Home|Sports|Johnson wins gold medal at judo competition in EdmontonSports

Simba FrenchSend an emailMarch 16, 2023 239 1 minute readFacebookTwitterLinkedInShare via Email

Bahamian junior judoka Xavion Johnson is continuing to make waves in the sport of judo and this past weekend was no different as he was victorious at the 18th Annual Edmonton International Judo Championship at the West Edmonton Mall Ice Palace, in Edmonton, Alberta, Canada.

The competition took place March 11-12 and 16-year-old Johnson competed in the under-18 men’s 60 kilogram (kg) division. Johnson took down Denis Neyolov with a win by ippon in the gold medal match. It was his first ever senior gold medal. The match against Neyolov was a tough one as he had expected, he said.

“My goal was to get close to my opponent to throw him but since he knew what my moves are and what I like to do, it was extremely hard to catch him. I had one millisecond of being as close as I can to him and I caught him for a score. After that, my game plan was to run out the clock. It went off and so, I won,” Johnson said.

He took down competitors Braydin Nguyen, Li Eldon and Kim Aden to advance to the final.

In February, Johnson won a gold medal at the Matsumae Cup in Vejie, Denmark. He also competed in the Czech Republic.

“It was extremely hard fighting in Europe. European Judo is hard to fight since they’re so strong and technically good but if you know how to work around that you should be able to win,” Johnson said. “The year for me competition-wise is going absolutely amazing. I’ve been undefeated in under-18 60kg for five and a half months. I won my first ever European medal. I feel like everything is coming together this year.”

Johnson said he has to work on his gripping technique, throwing, cardio and strength. He said he is looking to work on those aspects, so he can keep developing as a judoka. He attends Capstone Academy and is set to graduate in June.

“School is coming along well. I’m in my last year of high school, so I’m happy about that. Balancing school and judo is hard but once you get used to a certain schedule, it gets easier,” Johnson said.

Johnson’s next major competition will be the European Cup, set for May 27-28, in Coimbra, Portugal.

 Home|Sports|Bahamasair, and other partners, come on board for CARIFTASports

Simba FrenchSend an emailMarch 16, 2023 285 4 minute readFacebookTwitterLinkedInShare via Email

The national flag carrier Bahamasair has come on board as the official airline for the 50th Oaktree CARIFTA Games, signing up as a gold sponsor for the event that is set to be held April 8-10 at Thomas A. Robinson National Stadium here in The Bahamas.

The announcement came at a press conference held on the grounds of the Queen Elizabeth Sports Centre yesterday. Along with Bahamasair, the Local Organizing Committee of the event (LOC) introduced other partners. Those partners included Consolidated Water Bahamas, Cornèr Bank (Overseas) Limited, Dairy Queen and J.S. Johnson Insurance Agents & Brokers.

Bahamasair, like the nation and the CARIFTA Games itself, is celebrating its golden jubilee anniversary. General Manager of Bahamasair Tracy Cooper said that they are happy to be a part of the CARIFTA Games again, and they have been in constant communication with North American, Central American and Caribbean Athletic Association (NACAC) President Mike Sands. NACAC is the owner of the CARIFTA Games.

“We are more than delighted to be here and get on board and be the airline of choice for the CARIFTA Games. We have been working along with Sands and his team. It’s good when we know that we can be very instrumental in making sure that we can bring these matters to fruition. It’s just not The Bahamas, but we have gotten on board with Sands and his team and we will help out wherever is needed in the Caribbean and the Americas for the NACAC region,” Cooper said.

NACAC President Sands spoke about the relationship between CARIFTA and Bahamasair. He said the airline has its regular schedule but has accommodated CARIFTA many times before.

“When you have little and you’re asked to do so much, it has to have a spirit of cooperation and understanding. Cooper and his team, they recognize the significance of them being involved and the contribution that they would make that would make this event a success. If you’re having an event and your guests can’t get here, you do not have an event. We all know what is happening in the region in terms of accessibility from point to point and notwithstanding prices associated with it,” Sands said.

Bahamasair is looking to take The Bahamas’ CARIFTA swim team to Curacao for the CARIFTA Swimming Championships and teams from Curacao, Bonaire and Aruba will board the plane there. They will head to Port-of-Spain, Trinidad and Tobago, and pick up the team from Trinidad and Tobago before returning to The Bahamas. They will also make trips to Antigua and Barbuda to pick up athletes there before returning home. Another charter flight will bring a full load from Jamaica to The Bahamas.

Bahamasair is no stranger to assisting with CARIFTA, having been the official airline for the track and field and swimming teams in recent years. Bahamasair’s Director of Commercial and Charters Samantha Lookie said they are capable of the task at hand.

“This isn’t the first CARIFTA Games that Bahamasair has assisted with,” Lookie said. “We help the swimming and track and field teams to get to every island. The only place we don’t go is Bermuda, but it’s not just The Bahamas. We’re here to assist.”

A 138-seat plane has limitations such as seat capacity, especially with some teams having a large number of team members and supporters. Sands said that there must be a full plane load if there needs to be.

Henderson Cash, general manager of Consolidated Water, said they are here to help the youth.

“Our focus is especially geared toward the youth – to be able to provide the energy that you would see in water and the energy of sport is in motion so we produce motion. Consolidated Water thought of nothing short of a great delight for us to participate in the 50th CARIFTA Games. We are here. We’re going gold with you,” Cash said.

Christine Russell, Chief Executive Officer (CEO) of Cornèr Bank (Overseas) Limited, is excited for the opportunity to support the athletes.

“As a bank committed to investing in the development of our local communities, we recognize the importance of supporting initiatives that promote the growth and well-being of our young people. The CARIFTA Games has a long-standing tradition of doing just that by providing a platform for young athletes from across the Caribbean to showcase their talents, compete at a high level, and learn valuable skills,” Russell said.

Crystal Campbell, Chief Operating Officer (COO) of Dairy Queen, said that a part of their mission statement is to create positive memories.

“A part of our vision is to support our community, so we saw it fitting to be involved as a corporate citizen. Our civic duties include giving back and supporting kids in particular. Therefore, seeing that this is for the youth, it’s a great opportunity for us to be a part of this. We’re happy to be a part of it,” Campbell said.

Robert Bartlett, Sr. Manager for J.S. Johnson, said they are all about being a responsible corporate citizen.

“We have contributed and continue to contribute to the development of nation building, whether it be through education, sports in body, mind and spirit. Sporting discipline helps in terms of nation building. A lot of our leaders have come through the sporting programs, and we believe that we should not only speak it but we should show it,” Bartlett stated.

As the country gears up to host the CARIFTA Games, the combined Bahamas National High School Track and Field Championships and the CARIFTA Trials will be held at Thomas A. Robinson National Stadium from March 25-27.

https://thenassauguardian.com/bahamasair-and-other-partners-come-on-board-for-carifta/

 Home|Sports|BPGA asking for leading jobs for Bahamian golf prosSports

Association president Pratt says more opportunities need to be made available

Sheldon LongleySend an emailMarch 16, 2023 314 6 minute readFacebookTwitterLinkedInShare via Email

More than 50 years after the body would have been established, members of the Bahamas Professional Golfers Association (BPGA) feel as if they are still fighting for some of the issues today that they were lobbying for back then. In fact, they would say that it’s worse today given the state of professional golf in the country and the opportunities available for Bahamian golf professionals.

Of significant concern is the employment opportunities available for Bahamians at the major hotel resorts for director of golf, head golf pro and resident golf pro positions.

BPGA President Glenn Pratt, who is celebrating 50 years of competitive golf this year, said there is no respect for the Bahamian golf pros and no employment opportunities available for them.

“A lot of government leaders don’t even know that professional golf exists because they only relate to the Bahamas Golf Federation (BGF) which governs the amateur body of the sport. This is our livelihood. We’re the ones who are supposed to be employed at every golf course in The Bahamas and we’re the ones who are not. We’re fighting to be employed. We’re well-educated and we’re well-experienced,” he said. “The folks who are getting these opportunities are foreign and white. They are the ones who are getting hired. It’s right back to the days when Black people couldn’t work in a bank and didn’t have a say for themselves. The majority of these foreign pros are not as qualified as we are. We are questioned about our qualifications but we never question them. We invite them to come play in our tournaments but they don’t associate with us. They would hire some Bahamians who are not qualified, and when they find the ones who are, they would do all they can to frustrate them out of their jobs. After 50 years, I feel like I am worse off than I was 50 years ago as it relates to golf in this country. We have collectively gone backwards.”

Back for a second non-consecutive term as president, Pratt said it is incumbent on his administration to educate government leaders on the value of Bahamians being in lead golf positions professionally and running the various golf courses in The Bahamas.

“There is no representation in government that favors Bahamian professionals having the authority to govern what happens over professional golf courses,” said Pratt. “When political leaders get elected, they automatically become smart enough to run a country. That is their mandate, but here you have us who have been at it for 50 years, they don’t believe we are smart enough to run a golf course. Maybe we need to bring in some foreigners to do their jobs because I don’t believe they are smart enough to run a country. This is something that we have been screaming and shouting for many years, as it relates to employment. There has been no positive feedback. They are not giving us any attention at all.”

Pratt said that they have met with the Minister of Labour and Immigration Keith Bell, but added that it has been unproductive and unfruitful. Currently, there are about 15 Bahamian golf pros in the country: Marcus Pratt, BPGA vice president; Raquel Riley, BPGA secretary and immediate past president; Keathen Stuart, BPGA treasurer; Pratt,  Keno Turnquest, Chris Lewis and Georgette Rolle, just to name a few. According to BPGA President Glenn Pratt, who has been at the helm of the BPGA for just about a month, none of them are employed in leading golf positions at major resorts and golf courses in the country.

“There are so many people who come through this country who we don’t get to meet because we don’t have a Bahamian pro on the golf courses who could set up meetings with government ministers. We should be the ones meeting the movers and shakers in the industry and ensuring that they become regulars here,” said Pratt. “There are so many people who come through this country who our government don’t get to meet and that’s huge because they could invest and we could spread some of the wealth to different parts of the country. It all happens through networking. The foreign pros are meeting these people, but they are not introducing them to our government, so we are losing our opportunities. The government needs to understand why it’s important for us to be employed as resident professionals, head golf pros and golf directors at every golf course in the country. We are more than capable of running golf courses and teaching the best golfers in the world.”

BPGA Vice President Marcus Pratt reiterated those sentiments, adding that they need the country’s prime minister to step in like the late Sir Lynden Oscar Pindling, former prime minister of The Bahamas, did when he came to power in the late 1960s.

“What we really need is for the government of The Bahamas to reenact the authority on the golfing community and give it to the Bahamian professionals as it was in the beginning. Let history repeat itself,” he said. “Here we are 50 years later and professional golf means nothing. We need it to come from the prime minister that the authority for pro golf in The Bahamas be given back to Bahamians. Bahamian golf pros will always assist other Bahamians to become pros, but there are no foreign golf pros who will assist and develop Bahamian golfers. We are about progressively moving the body forward and that can’t happen as long as we are being kicked out and pushed out at golf courses daily. Foreign golf pros are not about building Bahamian golf and professional golf in The Bahamas; they are all about business.”

BPGA Secretary Raquel Riley said she had leading golf positions at Baker’s Bay Golf & Ocean Club in the Abacos and at the Albany resort until she was pushed out in favor of a foreigner. She said she feels like there was little attained on their behalf in their meeting with Minister Bell.

“He basically described it as being so far beyond what we could understand to trying and stop it would be not possible. There were just a bunch of referrals and giving us the runaround. It appears that no one understands what is really going on,” she said.

BPGA President Pratt said it is their intention to bring professional golf back to where it used to be in The Bahamas, building it to a level of respect. The BPGA is the governing body for professional golf in The Bahamas.

“In the meeting with the minister of labour, it was said that all of these terms are in the heads of agreements and the deals are already made, but we never get to see these heads of agreements. I’m encouraged by what I’ve seen the Minister of Youth, Sports and Culture Mario Bowleg do during his term so far and it is our intention to sit with him. We have to be the ones to educate the government when it comes to professional golf and the benefits of having us at the table. The fight goes on,” said Pratt.

He added that it was the former prime minister, Pindling, who stood up on their behalf when the Progressive Liberal Party (PLP) came to office in 1967 – the same year the BPGA was formed.

“In Pindling, we had a leader who believed in his people and believed that they were intelligent enough to govern over anything in this country. You didn’t have to be foreign to be accepted and I lived through a huge part of that. We’re determined to make a difference and we’re not going to stop,” said Pratt. “One group of people, foreign pros, came together and decided that they are going to eliminate professional golf in this country, but we are not going to stop pushing forward. Someone has to leave something in place for all of these young kids and young golfers who are coming up in this country to eventually become golf pros and golf directors themselves. There are many Bahamian junior golfers out there, but now there is nothing here for them, so they are discouraged. They have nothing to look forward to and we have to change that.”

As far as their plans for The Bahamas’ 50th Golden Jubilee Independence year is concerned, Pratt said they intend to stage a “Salute to Legends” golfers ball and bring to life a golf hall of fame. He said they would also like to put something in place to celebrate the mega accomplishment of Bahamian Fred Perpall who was elected as president of the United States Golf Association (USGA) last month. He is not only the first person of African descent to hold the position of USGA president, but also the first Bahamian to be elected as president of a major sports organization in the US.

“We have to celebrate Fred Perpall,” said Pratt. “We’re looking to organize something for all of the young golfers in the country to meet him and for the golf community to realize how important it is for all of us to recognize what his position means for golf in The Bahamas. We need to show the US and the rest of the world how proud we are of him.”

The BPGA was revived in 2020 after a short dormant period. Riley served as president before handing over the reins to Pratt who is expected to serve as president for the next four years, until 2027.

https://thenassauguardian.com/bpga-asking-for-leading-jobs-for-bahamian-golf-pros/

 Home|Sports|Mingoes can’t hold on; lose to Shockers in overtimeSports

The Nassau GuardianSend an emailMarch 17, 2023 146 2 minute readFacebookTwitterLinkedInShare via Email

The University of The Bahamas (UB) Mingoes men’s basketball team came from 10 points down to force overtime against the Caro Construction Shockers on Wednesday night but couldn’t complete the comeback in New Providence Basketball Association (NPBA) playoff action.

Despite leading by as much as eight points in regulation and having to claw back from 10 points down, the Mingoes fell 72-68 in overtime at the A.F. Adderley Gymnasium. The Shockers lead the best-of-three series 1-0, and the second game is set for Saturday.

Erquantae Edgecombe and Justin Burrows each contributed 17 points for the Mingoes in the loss. Ricardo Taylor scored 11 points. Burrows pulled down 11 rebounds and Theodore Grant had seven steals.

Spurgeon Johnson led the Shockers with 18 points, William Rigby scored 16 and Jeron Smith and Dario McKenzie added 12 apiece. McKenzie pulled down 15 rebounds for the Shockers.

The Mingoes led by as much as eight points, taking that cushion after a Dave Lindsey rebound led to a fast break layup for Grant. That shot gave them a 34-26 lead with 1:23 to go in the second quarter.

The Shockers bounced back, tying the game at 41 on a layup from Dominique Fernander.

Johnson capped a 13-3 scoring run for The Shockers, hitting two free throws to put them up 54-44 with 6:23 to go in regulation.

The Mingoes cut the lead down, forcing a tie with 1.3 seconds to go. The score was tied at 62 at that point. The Mingoes called a time-out and were able to advance the ball into the front court. Grant inbounded the ball and got it back. Edgecombe caught a loose ball and attempted a shot but was unable to convert and the game went into overtime.

Edgecombe and Grant combined on a 6-2 run to start the overtime session, putting the Mingoes up four at 68-64. However, the Shockers closed the game on an 8-0 run to pull off the win and go up 1-0 in the series.

“This was a very winnable game for us tonight and the guys played their hearts out,” said Mingoes’ Head Coach Bacchus Rolle. “We made the stops but we couldn’t convert it to baskets. This team fights but I think fatigue set in and when fatigue happens your mind goes and then your legs go. We fought well and came back to tie the game and almost won it.”

Rolle added that heading into the second game of the best-of-three series his squad is going to have to find some offense. “We have to find more than just Justin Burrows who came out big with 17 points tonight,” he said. “We are also going to have to control the paint and hit more jump shots along with spreading the floor a bit more to give our big men an opportunity to work the middle of the floor more.”

The Shockers out-rebounded the Mingoes 70-47 in the game.

Game two of the best-of-three series is set for Saturday at 7 p.m. at the A.F. Adderley gym.

https://thenassauguardian.com/mingoes-cant-hold-on-lose-to-shockers-in-overtime/

 Home|Sports|Bahamians experience action in NCAA tournamentsSports

Simba FrenchSend an emailMarch 17, 2023 164 2 minute readFacebookTwitterLinkedInShare via Email

The National Collegiate Athletics Association (NCAA) Division I (DI) men and women’s basketball tournaments got underway yesterday. Bahamian Fredrick King will be in action today, competing for the Creighton University Bluejays (21-12). Bahamian head coach of the University of Mississippi (Ole Miss) Lady Rebels women’s basketball program Yolett McPhee-McCuin will lead her team into their opening game today. Bryan Clarke’s team, the University of Houston Cougars, was in action last night.

King and the Bluejays will play in the tournament for a 24th time in program history and eighth time in the past 12 years. They are ranked at number 24 in the country and will take to the court at 4 p.m. Eastern Standard Time when they play the North Carolina State University Wolfpack (23-10) at the Ball Arena in Denver, Colorado.

The Bluejays are coming off a third-place finish in the Big East Conference. In the NCAA Tournament, they are the sixth seed in the South Region and the Wolfpack is the 11th seed.

Standing 6’10” and weighing 234 pounds, King played in 33 games and started three of those games. He is averaging 3.8 points in nine minutes per game. He is shooting 60.5 percent from the field and grabbed 2.6 rebounds per game this season. His season-high in points is 16 points against Marquette back in December. The Andros native had a season-high 11 rebounds and five blocks against Arizona State.

McPhee-McCuin is making her second trip to the NCAA DI women’s championship as the head coach of the Rebels. The program will be making its 19th appearance. The Rebels earned an at-large bid and will tip off the tournament as the eighth seed in Seattle 4 Region. They will take on the ninth seeded Gonzaga University Bulldogs at 10 p.m. tonight at the Maples Pavilion in Stanford, California.

Grand Bahama native McPhee-McCuin ventured to Oxford, Mississippi, and has put the women’s basketball team on the map in the last five years. They have advanced to the semifinals of the Southeastern Conference (SEC) for the past two years.

The past season, they finished with a 23-8 win/loss record, including an 11-5 record in a tough SEC. This is the second consecutive season in which they have won 20-plus games and 10-plus games in the SEC.

Clarke is sitting on the University of Houston Cougars’ bench as the sports performance assistant coach. The Cougars have made it to the Sweet 16 a total of 13 times. They are attempting to head back to the Final Four for a third consecutive season, and coincidentally, the Final Four will be held in Houston, Texas, this year.

The Cougars are the number one seed in the Midwest Region. They played the number 16 seed Northern Kentucky Norse at the Legacy Arena in Birmingham, Alabama, last night. The result was unavailable up to press time.

The Cougars earned their number one seed after one of the best seasons in school history. This past season they posted a 31-3 overall record and captured their third straight American Athletic Conference (AAC) regular season title. They had a 17-1 record in the conference. This is their fourth regular season title in the last five years. They are making their fifth straight NCAA Tournament appearance and 24th in school history.

https://thenassauguardian.com/bahamians-experience-action-in-ncaa-tournaments/

 Home|Uncategorized|All-female card set for March 31Sports

Simba FrenchSend an emailMarch 17, 2023 171 3 minute readFacebookTwitterLinkedInShare via Email

First Class Promotions is back and is set to host the first all-female fight night in The Bahamas. The event was initially set for October 2022, but it was postponed and will now take place Friday March 31 at the Kendal G.L. Isaacs National Gymnasium.

The fight night is being held in conjunction with the Ministry of Youth, Sports and Culture. The main event of the evening will be a 10-round bout for the vacant World Boxing Association’s (WBA) International title between Canadian Lindsay Garbatt and American Jaimie ‘The Miracle’ Mitchell. Garbatt sports a 9-9-2 win/loss/draw record and Michtell has a 8-1-2 record. Another bout on the night will feature Brazilian Simone Silva (17-22) going up against American newcomer O’Shea Jones (1-0). There will be two more bouts held.

Bahamian icon and boxing legend Ray Minus Jr. will be honored for his contributions to the sport of boxing. Minus is now battling with the disease ALS (Amyotrophic lateral sclerosis) that attacks the nervous system.

First Class Promotions’ Chief Executive Officer (CEO) Michelle Munnings said they are making a comeback to the sport of boxing after a 10-year hiatus.

“We had to come back with something really strong, so we decided that we were going to do an all-female boxing card for first time ever in The Bahamas. We are also the first in the Caribbean to have an all-female card. We are honoring the legendary Ray Minus Jr. who has been stricken with ALS. We want to also bring awareness to that so that persons will know what ALS is all about.”

Munnings said she is happy that they are doing the event during The Bahamas’ 50th Independence anniversary celebrations.

Representative from the Ministry of Youth, Sports and Culture Kerry Baker, the deputy director of sports, said they are delighted to be on board with the event and is encouraging Bahamians to come out and support it.

“First Class Promotions is bringing to The Bahamas for the first time an all-women card and we are delighted. We also want to acknowledge at this time that it is for a worthy cause in honoring one of our Bahamian greats. We are just bringing some awareness to it, and hopefully the Bahamian people will understand the importance of this event,” Baker said.

The Bahamas Boxing Commission (BBC) has sanctioned the event. BBC Secretary Calvin Greene commended First Class Promotions for putting on the event.

“We wish to congratulate Michelle Munnings-Minus on this achievement – putting together such a production as an all-female event. I believe it is certainly going to be fantastic and so we gave our support,” Greene said.

One of the sponsors, Bahamian Brewery and Beverage Co. Ltd., was represented at the press conference. Brand manager for Modelo at the company Nathan Arnett said they will have a physical presence at the show.

“We wanted to give back to Ray Minus Jr. and there was no hesitation in coming on board with this. We also want to bring awareness of ALS and, you know, other serious illnesses and injuries that come along with that,” Arnett said. “We know over the years Minus has given back. He has really done a lot for this country and he has been a huge hero for this country. We came on board and we want to announce that at the event, with the bar, we are giving 100 percent of the profit to Minus. This is not about making money for us, we came on board because we know what he did over the years and we just want to give back to him.”

Munnings said interest from the public has picked up and they expect to see a good crowd out to support the event. Tickets for the event can be bought online at www.bahamasetickets.com. General admission is $35 each, and the VIP price is $125.

Munnings added that there will be T-shirts for sale the day before the event in support of Minus. She thanked the many sponsors for coming on board to support the event.

https://thenassauguardian.com/all-female-card-set-for-march-31/

 Home|Sports|Bahamas Games on the way backSports

Multisport event set for the summer of 2023

Simba FrenchSend an emailNovember 14, 2022 669 4 minute readFacebookTwitterLinkedInShare via Email

The Bahamas Games is on the horizon.

The event was officially launched on Saturday, culminating a two-day conclave hosted by the Bahamas Games Secretariat as representatives from the Family Island Sports Council; the Ministry of Youth, Sports and Culture and sporting federations gathered at SuperClubs Breezes on Friday and Saturday. The official launch of the event was at Baha Mar.

The multisport event, which in 2023 will be dubbed ‘The Bahamas Golden Jubilee Games’, is set for July 7-15 on the island of New Providence next year. This the first time the games will be held in over 20 years with the last one being held in 2001. This is the sixth edition of the games.

The Minister of Youth, Sports and Culture was on hand to bring remarks at the launch.

“The launch of these games is very exciting not only to the ministry and myself, but also to the people of The Bahamas. The Bahamian people have been calling for these games as the last one was held some 20 years ago. I am happy and proud that as we move toward our 50th year anniversary, we are able to reintroduce these games and bring the excitement back to the Bahamian people. It is my belief that these games will once again unite us as a people and one nation coming together through the discipline of sports,” Bowleg said.

Deputy Chairman of the Bahamas Games Secretariat Sharon ‘The General’ Storr said that the planning of the games is coming along but there are a few items that need to be ironed out.

“The dialogue is healthy,” Storr said.

“There are one or two kinks that have to be worked out – in particular, the draft. New Providence wants to take a different approach to the draft and the Family Islands are contesting. We are a sporting family and tonight we have seen that. We are on the same wavelength and it is just a matter of modernizing and adapting to the young people. We have put in an age category in sports that did not have age categories like baseball and sailing.”

Storr said they realize that a lot of people do not know what the Bahamas Games is because of the 20-plus years break. Next up for the secretariat is to populate the committees. Storr said that the games is on schedule.

The islands that will be participating are Abaco, Andros, Bimini and the Berry Islands, Columbus Isles (Cat Island, Rum Cay and San Salvador), Eleuthera, Harbor Island and Spanish Wells as one unit, Exuma and Ragged Island, Grand Bahama, New Providence, Long Island and MICAL (Mayaguana, Inagua, Crooked Island, Acklins and Long Cay).

Andros Sports Council Chairman Brian Cleare said he is happy to have the games back, particularly so the younger persons can be showcased.

“There are so many young athletes today who only heard about the Bahamas Games but never had the opportunity to experience it. This year, Andros is going to be participating in all of the disciplines. The majority of our athletes will be young athletes. We want them to experience what the games are all about,” Cleare said.

Cleare mentioned that athletes like national record holder in the javelin Keyshawn Strachan and basketball player Shaquille Cleare are expected to compete for Andros.

Chairman for Exuma and Ragged Islands Sports Council Kendall Feguson said that the conclave was productive. He said that one of the things that was discussed was a need for sports facilities on the Family Islands.

“Everyone including me is elated in the Exuma and Ragged Island community. The level of enthusiasm among the other Family Islands council members and the camaraderie is there. There is a need for facilities on the Family Islands. If we are going to compete as Family Islands, emphasis must be placed on facilities, so that we can offset what happens in New Providence,” Ferguson said.

Ferguson said despite a lack of facilities, they will be ready to compete.

Chairman for the Long Island Sports Council Jermaine Adderley said his island is preparing for the games, and that they will be strong in a number of disciplines, particularly sailing.

“We are getting into a groove of putting teams together,” Adderley said.

“We have already started in softball and we are about to start in basketball. We will then work our way into track and field. We are already ready in sailing.”

Adderley said he is looking to give those athletes who live on the island first preference, then look at those ones who live on other islands if they need more. Other than those sports mentioned, Long Island is also looking to do well in swimming, golf, boxing, bodybuilding and fitness, and possibly beach volleyball.

Bimini has been known to be a force to reckon with in the past in baseball. Chairman of Bimini and the Berry Island Sports Council Leonard ‘Brave’ Stuart said they are looking forward to participating in the upcoming games.

“We are going to hopefully have a strong team, not only in baseball but in track and field as well. We have some hidden gems who we do not want to discuss at this time, but we should be strong in baseball. We were great back in the day in that sport and we hope to carry on that legacy. We will have teams coming into Bimini and have teams traveling to South Florida, Freeport and Nassau to get ready for these games.”

Stephen Brown from Columbus Isles said they have something in store for New Providence.

“The trash talking coming from those other Family Islands builds our morale,” Brown said.

“New Providence feels like no one can beat them but I got something in store for them. I think we will utilize the draft with great care. We know that only 12 members can play on a basketball team. I don’t care how much New Providence try, they will miss the best set of players. We have a good contingent in Columbus Isles and we will utilize them as best as we can.”

Brown, like the other Family Island council members, highlighted that facilities is an issue they have but they are using their resources to make something happen.

Thirteen sports are expected to be in action at the games. These are softball, basketball, athletics, lawn tennis, bodybuilding and fitness, boxing, baseball, sailing, cycling, soccer, golf, swimming and volleyball.

The theme for the Bahamas Games is ‘Challenges are Chances for the Courageous’.

https://thenassauguardian.com/bahamas-games-on-the-way-back/

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Sheldon Longley – The Nassau Guardian- Sports Reporter

2 Nov 2022

Oaktree Medical comes on board as the title sponsor of the CARIFTA Games

With the 50th staging of the CARIFTA Games about 150 days out, the first meaningful step in the event returning to The Bahamas took place yesterday morning with the introduction of the title sponsor.

Since opening its doors for business, Oaktree Medical Center, under the ownership of the husband and wife team of Dr. Don and Kristi Deveaux, has been a huge proponent of sports and the development of the youth in The Bahamas. Now, they are coming on board as the title sponsor of the 50th CARIFTA Games, set for the Easter holiday weekend, April 8-10, 2023, at Thomas A. Robinson National Stadium in Nassau.

https://thenassauguardian.com/300000-for-carifta/ – For Full Story.
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https://www.carifta50.com/news/the-nassau-guardian—%24300%2C000-for-carifta

 Home|Sports|HOYTES/Geneva Rutherford Girls Basketball TournamentSports

The Nassau GuardianSend an emailMarch 3, 2023 198 1 minute readFacebookTwitterLinkedInShare via Email

The St. Augustine’s College (SAC) Big Red Machine won the senior girls title at the HOYTES/Geneva Rutherford Girls Basketball Tournament in Freeport, Grand Bahama, knocking off the St. John’s College Giants in the championship game. The Eight Mile Rock Blue Jays won the title in the junior girls division, knocking off the D.W. Davis Royals in the championship game.

Senior Girls Championship

St. Augustine’s College (SAC) Big Red Machine 38, St. John’s College Giants 15

SAC – Antonicia Moultrie – 16 points

St. John’s – Reyannah Greene – 5 points

Most Valuable Player (MVP) – Antonicia Moultrie

Third-place game

C.R. Walker Knights 24, St. George’s High Jaguars 9

Knights – Shenell Stewart – 7 points

Jaguars – Demetria Rolle – 5 points

Junior Girls Championship

Eight Mile Rock Blue Jays 9, D.W. Davis Royals 8

Blue Jays – Skyler Curry – 3 points

Royals – Kenisha Capron – 6 points

Most Valuable Player (MVP) – Skyler Curry

https://thenassauguardian.com/hoytes-geneva-rutherford-girls-basketball-tournament/

 Home|Sports|The Bahamas falls to ArgentinaSports

Simba FrenchSend an emailMarch 3, 2023 433 2 minute readFacebookTwitterLinkedInShare via Email

The Bahamas senior men’s national cricket team squandered another opportunity to finish in the top three at the International Cricket Council’s (ICC) 2024 TwentyTwenty (T20) World Cup Sub Regional Americas Qualifier 2023, losing to the host country Argentina on Thursday. They fell by 43 runs at the St. Alban’s Club Ground in Buenos Aires, Argentina.

The loss dropped The Bahamas to fourth position as they sport a 1-2 win/loss record. Their final game is tomorrow against the top ranked team in the tournament, Bermuda, who is a perfect 3-0. The Bahamas must win that game in order to move on to the Americas regional final set for September of this year.

Against Argentina, Team Bahamas bowled the first inning and was able to hold Argentina to just 117 runs for the loss of seven wickets after 20 overs. The home team got off to a strong start as they took advantage of The Bahamas’ bowling, scoring 40 runs in the first five overs. In the sixth over, Kervon Hinds broke up the partnership of Tomas Rossi and Pedro Baron as Sandeep Goud caught Rossi’s ball. He was out for nine runs.

The Bahamas was able to slow down Argentina by taking three wickets by the ninth over with Argentina scoring 61 runs. Lautar Musiani, who was not out in that inning, was a menace to The Bahamas as he finished with 44 runs.

Jonathan Barry bowled a great over in the 17th over as he got two Argentinian batsmen out with his first two deliveries. Barry did not get his hat-trick but he did get Augustin Rivero out on the fourth delivery. Barry did not give up any runs in that over and Argentina had 94 runs for the loss of seven wickets.

The home side finished with 117 runs.

Barry and captain Marc Taylor finished with a three-wicket haul each.

On the batting front, The Bahamas dug themselves into a hole early in the match, scoring just 15 runs for the loss of five wickets after the first five overs. They needed 103 runs from 90 balls with five wickets in hand.

Turan Brown and Gregory Taylor Jr. tried to stay at the stumps and they did just that before Brown was bowled out by Alan Kirschaum for seven runs in the 11th over. The Bahamas had 39 runs for the loss of six wickets after 11 overs.

Goud replaced Brown and Taylor and Goud took the total to 59 runs for seven wickets before Goud lofted the ball on the leg side and Pedro Baron caught it on a Kirschaum delivery. Goud finished with 12 runs.

The tail end batsmen were unable to take The Bahamas to victory as The Bahamas was all out for 74 runs with three balls to spare.

Taylor finished with a team-high 19 runs.

https://thenassauguardian.com/the-bahamas-falls-to-argentina-2/