As of Thursday, July 7, 2022

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CHAVEZ FERNANDER

TAHNAJ THOMAS

#By RENALDO DORSETT

#Tribune Sports Reporter

#rdorsett@tribunemedia.net

#THE top Bahamian pitching prospects, Tahnaj Thomas and Chavez Fernander, took the mound this week in productive relief appearances in minor league baseball.

#Thomas recorded his first save for the Altoona Curve while Fernander had a successful outing in his reassignment with the Western Michigan Whitecaps.

#Thomas finished with two strikeouts and did not allow a hit in 1.2 innings of the Curve’s 7-3 win over the Harrisburg Senators on July 3. Through 21 appearances this season with one start, Thomas has gone 3-4 with one save in two opportunities.

#In 29.1 innings pitched, the 6’4”, 23-year-old right hander has 27 strikeouts and a 3.99 ERA for the Pitsburgh Pirates’ Double- A affiliate.

#He is currently ranked no.13 in the Pirates organisation, according to MLB Pipeline.

#Thomas had a season high four strikeouts in two innings of a June 11 win over the Reading Fightin’ Phils. He also had three strikeouts in two innings of an 11-5 win over the New Hampshire Fisher Cats on April 21 and got his first win of the season in the series finale against the Fisher Cats on April 24. He picked up his second win of the season in the current series opener against the Seawolves on May 3.

#Thomas was one of the club’s non-roster invitees to major league Spring Training in Bradenton, Florida last month.

#He spent last season at the High A level for the first time with the Greensboro Grasshoppers.

#In 16 appearances, all starts, he finished with a 3-3 record in 60.2 innings, with 62 strikeouts, an ERA of 5.19 and a 1.58 WHIP.

#Fernander was reassigned to the Detroit Tigers High A-affiliate, the West Michigan Whitecaps, on July 3 and made a relief appearance the following day in a 20-1 win over the Dayton Dragons.

#He struck out two of the three hitters he faced in a single inning.

#The 6’3” right-handed pitcher has fluctuated between Double A and Single A for most of the season.

#Fernander began the season with the Eerie Seawolves in Double A baseball but was assigned to the Whitecaps on May 3. He spent six games with the Whitecaps before he was recalled to the Seawolves.

#In six appearances with the Whitecaps he pitched nine innings with five strikeouts and gave up four runs with a 1.22 WHIP. With the Seawolves he had a 1-1 record in seven appearances, nine innings, a 3.0 ERA and nine strikeouts with a 1.56 WHIP before he was once again reassigned to the Whitecaps last weekend.

#Fernander spent the previous season with the Connecticut Tigers in the New York-Penn League in the 2019 season.

#In 11 appearances with eight starts, he went 2-2 with a 2.31 ERA and 33 strikeouts in 35 innings.

http://www.tribune242.com/news/2022/jul/07/pitchers-thomas-fernander-victorious-mound/?news

As of Thursday, July 7, 2022

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#By RENALDO DORSETT

#Tribune Sports Reporter

#rdorsett@tribunemedia.net

#THE top national youth baseball programmes across the region are in the capital this weekend for the inaugural Babe Ruth Region Caribbean Championships and Invitational.

#Play begins this morning and continues through July 11 at the newly renovated Baillou Hills Sporting Complex featuring 12 teams across the U16 and U12 divisions.

#The 12U division features Bahamas (Host), Bahamas (Tournament), Puerto Rico, Cuba, Cayman Islands and Aruba.

#First pitch is at 9am with Puerto Rico against Cuba.

#At 11am Cayman Islands will take on Bahamas (Tournament), followed by Bahamas (Host) against Cuba at 1pm.

#Bahamas (Tournament) takes on Puerto Rico at 3pm and Bahamas (Host) concludes the day with a matchup against Aruba at 5pm.

#The 16U division will feature The Bahamas, St Maarten, Netherlands, Aruba, Puerto Rico and the United States.

#Aruba and St Marteen will open play at 9am followed by the Netherlands and USA at 11am and Aruba against Puerto Rico at 1pm.

#The Bahamas will take the field at 3pm when they face the Netherlands and the USA closes out day one against St Marteen.

#The 1pm and 3pm games will be broadcast live on Rev throughout the group stage. They will also broadcast the semifinals and medal games on the final day. The opening ceremony will be the final event on day one, hosted at the Thomas A Robinson Stadium at 7pm with free admission.

#Play in the group stage continues from 9-5 for the following two days. The single game elimination round takes place on Sunday with Monday slated for gold and bronze medal games.

#Ticket packages for the event can be purchased at the NSA office at the Thomas A Robinson Stadium. Five day packages for adults are available at $65 for adults and $20 for children. Daily rates are $15 for adults and $5 for children.

#SuperClubs Breezes will be the Games Village for the visiting teams.

#Greg Burrows Sr, chairman of the National Sports Authority, also serves as the commissioner for Babe Ruth Baseball in the Caribbean.

#“My responsibility was mainly developing the brand in the region. The way I thought would be a good way to launch this brand was to host a tournament during our Independence.”

#Javier Bowe serves as manager of the U12 Bahamas (Host) and Lionel Ferguson Jr will serve as manager of Bahamas (Tournament). Greg Burrows Jr will be the manager of the U16 team.

#Minister of Youth, Sports and Culture Mario Bowleg said the event is indicative of the current administration’s Sports in Paradise initiative.

#“We have to understand that the amount of money we invest in our youth determines the future of our nation. The little that we put into these events is not sufficient compared to the lives we save with these young men,” he said.

#“We have a lot of professional baseball players in our system. These U12 and U16 divisions, this is where they start. So the investment, we as a people, as a government. The Sports in Paradise brand is not about just having heads in beds, it is about giving exposure to our young people, giving them the opportunity to explore the world.”

http://www.tribune242.com/news/2022/jul/07/inaugural-babe-ruth-region-caribbean-championships/?news

As of Thursday, July 7, 2022

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#By RENALDO DORSETT

#Tribune Sports Reporter

#rdorsett@tribunemedia.net

#Team Bahamas delivered several milestone performances at the 2022 Arkas Optimist World Championships.

#Craig Ferguson II was the top performer of the five-member group and highlighted the final day of sailing when he finished first among the silver fleet in race 11 of 12 at the event in Bodrum, Turkey.

#He finished ranked no.70 in the field of 276 sailors, with a net point total of 161.

#Ferguson sailed the first four races on day one in the red fleet. He finished 27th overall in race one followed by a second place finish in race two, 39th in race three, and 24th in race four.

#He sailed races five and six in the green fleet, finishing 34th and 13th respectively. He concluded the competition with his final six races in the silver fleet where he produced four top-five finishes. He finished fourth in race seven, 27th in race eight, 22nd in race nine, fourth in race 10 and concluded with a third place finish in race 12.

#Team Bahamas also included Finley McKinney-Lambert, Patrick Tomlinson, Zane Munro, and Norman Cartwright.

#The team finished 31st overall among 54 teams in the Nations Cup Rankings with 3,835 points. Italy claimed the Jacobsen Trophy World Championship with 743 points.

#Munro was ranked no.75 overall through 12 races with a net point total of 176.

#His top performances in the silver fleet was a fourth place finish in race 11 and a fifth place finish in race seven. He began competition in the blue fleet (26th and 21st), followed by two races in the green fleet (12th and 24th) before a return to the blue fleet (47th and 12th).

#Tomlinson had a net point total of 389 to rank no.171, with a top finish of third overall in race 10 of the silver fleet. McKinney-Lambert had a net score of 407 to rank no.177. His race series was highlighted by a first place finish in race 10 of the silver fleet. Cartwright finished at no.213 in the field. He had a first place finish in the emerald fleet in race seven and a no.3 finish in race 12.

#The Arkas Optimist World Championships is of the most prestigious sailing tournaments organised by the International Optimist Dinghy Association (IODA).

#It was hosted by the Bodrumspor Sailing Club of Bodrum Municipality, with support of the Bodrum Municipality and in cooperation with IODA International Optimist Dinghy Association and the Turkish Sailing Federation, the 2022 tournament started with the participation of 283 athletes from 62 countries.

http://www.tribune242.com/news/2022/jul/07/team-bahamas-shines-arkas-optimist-world-champions/?news

KALEB BARNETT, right, and Jules Montair, defensive backs coach at Temple.

As of Thursday, July 7, 2022

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#By RENALDO DORSETT

#Tribune Sports Reporter

#rdorsett@tribunemedia.net

#THE latest Bahamian prospect to enter the South Florida pipeline to gridiron success committed to a major Division I programme.

#Defensive back Kaleb Barnett announced his commitment to the Temple Owls football programme for the fall 2023 season.

#The Jackson Miami High product is reportedly the fifth high school prospect to commit to the Owls in the current recruiting cycle. Barnett was one of several Bahamian prospects to compete for Miami International Academy.

#Standing at 6’1” 185 pounds, Barnett is also a 100m sprinter who has turned in a time of 10.7 seconds.

#“My high school coach said I have a great wingspan for a corner. I’ll be able to stop and get a lot of picks,” Barnett told OwlsDaily. “Coaches want me to play every position because of my athletic ability.”

#The Temple staff looks forward to Barnett’s athletic ability in the defensive backfield.

#“Coach Jules and coach Drayton said they like my speed,” Barnett said. “If I get beat on a route, I’m able to catch up very quickly. And my height for a high school cornerback is good, especially how I’m still growing. I’ll be able to play multiple positions on the field.”

#Both Florida International and Florida Atlantic were in the recruiting process for Barnett who also got an offer from Charlotte before he ultimately chose Temple. Barnett went on a pair of visits to the campus, including to the “Cherry and White” Game last April.

#“When you see him in person, you wouldn’t be able to tell he just started playing football, with how fast he’s grown since he’s been down here,” Barnett’s coach Olin Cushion told Owls Daily. “You could barely tell that he just started playing last year. It’s crazy.”

#Several other Bahamians in the Miami International Academy programme have received offers from programmes at both the NAIA and NCAA levels.

#Dwayne Lewis, a 6’3” 215 outside linebacker and defensive end, has fielded offers from Kentucky Christian Knights in the NAIA and Wagner Seahawks in the Northeastern Conference of NCAA Division I.

#Outgoing seniors Mazio Randall and Amarie Archer have committed to the Dodge City Community College Conquistadors football programme for the upcoming fall semester.

#Miami International Academy finished their inaugural season 2-7 but it was highlighted by a 40-0 South Florida High School Orange Bowl win over Palm Beach Christian Prep.

http://www.tribune242.com/news/2022/jul/07/kaleb-barnett-commits-owls/?news

 Home|Sports|The Bahamas advances in world cup qualifiersSports

Simba FrenchSend an emailJuly 4, 2022 391 3 minute readFacebookTwitterLinkedInShare via Email

Chavano ‘Buddy’ Hield scored a game-high 24 points on National Pride Day in The Bahamas to propel the senior men’s national team to a convincing win on the road, booking their spot in the second round of the FIBA (International Basketball Federation) Americas World Cup Qualifiers, with a 97-80 victory over the US Virgin Islands (USVI) on Friday.

Hield led a balanced scoring attack for The Bahamas. Five other Bahamians scored in double digits in an away match-up at the UVI (University of the Virgin Islands) Sports and Fitness Center in St. Thomas, USVI.

Also scoring in double figures were Kentwan Smith (17 points), Franco Miller Jr. (16 points), Mychel Thompson (13 points), Radshad Davis (12 points) and Travis Munnings (10 points). The 97 points were the most ever scored by The Bahamas in a world cup qualifying game.

The Bahamas joins Canada and the Dominican Republic (DR) as the three teams from Group C to advance to the second round. Canada leads the group with a perfect 5-0 win/loss record while the DR sits in second with a 3-2 record. The Bahamas is in third with a 2-3 record. The USVI holds the fourth and final spot in Group C action with a winless 0-5 record and did not advance to the next round.

Minister of Youth, Sports and Culture Mario Bowleg congratulated the team for moving one step closer to qualifying for the 2023 FIBA Basketball World Cup.

“I watched the game with great pride and extend congratulations to the senior men’s national team, which was led by NBA (National Basketball Association) player Chavano ‘Buddy’ Hield, Mychel Thompson and Franco Miller,” said Bowleg in a press release.

He encouraged Bahamians to come out and support the team in their game against the DR tonight.

“On this day of national pride, I ask every Bahamian to join me in celebrating tonight’s (Friday) feat. This critical win gives Team Bahamas momentum heading into Monday night’s (tonight) game, which will be played right here at home, against the Dominican Republic. I encourage all Bahamians to come out and cheer on our men’s national team,” Bowleg said.

It was clear that The Bahamas was on a mission against USVI to clinch that spot in the second round as they played with much pace early and had a strong defensive presence throughout. The Bahamas had 14 steals in total with Hield owning five of those steals. The Bahamas had just nine turnovers compared to their counterparts who had a whopping 20 turnovers. The Bahamas scored a jaw-dropping 26 points from those USVI turnovers compared to USVI scoring just three points from The Bahamas’ turnovers.

In the fastbreak points category, The Bahamas had 18 points in the open court compared to USVI’s 13 points. As a team, The Bahamas made 16 three-point shots out of 40 attempts from deep, shooting 40 percent from distance. Hield was responsible for five of those made shots from deep and Thompson made three shots from deep.

The team showed chemistry as they had 33 made shots on 20 assists.

Thompson scored nine of his 13 points in the opening period for The Bahamas. The home team managed to keep the score close early in the game as it was tied at 24 after the first quarter.

After the coaching staff gave the team their feedback at the end of the first quarter, the Bahamian players responded positively as they began to pull away from the home team. Davis gave The Bahamas the lead with 9:28 left in the second quarter and they never looked back.

In the second quarter, Florida Gulf Coast University guard Miller came to life. Miller scored some key buckets and played some stifling defense in that quarter to lead all scorers with 12 points at the half. Miller hit a shot from deep on a pass from Munnings with three minutes left in the first half to give The Bahamas its first double-digit lead, 44-34.

At the end of the first half, The Bahamas led 52-39 and was in control of the game after a 28-15 second quarter advantage.

In the third quarter, The Bahamas built its largest lead of the game, 23 points, leading 75-52 with 3:33 remaining. They got to that margin on an alley-oop layup to Davis from Miller. The Bahamas led 77-62 at the end of the third quarter.

Hield had 16 points at the end of the third quarter. For good measure, he scored eight more points before making his final exit with 56 seconds left in regulation. He made two shots from beyond the arc and made two free throws in the final quarter.

Walter Hodge led the USVI with 18 points.

The Bahamas’ team is back home, preparing to face the DR at the Baha Mar Convention Center tonight. That game gets underway at 7 p.m. The DR is coming off a 95-75 loss to Canada on Friday.

https://thenassauguardian.com/the-bahamas-advances-in-world-cup-qualifiers/

 Home|Sports|New squash champions crowned at Four WallsSports

The Nassau GuardianSend an emailJuly 5, 2022 219 1 minute readFacebookTwitterLinkedInShare via Email

After five days of competition, new champions in five divisions were crowned at the inaugural Four Walls Squash Open Championship that took place last week. Sunday’s finals attracted old and new players, who were all excited to see the rebirth of the fun and competitive sport.

“The competition was a great success based on the level of participation on and off the court, and how much fun everyone had. Squash at Four Walls is recreational, but everyone loves a good competition every once in a while,” said Tournament Director Mike Fields, who was happy to see participation from members and non-members of Four Walls Squash & Social Club.

Winners in the amateur competition received over $2,000 in prizes. They included Ryan Reid (Division A), Andrew Hanna (Division B), Shawn Knowles (Division C), Bianca Lee (Women’s Novice) and Lavelle Symonette (Men’s Novice).

Justin Knowles won the Sportsmanship Award. He joined the club just one month prior to the tournament and had only 

participated in a few lessons.

“Just to get a feel for how other players play squash, I said I might as well enter it and have a bit of fun. It was a very welcoming and enjoyable experience. At no point did I feel pressure to perform beyond my abilities. Everyone was very welcoming and understanding of my skill level and willing to give me tips and pointers while not taking it easy on me, so I could get better. I really fell in love with squash during the tournament,” said Knowles.

Looking ahead, Four Walls is hosting a kids summer camp in July, and plans to launch a league in the fall along with its annual beginner’s tournament in October. Fields said he looks forward to the continued growth of the club’s popular group coaching program. This affordable, learn-to-play program for adults is introducing many new players to the sport.

Interested players can learn more and sign up for all of the sessions online at www.fourwallsbahamas.com.

https://thenassauguardian.com/new-squash-champions-crowned-at-four-walls/

 Home|Sports|BBF ratifies 12-member women’s team for CBC tournamentSports

Simba FrenchSend an emailJuly 6, 2022 250 3 minute readFacebookTwitterLinkedInShare via Email

The Bahamas Basketball Federation (BBF) has ratified a 12-member senior women’s national basketball team for the FIBA (International Basketball Federation) Caribbean Basketball Confederation (CBC) Women’s Championship, set for July 13-17 in Havana, Cuba.

Making up the squad are Britenique Harrison, Philicia Kelly, Valerie Nesbitt, Latoya Rolle, Antonicia Moultrie, Lativia Brennan, Tiffany Wildgoose, Valicia Demeritte, Denika Lightbourne, Roberta Quant, Lorraine Oliver and Karolyn Baptiste.

Donillo “Donnie” Culmer is the head coach of the team and he will be assisted by Devon Johnson and Diasti Delancy. The team manager is Anastacia Sands-Moultrie and Sasha Johnson is the trainer.

Culmer said that the team has been training for two months and they are looking to win it all.

“It has been a struggle with getting facilities to practice in and getting the ladies out,” Culmer said. “We got a good core of young girls come out and we had to pick the team based on who came out. We have some girls here at home who were good enough to make this team but for some reason they chose not to come out. We are prepared to go to Cuba and come back with the gold and if that does not happen, we’ll look to qualify for the next round by placing in the top three.”

The Bahamas is one of five teams vying for one of the three spots, looking to qualify for the 2022 Centrobasket Women’s Championship. That tournament is set for November of this year. The other four teams that will be playing at the Ciudad Deportiva Coleseum in Havana next week are Jamaica, Guyana, the Dominican Republic and the host nation Cuba.

Team Bahamas will tip off its play on Thursday July 14 with a matchup against Cuba at 8 p.m.

The team is a mixture youth and veteran players and Culmer and his staff will look to play at a fast pace.

“I am pleased with the young crew that I have,” Culmer said. “Some of these girls are entering grade 12 and some are just starting college. It is going to be a learning experience for some of them. We are going to go over there and give it a shot.

“It is a team with young legs and my guards will be my strength. Like I said earlier, the set who did not choose to come out would have been able to help the team. Our defense with the full court pressure along with the speed we have should be a good factor.”

One of those young players is 17-year-old Lightbourne, who is a guard entering grade 12 at Tallulah Falls School in Tallulah, Georgia, USA.

“It is a great opportunity and I have to use it to my advantage, because not many people have such an opportunity. I am learning from the older women on the team and that is a priority for me,” Lightbourne said. “At such a young age, I want to do what is best for the team. I want to fill in where they need me or wherever I can help, whether it’s to facilitate on offense, shooting or playing defense. I am just looking to go out there and do my best.”

Team captain and veteran center Harrison said the preparation has been going well.

“We have been working hard and working on our chemistry. I think that helping to lead the team has been going good. I think we all have a good relationship so the respect is there. Everyone listens to each other and we take criticism well. I have been on the national team for a while so I am looking forward to this.

“We have been getting in shape and we are getting a feel for the game. It is good being back and representing The Bahamas. We just want to go out there and do our best and we plan to qualify for the next round. I am looking to go out there and give my all, play some defense and be a good piece for my team to get wins,” Harrison said.

The last time the senior women’s national team played was in 2018 in the Centrobasket Women’s Championship in Manati, Puerto Rico. They finished sixth.

https://thenassauguardian.com/bbf-ratifies-12-member-womens-team-for-cbc-tournament/

 Home|Sports|‘Beep Baseball’ launched in The BahamasSports

It’s a form of baseball that can be played by persons who are blind or visually impaired

The Nassau GuardianSend an emailJuly 6, 2022 279 2 minute readFacebookTwitterLinkedInShare via Email

Looking to find a way to give the blind and visually impaired a sport to play, the Bahamas Coalition of Advocates for Disability Awareness and Services (BaCadas) officially launched ‘Beep Baseball’ on Saturday at the Anatol Rodgers High School.

“Beep Baseball” is a form of baseball that can be played and enjoyed by persons who are visually impaired. The ball is an oversized softball that beeps.

Executive director and chairman of BaCadas Kendrick Rolle said he is happy that the sport is finally launched in The Bahamas.

“It was a long time coming. When you learn that something like that started from a long time ago coupled with the fact that there was never an opportunity for persons in The Bahamas who are blind and visually impaired or low vision to have a sporting activity to be a part of, it is a wonderful feeling. It provides an opportunity for them to go out and get some exercise and run about in fresh air and just have a different form of entertainment other than listening to television or radio,” Rolle said.

Rolle said they are a group of persons who are looking to create an inclusive environment for people with disabilities.

“The whole initiative with ‘Beep Baseball’ and mixing in junkanoo is just the first steps we are taking in providing a more inclusive environment for persons with disabilities to participate in. Our aim is to get them involved, starting with ‘Beep Baseball’ and junkanoo,” Rolle said.

On hand throwing out the first pitch at the launch of the event was Royal Bahamas Defence Force (RBDF) Commodore Raymond King.

“I had an opportunity to meet with Rolle and saw the work that they did with disabled persons who are blind and visually impaired from as early as 2018. I was able to garner support from members of the RBDF and we conducted several field activities for those persons. There were two hikes and it was an eye-opener for me and a life-changing event. The RBDF has assisted the disability community with their fundraisers. My vision is to be a socially responsible citizen and to be able to give back to society. The RBDF has been aggressive in assisting entities throughout the length and breadth of The Bahamas,” King said.

After the presentation, there was a demonstration of the game on the Anatol Rodgers school courts. There is an organization called the National Beep Ball Association (NBBA) in the United States of America that put on tournaments and even stages a world series format tournament. Play is usually for the blind or visually impaired but it can also be played by sighted persons who are blindfolded. There are two bases that are 100 feet away from the home plate, and unlike the sport of baseball, a batter is out after four strikes.

https://thenassauguardian.com/beep-baseball-launched-in-the-bahamas/

 Home|Sports|BBKD stages its first karate and kickboxing tournamentSports

The Nassau GuardianSend an emailJuly 7, 2022 84 1 minute readFacebookTwitterLinkedInShare via Email

The Bahamas Bassai Karate-Dojo (BBKD), in conjunction with the Society of Shotokan Stylists, held its first Bahamas Karate and Kickboxing Tournament a recently at the Anatol Rodgers High School Gymnasium. The event, which was sanctioned by the Bahamas Martial Arts Federation, was hosted by Renshi Shawn Smith Sr.

Over 140 competitors from 12 local karate and kickboxing schools took part in the event, which drew a crowd to the gymnasium. From all reports, the crowd was thrilled with the exciting performances. The event is a part of the federation’s national championships circuit, and was open to all styles.

The hierarchy of Bahamian martial arts was out in full attendance at the one-day show and five of them were honored at the event. They were Shihan Brian Beckford, Shihan Eldridge McKinney, Sifu Leonard Major, Professor Alfred Rolle and Grand Master Alex Penn.

Some of the greatest moments of the show took place during the black belt fights and continuous fighting and 

kickboxing events.

“Karate is here and we are doing big things,” said Renshi Smith, instructor of the Society of Shotokan Stylists Karate School. “We are looking forward to more events in the future.”

Led by Coach Shawn Smith Jr., the Spartans Fighting Academy was out in full force. All of the patrons expressed pleasure in the organization of the event, and it was agreed that the tournament has set the bar high for the staging of future local martial arts events.

https://thenassauguardian.com/bbkd-stages-its-first-karate-and-kickboxing-tournament/

 Home|Sports|Team Bahamas preparing for CONCACAF U15 ChampionshipSports

Simba FrenchSend an emailJuly 7, 2022 121 2 minute readFacebookTwitterLinkedInShare via Email

The Bahamas Football Association (BFA) is sending a junior girls national team to take part in the 2022 CONCACAF (Confederation of North, Central America and Caribbean Association Football) Under-15 Girls Championship, slated for July 31 to August 7 at the Hillsborough County Tournament Sportsplex in Tampa, Florida, United States of America (USA).

Guardian Sports caught up with the training squad as they were practicing and while they engaged in a scrimmage game against United FC. The final 18-member team along with coaching staff will be selected next week. There is not a head coach for the team as yet, but there are assistant coaches.

Assistant Ricqea Bain likes the progress that the team is making as they get closer to the date of competition.

“They have been improving week by week. We have introduced new tactics and they have been implementing it. The Grand Bahama girls came in and it was a great addition,” Bain said. “After not playing for two years, their progress has been good over the past few weeks especially as we went into the summer and train every day. We have seen them advance tremendously.”

One of those six girls from Grand Bahama is center midfielder, Kaylee Murray – just 13 years old.

“It has been good and a lot of work,” Murray said. “It will be worth it. If I make the team, I am looking to proudly represent The Bahamas. It will be good to make the team at 13. I am used to being one of the youngest players on a team. I hope to play well.”

Another assistant coach is Jodei Clarke. She has been working with the girls on a regular basis and is hoping they develop more chemistry.

“We are looking to defend as a unit. This is their first time playing together and in a tournament. We lack possessions so we need to keep the ball so we can advance forward. A lot of the girls will get a faster game pace when they compete over there because in The Bahamas we play on a smaller field. Most of all, they will get to have fun as some travel outside the country for the first time,” Clarke said.

Last week, coaches worked on playing the ball from the back which will help the girls with possession rather than kicking the ball up the field. They also worked on the goalkeepers distributing the ball on a set pace. Bain is hoping to play possession ball and move up the field to get into scoring position.

Valtinique Simmons plays the forward position mainly. She just finished grade nine at C.H. Reeves Junior High School and is looking forward to scoring goals.

“When I first came here, I was scared. Playing with a lot strange girls, I knew I had to get used to playing with them. I kept coming out to practice, I started to get better and realized that I could keep up with them. I hope I make the team and score a few goals for the team so we can come back victorious,” said Simmons.

A total of 31 teams have been divided into three leagues – A, B and C which was based on the women’s under-17 ranking. The Bahamas is in League B. They are in the Group E with the Dominican Republic, Bermuda and Antigua and Barbuda. They will kick off play on Sunday July 31, taking on the Dominican Republic at 11 a.m. on Field Three.

https://thenassauguardian.com/team-bahamas-preparing-for-concacaf-u15-championship/