chess 2020. The team includes Daijah Johnson (Aquinas College), Trinity Pinder (Doris Johnson), Olga Roussos (Home School), Nathan Smith (Home School), Aiden Mart (Home School), Noah Albury (St. Augustine’s College), Trevor Bridgewater (Queen’s College), Curtis Pride Jr (Home School), Makayla Horton (St. Augustine’s College), Avain Pride (Home School), Seth Roberts (Queen’s College), Daniel Ramtulla (Queen’s College), Faith Higgs (SC McPherson), Nathaniel Higgs Jr (RM Bailey) and Tadan Ferguson (Home School).

#Bahamas Chess Federation Elton Joseph said it is a great opportunity for the development of the local sport.

#“Chess is a sport that age is basically a number. If the kids get strong enough, they can compete at the highest level which is the World Chess Olympiad,” he said.

#“This year we had a lot of funding. We had some chess sets and books. We were supposed to do a big chess in the schools programme but COVID-19 hit. There are two clubs in Freeport, a club in Eleuthera and Andros that we sent chess sets to and then school closed down.”

#Young chess players from all over the world are invited to participate in the ISF’s second online event. The ISF World Schools Championship Online Chess 2020 will begin October 3 with qualification rounds and concludes on October 25 with finals. Throughout October, the ISF World Schools Championship Online Chess 2020 will include four qualification and four final tournaments.

#The virtual competition software used will be Premium Chess.

#Team Bahamas was on hand to express their excitement at the opportunity.

#Johnson said: “I feel as if each international tournament is always a good experience as I get to compete against people from different parts around the world. I also get to interact with people from different cultures and make long friendships with fellow chess players like myself,” Johnson said.

#Pinder said: “I heard from my mother that my grandfather also used to play so I thought why not give it a try. When I tried, I realised that it can take me a lot of places which it has over the years because I grew up in Bain and Grant’s Town and I never felt I would have gotten the chance to travel the world. Through chess I have already been to Jamaica, Curacao, the Olympiad in Batumi, Georgia. I went to a lot of places that I thought I would have never been as a child from Bain Town.”

#Roussos said: “I think it is going to be a great learning experience. Whenever I play, I always learn about new moves and tactics that I can use in future games. I am very excited to compete against other seasoned players.”

#Rupert Gardiner serves as the President of ISF Bahamas.

#“History has been made in the Bahamas once again. There is quite a list of events that will be taking place in 2021 and I would like to see us well represented in them. Everything from basketball to volleyball to track and field and now especially with chess,” he said.

#“History is being made once again in The Bahamas and I am a part of it. I would like to thank the press for turning out to support this event to make it a success so that other kids can be involved in the ISF. There are a lot of opportunities for you.”

#“I want to encourage all of the schools and athletes to get involved and find an opportunity to become exposed to persons around the world…

#“This is a fantastic opportunity and I hope you seize this chance to get involved in sports. Chess appears to be the first one out the gate.

#“It is a mind sport and some people don’t know chess is a sport – they consider it a board game but it requires a lot of mental stamina and patience. These are some of the attributes that sports will teach you,” Munnings stated.

#According to the ISF, its events, “the World Schools Championships and the Gymnasiade, aim to promote among young people: mutual understanding, volunteering empowerment, peace, non-discrimination, healthy lifestyle, social inclusion, and gender equality.

#“Thus it contributes to support the educative paths of the young people to empower them as citizens of the world.

#“ISF pursues its goals independently from political, religious or racial considerations.”

Life is resuming as usual in the United States, particularly in college sports, and one such Bahamian athletics coach is excited about the outlook of the season.

‘Superman’ Leevan Sands, a legendary Bahamian athlete, is into his second year as an assistant coach at the University of Northern Colorado (UNC) in Greeley, Colorado. The UNC Bears compete in the Big Sky Conference in the National Collegiate Athletic Association (NCAA) Division I.

Sands is particularly excited about the two Bahamians who will be joining the program this year – former St. John’s athlete Wendira Moss, who represented The Bahamas at the World Athletics Under-18 (U18) World Championships in Nairobi, Kenya, in 2017; and Cariesha Johnson, who is a promising up-and-coming athlete. Moss competes in the 100 through 400 meters (m) and Johnson takes part in the 400m and 400m hurdles along with being a steady 4x400m relay runner.

“I’m really excited. I was always one who wanted to look out for my fellow Bahamians and we are thankful to have both Wendira and Cariesha on board,” said Sands. “We’re looking to hopefully get a few others next season. It’s looking pretty good. It’s a li’l cold up here during the winter months but we’re adjusting and our athletes who run the 400 shouldn’t have a hard time adjusting. Running at altitude is good for their training. We have a pretty decent team. I believe we’ll be able to compete with a lot of the top schools. We’re looking forward to big things this year. We’re going to be very competitive in the sprints and middle distance events.”

Sands said they are aiming for a top three finish at the respective conference championships and have a few student-athletes qualify for the NCAAs. This year’s elite recruiting class boasts three world ranked athletes as well as three nationally ranked athletes among the class of 12. The signees include athletes from three foreign countries – South Africa, The Bahamas and Tanzania, plus athletes from Colorado and California. Three members of the class will join the men’s team, while the remaining nine will join the women’s.

Kayla Van Der Bergh, Elviano Johnson and Welre Olivier rank in the top 10 in the world for their respective events.

South African Van Der Bergh ranks fifth in the world in the under-20 girls 100m hurdles with a time of 13.31 seconds. Her compatriot, Johnson, is one of the fastest under-20 sprinters in the world (10.28). He is currently ranked second in the 100m and eighth in the 200m (20.67) in the under-20 boys division. Johnson also ranks 26th in the world for the under-20 400m.

The world’s best under-20 triple jumper (15.80m – 51’ 10-1/4”), Olivier, joins the UNC family from Johannesburg, South Africa. He owns the second-best triple jump of all-time in New Zealand.

Also, the second-best triple jumper in the United States in the under-20 division (15.21m – 49’ 11”) decided to trade in the sandy beaches of California for the majestic mountains of Colorado for college. Reference is to Namir Hemphill who ranks at No. 34 in the under-20 world rankings. He also competes in the long jump, 60m, 300m hurdles and 400m.

Needless to say, Sands, who experienced a lengthy career in the triple jump, is overjoyed to have Olivier and Hemphill as members of the program.

“We’re looking to make history,” said Sands. “These guys come in with a lot of talent and it’s up to us as coaches to help develop that talent. The sky is the limit for them. Right now, there is nothing much happening except for training and practices but we’re looking forward to the start of the season. We know that certain safety measures and social distancing protocols will be in place but we’re ready embrace it. We’re looking forward to going to meets and performing well.”

The start of the indoor season has been pushed back to January because of the presence of the COVID-19 pandemic. Sands said that the schedule is already out and he doesn’t expect any further setbacks. Their conference is progressing with the indoor and outdoor season as planned.

Director of track and field and cross country at Northern Colorado Wayne Angel previously experienced success while at Tennessee Tech University and Florida A&M University. He led teams at those institutions to a number of conference titles and runner-up finishes. He is a two-time Hall of Fame coach and six-time Coach of the Year recipient at the conference leve

Sheldon LongleySend an email1 day ago 2,046 6 minute readFacebookTwitterLinkedInShare via Email

Bahamian professional baseball player Jasrado “Jazz” Chisholm is now a part of one of the most memorable playoff matchups in baseball history.

During their World Series title run in 2003, the last time the franchise made the playoffs, the former Florida Marlins, now Miami Marlins, knocked off the Chicago Cubs in the National League Championship Series (NLCS) in seven games. However, it was the infamous incident involving Cubs’ fan Steve Bartman in game six of that series that had everyone talking afterward.

The Cubs led the series three games to two, and were ahead 3-0 in the eighth inning of game six, when Bartman interfered with a foul ball along the left field line while in the stands, that Cubs’ left fielder Moises Alou had an opportunity to catch. The batter, Luis Castillo, walked on the next pitch and the Marlins went on to score eight in that inning and eventually won the game, 8-3. They won game seven as well to win the series and went on to win the World Series over the New York Yankees.

Keep in mind, the Cubs had not won a World Series title since 1908 and their fans were hungry for a shot at the ultimate prize in the Fall Classic. The Cubs blew a three games to one lead against the Marlins that year.

Ironically, the Marlins defeated the Yankees two games to one in their weekend series this past weekend, and will now go on to play the Cubs in the wild card round of the playoffs this year. The Marlins are seeded sixth while the National League (NL) Central Division Champions Cubs is the third seeded team.

Chisholm, 22, was a young boy when that 2003 series was played, just five years old.

Now, he has an opportunity to be a part of history and help this Marlins team advance in the playoffs of Major League Baseball (MLB). The Cubs will host the Marlins in a mini best-of-three series starting Wednesday at 2 p.m. at Wrigley Field in Chicago, Illinois. It will be televised on ABC. Game two is set for Thursday, and if necessary, game three will be played on Friday.

Chisholm and the Marlins clinched a playoff spot last Friday, knocking off the Yanks, 4-3, in the Bronx, New York. With that win, they ended the second-longest active postseason drought in MLB. It is their first time advancing to the playoffs since 2003. The Seattle Mariners own the longest drought, shut out of the playoffs for the last 18 years.

It’s been a roller coaster ride for the Marlins this season. Hindered by a coronavirus outbreak at the onset of the shortened 60-game season due to COVID-19, they shockingly won seven out of eight out of the gate, then dropped eight out of 10, including five straight. They remained around the .500 mark ever since, ending the season with a 31-29 win-loss record – their first winning season since 2009. Last season, they finished an NL worst 57-105. This year, they finished second in the NL East Division behind the Atlanta Braves and became the first NL team to make the playoffs after a 100-loss season.

As a result of their COVID-19 outbreak at the beginning of the season, they had to play a number of make-up games and ended up playing 28 games in 24 days. Monday was their first day off since September 3.

This is just the third trip to the playoffs for the Marlins. They won the World Series title both previous times.

They go into their series with the Cubs banged up, losing outfielder Starling Marte and right-hander José Ureña to injuries in the first three innings on Sunday. Marte left with a bruised left ear after being hit by Clarke Schmidt’s 94 miles per hour (mph) fastball, and Marlins’ starting pitcher Ureña was hit on the right arm by DJ LeMahieu’s liner in the third. It was reported Ureña has a fractured forearm.

The Marlins’ opponent on Wednesday, the Cubs, are highly favored in their first round matchup. The Cubs won the World Series title in 2016, essentially ending a 108-year championship drought, and are looking for another shot at glory this year. This year, they won their third division title in the past five seasons.

All of the first round series will be contested on the home field of the higher seeded team. Following that, all of the postseason games will be held in pandemic-prompted “bubbles.”

The American League (AL) Division Series will be held in the San Diego Padres’ Petco Park and Los Angeles’ Dodger Stadium, with games beginning October 5 and running through October 9 at the latest. Petco Park will host the AL Championship Series, which will begin October 11 and run through October 17, at the latest.

The NL Division Series host sites will be the Houston Astros’ Minute Maid Park and the Texas Rangers’ Globe Life Field in Arlington, Texas. Those games will run October 6 to October 10, at the latest. The NL Championship Series will be at Globe Life Field, with game one on October 12 and game seven, if needed, on October 18.

Globe Life Field also will be the site of the World Series, with game one on October 20 and the last possible day of the season being October 28, if a game seven is needed.

Maintaining standard procedure, the division series will be best-of-five, with the higher seed designated as the home team for the first and second games, and if necessary, game five as well. The league championship series and the World Series will be best-of-seven, with the higher seed getting the last at-bat in games one and two, and if necessary, games six and seven.

On Sunday, Chisholm had one of his best games as a professional. Starting at shortstop and batting seventh, he finished 2-for-4 at the plate with three RBIs and two runs scored in the Marlins 5-0 whitewash of the Yankees at Yankee Stadium in New York. He had a two-run double in the top of the second inning and a solo home run in the top of the eighth inning.

“Growing up as a kid, you always want to play in Yankee Stadium, and it was fun,” he said. “It was really cool to be going up against one of the biggest teams in baseball history, if not the biggest team in baseball history. I have to give all the credit to my teammates because if it wasn’t for them, I would not have been able to perform like this today.”

In the field, Chisholm had two stellar defensive plays, one-hopping a sharp shot off the bat of Gary Sánchez in the bottom of the fourth inning before spinning and throwing out Sánchez, then fielding a sharp grounder off the bat of AL Batting Champion LeMahieu in the bottom of the seventh and throwing him out.

“I saw the ball hit and I was like ‘Oh my God! This one is hit kind of hard. Let’s just go with it.’ It ended up in the glove, and it was one of the sickest plays I ever made in my life,” said Chisholm of the shot from Sánchez. “I was just out there playing defense. I go out there with the intention of making those plays every day. I’m always ready for those plays – every single pitch. I saw how the ball was coming and I said to myself, ‘This one is kind of hot. Get ready.’ The game gets better with reps, so being able to go out there and get the reps in is huge. It feels great.”

In that game, Chisholm added an assist and two putouts.

Chisholm was called up on September 1 and played in 22 games for the Marlins. Prior to this weekend, he was hitless in 19 at-bats before connecting for a single off Yankees’ reliever Miguel Yajure on Saturday. He followed that up with a 2-for-4 performance on Sunday and finished the season hitting .161 with two home runs and six RBIs. He had nine hits in 56 at-bats, five bases on balls, two stolen bases and scored eight runs. Chisholm ended the season with a .242 on-base percentage (OBP) and a .563 on-base plus slugging percentage (OPS).

Defensively, Chisholm had 25 putouts, 43 assists, an error and was a part of 13 double plays. He had a fielding percentage of 1.000 at second base and .962 at shortstop. Chisholm started 11 games at second base this season and six at shortstop. His defense could be a major boost to the Marlins in the playoffs.

Swimming community of The Bahamas seeks answers on opening of facility

Simba FrenchSend an email1 day ago 2,044 4 minute readFacebookTwitterLinkedInShare via Email

It has been almost two months since local swimmers have utilized the Betty Kelly-Kenning National Swim Complex at the Queen Elizabeth Sports Centre in New Providence. Now, parents are seeking answers from the Ministry of Youth, Sports and Culture and the Ministry of Health as to when their children can resume training at the pool.

According to one of the parents, on August 3, they were told that the swimmers cannot train at the facility until further notice. At that time, the COVID-19 cases in The Bahamas were into a second wave. Up to yesterday, there was no word as to when swimmers can resume training.

Parents were expecting their children to resume training from last week Monday or even this week but they still have not gotten any word. The last communication to the National Sports Authority (NSA), which governs all national sporting facilities, was on September 10.

An attempt was made to reach out to the Ministry of Youth, Sports and Culture but an official did not want to speak on record as to the resumption of training and the use of the facility. NSA General Manager Quinton Brennen said he returned to office last week and will look into the matter. Bahamas Aquatics Federation (BAF) President Algernon Cargill was unavailable for comment.

Regina Austin, whose name has been changed, said the swimming community did everything that was asked of them to restart swimming at the national facility.

“It has been months since we have been trying to use the pool. We had initially gotten access to the pool then when we shut down the last time (early July), they told us what we needed to await a decision and we did that. They needed protocols and new guidelines. The Ministry of Health made some suggestions and we did that, and we submitted it,” she said.

The parent of a swimmer added that they were not given a date to restart and the NSA informed them that they were waiting on approval from the Ministry of Health. As far as she is aware, she said they have not gotten a response from the ministry.

Head Coach for the Sea Waves Swimming Club, Shirley Mireault, said the Betty Kelly-Kenning facility is the only facility that her club uses. They have not used their home pool, at the South Beach Pools, since 2016.

“We have an outdoor facility and we can’t get in,” Mireault said. “We used all the COVID-19 protocols that the NSA had asked us to allow these swimmers in earlier this year. On July 1, they allowed all the competitive swimmers with the regulations and now they won’t give us the pool back.”

Another parent, Penelope Dean, whose name has also been changed, said that this is a crucial time for the swimmers.

“I am aware that the federation did in fact make the recommendation to the Ministry of Health and the Ministry of Youth, Sports and Culture,” she said. “This is such a critical time right now. We need a pool to train but the swimmers have been locked out. This is impacting all the programs in New Providence. I don’t know how long it takes for the government ministry to respond to a responsible federation that has put forward all of the information outlining the protocols and best practices. It is the end of September and our swimmers are in limbo.”

As for when she wants to get her club back at the facility, Mireault said since last week.

“We were supposed to be in the water last week Monday,” she said. “Our kids have missed a whole month again. The kids had a longer break than they are accustomed to. The spring was their summer break. We normally get two or three weeks. We got back in the water and are hopeful. They have missed about five months. We had about four weeks in the water and now we have been out of the water for almost two months. We are just itching to get back in the water. We do not see why we are held out and other things are going on. My club followed all of the regulations such as no parents allowed in the facility, kids use the bathroom only if they desperately have to go in them and they come in their swimsuit and leave in their swimsuit.”

At Barracudas, where Dean has her children, she said they have taken the necessary precautions from when the national facility was briefly opened in May.

“Our swimmers cannot return unless they complete a COVID-19 questionnaire that will help to ensure that none of our swimmers are, or their immediate families have been, exposed to COVID-19. That is something that we implemented before they returned to practice. We ensure that there was social distancing. When they did go back in May, the swimmers were responsible and they understood and followed the protocols and there were no instances of it,” Dean said.

Austin said that some swimmers are not able to get in the amount of distance swimming they need to get in for the week, as they do not have access to the national facility, which houses the only 50-meter pool on the island. Without that, the swimmers are not able to undergo long course training. Those who have access to other pools are in a 25m pool while others are not practicing at all.

The parents and the swimming community are continually looking for answers.

According to the Centers for Disease Control (CDC) in the United States of America, they are not aware of any scientific reports of the virus that causes COVID-19 spreading to people through the water in pools.

Simba FrenchSend an email8 hours ago 2,041 3 minute readFacebookTwitterLinkedInShare via Email

It has been a tumultuous year for sports locally, regionally and internationally, but CONCACAF (Confederation of North, Central American and Caribbean Association Football) is forging ahead with its plans. The Bahamas’ senior men’s national soccer team drew a matchup against Guadeloupe in the 2021 Gold Cup first round.

The draw took place on Monday night in Miami, Florida with it being carried live on CONCACAF’s YouTube channel. It was the first ever Gold Cup draw in its 30-year existence. The prelims, first and second rounds, are set for July 2-6, 2021. All of the matches are set to be played at different stadiums in the United States.

Head Coach for The Bahamas’ “Junkanoo Boys” Nesley Jean is of the view that it is a good draw for The Bahamas, which is looking to get to the group stage for the first time. Jean was one of 10 national team coaches who was watching the proceedings live.

“I think it’s a good draw for us. It’s a good opportunity for us to compete and an honor to play in such a huge tournament against a good team,” he said.

CONCACAF President and FIFA (International Football Federation) Vice President Victor Montagliani said he hopes the draw provided some excitement for the fans.

“I know that many communities in our region are going through challenging times and the thoughts of everyone at CONCACAF are with them. I hope tonight’s draw provided some anticipation for the fans, a chance to remember great Gold Cup moments of the past and to talk about football with friends and family,” Montaglini said.

The Bahamas is ranked at number 196 in the FIFA/Coca-Cola World Rankings. The strength of Guadeloupe is not easy to gauge. It is not ranked because it is an overseas French territory. This is also the first time that the two senior national teams will face off against each other on grass.

“Yes we will have challenges but we will only learn from playing against teams like this, but yet we want to go out and showcase our ability and our talent on the big stage. Because most of our players are off to school, it should not make a difference where we play. We just have to go out and do our job which is to win,” Jean said.

It is a single-elimination match meaning the teams will play one game and the winner moves on to the second round. Jean said that the single elimination format adds pressure to both teams. It also makes the match exciting as both teams will look to put on a show.

“It does add pressure, I think, for both teams so at the moment we have to be prepared as best as we can. The only thing that matters is to win,” Jean said.

Both teams played in the 2019 CONCACAF Nations League competition. The Bahamas won League C Group B. They were undefeated as they won three matches and drew one to secure 10 points.

Guadeloupe also played in League C but in Group D. They won the group unscathed, winning all four of their matches.

Jean has not spoken to the players as yet, but he believes they have seen the draw. As for training, Jean is optimistic that they will resume training soon.

Jean was once a staple on the national team side before venturing into coaching. Asked if there is any temptation to return to the pitch, Jean said he won’t do so as there is enough talent to get the job done.

This is the second regional competition that The Bahamas will be playing in, in 2021. They are set to play the CONCACAF Qualifiers for the FIFA World Cup Qatar 2022 in March 2021.

If The Bahamas wins this match they will play the winner of Guatemala and Guyana in the second round. If the Bahamian side advances past the second round they will be in the group stage in Group C. That group includes Costa Rica, Suriname and Jamaica. The group stage is set to start July 10, 2021.

Sheldon LongleySend an email8 hours ago 2,039 3 minute readFacebookTwitterLinkedInShare via Email

Despite the circumstances brought forth by the COVID-19 pandemic, this was a respectable season for Bahamian Anthonique Strachan, and under normal conditions, she would have qualified for her third consecutive Olympic Games.

However, COVID-19 struck in March, and athletes the world over were left in disarray. Some chose to go on, taking part in limited events which took place under strict safety measures and social distancing protocols, while others threw in the towel on the 2020 season and looked ahead to 2021.

Even the Olympics were postponed, set to be held in an odd year for the first time in its 100-plus year history. Still branded as the 2020 Summer Olympics, the global multi-sport event is now set for July 23 to August 8, 2021, in Tokyo, Japan.

Strachan, who trains with the famed Maximising Velocity & Power (MVP) Track and Field Club in Kingston, Jamaica, was not going to be deterred. She took part in all seven Velocity Fest meets in Jamaica this year, and was the only Bahamian to travel to Europe for the shortened Diamond League season. Strachan took part in the final two Wanda Diamond League Meets this year – in Rome, Italy, and Doha, Qatar.

In Doha, in particular, the site of last year’s world championships, Strachan was tested for COVID-19 on her arrival in the city and even afterwards as she exited. She finished fifth in the women’s 100 meters (m) on Friday, matching the season’s best time of 11.42 seconds that she did a week earlier in Rome. She took a test in Jamaica and while transiting other cities before arriving in Rome.

Be that as it may, she said it was worth it to get back in a competitive atmosphere and under usual race conditions. Safety measures and social distancing protocols were in place in respect of the COVID-19 pandemic, but otherwise, pre-race procedures and guidelines were followed. Strachan said it felt like a true Diamond League meet in both Rome and Doha.

Back on this side of the world, the seasoned Bahamian sprinter said she is looking forward to progressing even further in 2021. She shut down her season after Friday’s race in Doha.

“Overall, I’m very satisfied with how the season went,” she said. “Once the Olympics was postponed, and training facilities closed, we went to the grass and I lost hope in a season happening. As it turned out, I had a progressive one (season) and finished healthy. I ran times I haven’t ran in five or six years during a pandemic with limited meets so I’m happy with that.”

Strachan was referring to her two best times in the 200m this year, 22.67 and 22.72 seconds – both ran in Jamaica in Velocity Fest meets. She hadn’t run 11.42 and 22.67 in the short sprints since 2014. With that, the 27-year-old Bahamian sprinter proved that she still has what it takes to compete with the world’s best, even though she never quite matured into the elite sprinter many thought she would be after a stellar junior career. Strachan was the number junior one female sprinter in the world at one point, running to world leads in 2012 and winning the double sprint world titles at the International Association of Athletics Federations (IAAF) World Junior Championships in Barcelona, Spain. She went on to win the IAAF Female Rising Star Award in 2012.

Strachan has personal best times of 11.20 seconds in the 100m and 22.32 seconds in the 200m. The latter has her tied for fourth with Savatheda Fynes on the all-time top list for Bahamians. Just Shaunae Miller-Uibo, Debbie Ferguson-McKenzie and Pauline Davis-Thompson have faster times. She is ninth on the all-time list for Bahamians in the 100m.

Strachan’s top end speed is still among the world’s best, but she has always struggled with getting out of the blocks and generating speed in the first 20 meters of her races. She usually accelerates around the 30-40m mark.

The Bahamian female sprinter has struggled with injuries throughout her career, most recently a grade two hamstring tear at last year’s world championships in Doha. She bounced back strongly this season and is looking forward to continued progression in 2021. If not for the suspension of the Olympic qualifying period to December 1, Strachan would have already qualified for the Olympics in the women’s 200m. She remains confident that she will eventually qualify.

For now, Strachan is just grateful to end the season healthy and in top form.

Legendary Bahamian said the season served as a learning experience for him

Simba French. Send an email 8 hours ago 2,031 3 minute readFacebookTwitterLinkedInShare via Email

The first season for San Francisco Giants first base coach, Bahamian Antoan Richardson, in that position, is in the history books after his team fell short of advancing to the 2020 Major League Baseball (MLB) postseason. They lost their season finale on Sunday, 5-4, to the San Diego Padres. Had they won that, that would have qualified them for the playoffs.

The Giants finished the shortened 60-game season with a 29-31 win-loss record, finishing third in the National League West Division and ninth in the National League overall – just barely missing out on the playoffs. They ended the season on a three-game losing streak to the Padres. Richardson said he was able to see firsthand how much is put into preparation from a coaching standpoint.

“It is all about the preparation and the time you put in before you get out there,” Richardson said. “If you don’t work before the game starts then the game gets fast and it is really difficult to help the players. It is about the preparation you put in daily in trying to find information to helps us compete better against the other teams. I spent hours in physio, assessing and evaluating players and how to help them and the team get better. All that work happens when you are not at the ballpark.”

Richardson is the first Bahamian in history to be on the coaching staff of an MLB team. Being a first base coach is something that he never saw himself doing, but he said he is grateful for the opportunity to get the Giants off on the right foot at first base.

“I barely saw myself as an MLB player much less a coach,” Richardson said. “All the thanks to God for creating opportunities in my life. It’s the ability to bring awareness to what we can do as a country. I am just grateful for the opportunity that the Lord has put in front of me. I never envisioned this in my life and I think that He (God) continues to open doors. I’m grateful for those opportunities.”

Richardson was the sixth Bahamian to play in the majors. Ironically, it was the Giants who drafted him back in 2005. He was taken in the 35th round. In 2011, Richardson made his major league debut with the Atlanta Braves. In 2014, he played for the storied New York Yankees. Altogether, he played in 22 games. The outfielder said that coaching is different from playing as there are so much that goes into winning at that level.

“It is definitely different than it was as a player. I never recognized how much time and effort goes into winning one MLB game. It was a challenging season and I learned a lot. I think, ultimately, that you have to try to be prepared for everything and try to find any possible edge that you can take advantage of to win a game,” Richardson said.

Richardson said he used the experience of being around a lot of good and experienced coaches as an opportunity to learn from them. He knows that there is a lot more to learn but said he is proud to be a part of the Giants organization, and despite falling short this season, he said they had a good ride.

It was an abnormal season as the league played under strict protocols because of the COVID-19 pandemic, but Richardson said he was grateful the season got underway and that they were able to play.

“I think the challenges were similar to what everybody was facing. The tough part was not being able to be around my loved ones – not having the opportunity to see them everyday was the most challenging part for myself and other people. We were very adaptive to what our surroundings were. We were very grateful that we got an opportunity every other day. We were fortunate enough to be in a situation to have masks and do different things. We just wanted to compete, and the competition was very good and guys went out there and gave it their all,” Richardson stated.

As for getting the opportunity to be a first base coach, Richardson said that being around the league for years, he was able to foster relationships. He said that his non-profit organization, Project Limestone, which focuses on youth empowerment, also played a role. He got an interview for the job and the rest is history.

As for being a manager one day, he said he tries to learn as much as possible and when that time comes, he will address it, but for now, he doesn’t have an answer. He is just thankful for the experiences to get better and learn and said he is not ready at this point in time.

With the season over, Richardson plans to come home and spend time with his family and loved ones, and enjoy their presence. In addition to that, he said he plans on being available to the younger athletes to help them develop their skills in the sport of baseball.

CHRIS BROWN

• TITLE Head Track & Field Coach
• EMAIL ChristopherBrown@Clayton.edu
• PHONE (678) 466-4696
• YEAR 2nd
• ALMA MATER Norfolk State University (2014)

A veteran of five different Olympic Games and one of the most well-known sprinters to hail from the Bahamas, Chris Brown joined Clayton State Athletics as an assistant track & field coach in September of 2018 following a tremendous international career.

In July of 2019 he was promoted to head coach of both programs, taking over the reins from program founder Mike Mead.

CLAYTON STATE (2018-PRESENT, ASSISTANT COACH)
In his first year of collegiate coaching, Brown played a prominent role in helping numerous Lakers set personal-bests, program records and claim Peach Belt Conference individual titles.

Headlining that group was a program record 10 All-PBC selections for the women and five for the men. Among those Jasmine Radford (Lawrenceville, Ga.) won the 200-meters for the second straight year while Chris Florence (Newnan, Ga.) repeated as 400-meter champion for the men.

The latter was also a key member of the repeat champion 4×400 relay team of Churchill Ezeokonkwo, Brian Sims, Jr. and T.J. Witherspoon. Those individuals became the first to accomplish that feat since Job Kemboi won the 5,000-meters in back-to-back years culminating in 2015.

OLYMPIC GAMES CAREER (2000-16)
Over the course of a career that has spanned two decades, Brown has won medals world-wide but reached the apex of his career on the grandest stage of them all – the Olympic Games.

Competing for the Bahamas as a 21-year old, his first experience on that stage came in 2000 at the Sydney Olympics. There he was part of a 4×400-meter relay team of Avard Moncur, Troy McIntosh and Carl Oliver that earned the Bronze Medal with a time of 2:59.23.

Brown would return to the games in 2004, competing in Greece but it would not be until 2008 when he would see the medal stand again. That would come at the Beijing Olympics as he teamed with Andretti Bain, Michael Mathieu and Andrae Williams in the 4×400, running a time of 2:58.03 to claim the Silver Medal. Brown would also just miss out in the 400-meters, finishing in fourth place.

It wouldn’t be nearly so long a wait for his next trip to the podium and it would be the most satisfying yet. Competing at the 2012 London Olympics, Brown, Demetrius Pinder, Mathieu and Ramon Miller would best the United States for the 4×400 Gold Medal as they ran a time of 2:56.72.

Performances like that earned that group the name “The Golden Knights” in their native land. It was also the first Gold Medal for the Bahamas in a men’s competition, was a national record and was the third fastest time by a 4×400 relay in the Olympics.

On top of earning that medal, Brown also finished fourth in the 400-meters and served as the flagbearer for the Bahamas at the opening ceremonies.

He would return to the Olympic stage one more time at the 2016 Rio de Janeiro Games and, as he had done in three of his four previous trips, would not come away empty handed. Teaming with Alonzo Russell, Mathieu and Steven Gardiner, he earned his fourth Olympic medal, claiming Bronze with a time of 2:58.49. In a show of the esteem that his country holds him in, he was named Team Captain of the Bahamas Olympic Team that year.

INTERNATIONAL COMPETITION CAREER (1995-18)
One doesn’t reach the Olympics, and certainly not five times, without having an impressive international resume, and Chris Brown is no exception. Since entering the scene in 1997 he has earned a total of 28 medals at the international level, including seven gold, 10 silver and 11 bronze.

Among his most successful outings was the 2007 Pan American Games in Rio de Janeiro. There he earned gold in both the 400-meters and 4×400-meter relay. It is not his only time earning multiple medals at one event either.

He took bronze in the 400- and 800-meters at the 1997 CARIFTA Games and the gold in the 4×400 and silver in the 400-meters at the 2003 Central American and Caribbean Championships in St. Georges, Grenada. Two years later he would nearly replicate that feat with a gold in the 4×400 and bronze in the 400 on his home turf in Nassau, Bahamas.

Brown has also competed in at least eight biennial International Association of Athletics Federation (IAAF) World Indoor Championships. Of the 20 medals the Bahamas has won in the history of that event, he possesses six of them, including one of the nation’s three gold medals.

The latter was earned in the 400-meters in Doha, Qatar in 2010 while he claimed silver in 2014 at Sopot, Poland (400m) and in 2016 in Portland, Oregon (4×400). His time of 45.58 in Sopot is still his personal best. He also picked up bronze in the 400 in Moscow, Russia (2006), Valencia, Spain (2008) and Istanbul, Turkey (2012).

His success also included the IAAF Outdoor World Championships. Also held every two years, Brown experienced great success in the 4×400 in his multiple trips. He earned the gold in that event in Edmonton, Alberta, Canada in 2001, bronze in Paris, France (2003) and silver in Helsinki, Finland (2005) and Osaka, Japan (2007).

Tough to beat anywhere, but especially in his native land, Brown delivered a pair of silver medal performances in 2014 and 2015. Those came at the IAAF Bahamas World Relays with times of 2:57.59 and 2:58.91, respectively.

Additionally, he currently holds the national record for the Bahamas in the 800-meters with a time of 1:49.57, had previously set the 4×400-meter relay mark on several occasions and owns a 400-meter personal best of 44.40. Brown has also held top five world rankings, hitting No. 2 in 2006, No. 3 in 2009 and No. 4 in 2005. Each of those times he was No. 1 in the Bahamas.

COLLEGIATE CAREER: NORFOLK STATE (1998-2001)
Prior to beginning what would be an illustrious international career, Brown starred at Division I Norfolk State University and in the Mid-Eastern Athletic Conference (MEAC) from 1998-2001. While there he was a two-time outdoor All-American in the 400-meters, earning those honors by virtue of third and fourth place finishes at the 2000 and 2001 NCAA Outdoor Championships, respectively.

He also set program records in the outdoor 400-meters (45.08) and sprint medley relay (3:19.71) and indoor marks in the 500-meters (1:03.25) and 4×400-meter relay (3:07.80). Brown also set the MEAC Outdoor Championship record in the 400 (45.60) and became the first NSU student-athlete inducted into that league’s Hall of Fame (2009). That same year he was inducted into NSU’s Hall of Fame.

ACCOMPLISHMENTS AND ACCOLADES
Over the course of his career, Brown has earned a number of recognitions beyond what he has earned for himself on the track. These include being named the Bahamas’ National Team Captain in the 4×400-meters, Senior Male Athlete of the Year recipient 2005, 2006) and Senior Male Athlete of the Year and Athlete of the Year for Nassau, Bahamas (2012).

Additionally, he has been honored as an Exceptional Elite Athlete (Nassau, Bahamas – 2011), been a Bahamian Icon Award winner (2014) and was featured in the IAAF Feature Athlete: A Day in the Life Project series in 2014.

He has also received the Outstanding Performance Award on two different occasions, in 2008 for the Beijing Olympic Games and again in 2010. Rounding out those honors are the Tourism Award (Bahamas, 2016) and the Cacique Award (2017) presented by Cecil Rose Sports & Leisure (Bahamas).

EDUCATION
A 2014 graduate of Norfolk State, Brown holds a Bachelor of Science in Interdisciplinary Studies.