Scores of athletes were rewarded for their hard work in sports
- Sheldon Longley
- Nov 6, 2023
- 0
Sailor Craig Ferguson II won the Junior High School Male Athlete of the Year Award at the National Sports Awards Ceremony on Saturday.
Indiana Pacers’ guard Chavano ‘Buddy’ Hield was named the tourism brand ambassador at the National Sports Awards Ceremony on Saturday.
Miami Marlins’ Jazz Chisholm Jr., right, celebrates as he returns to the dugout after hitting a solo home run off Pittsburgh Pirates starting pitcher Quinn Priester during the third inning of a baseball game in Pittsburgh, Saturday, Sept. 30, 2023. AP
- Gene J. Puskar
Jamiah Nabbie was named the Senior High School Female Athlete of the Year at the National Sports Awards Ceremony on the lawn of the Thomas A. Robinson National Stadium on Saturday.
There weren’t any overall junior and senior athletes of the year crowned, but at the end of the day, there were more enough awards to go around for the top athletes in the country to be recognized and celebrated.
The National Sports Awards Ceremony was held under a tent on the lawn of the Thomas A. Robinson National Stadium on Saturday, and scores of athletes were recognized for their hard work and results for the 2023 season.
Ferguson will head to Exuma next week to compete in the Sunfish Junior National Championships, looking to defend his title.
Nabbie said she is thrilled and will look to continue her progression in 2024.
“I feel ecstatic,” she said. “This will definitely be used as motivation for me going into next season. It’s all through God. Thanks to God for everything that He has done. This shows that hard work pays off. Every athlete wants recognition for the work that they would have done. I’m very grateful.”
Already, at just 15, Nabbie has been on five national teams. She said she loves representing her country and will look to do more of the same in the future.
Both Sands and Vanderpool weren’t able to make the trip to New Providence for the awards ceremony.
Winning the award for the Family Island athlete of the year was Androsian Tylah Pratt. She was fourth in the girls high jump at the North American, Central American and Caribbean (NACAC) Under-18 and Under-23 Championships in San José, Costa Rica, this year, clearing 1.60 meters (m) – 5’ 3” – and fifth in the under-17 girls division at the CARIFTA Games in that same event, clearing the same height.
“I feel really good. I am proud of myself,” said Pratt. “I worked hard this track and field season and it feels good to get this award. I was in a state of shock and after that I was proud. I just have to thank God, my family and my coaches. This shows that the training and intense workouts paid off.”
The Family Island Coach of the Year is Kennard Mackey from Eleuthera, the Collegiate Female Athlete of the Year is Rhema Otabor and the Collegiate Male Athlete of the Year Lamar Taylor who also took home the Bahamas Olympic Committee (BOC) Award.
CARIFTA Aquatics took home the national youth team of the year award, the national team of the year award, CARIFTA coach Travano McPhee was named as the national coach of the year and the Bahamas Aquatics Federation was named as the national federation of the year. Additionally, for swimming, Let’s Swim Bahamas won the community sports award.
The New Providence Old Timers Softball Association (NPOTSA) was named as the sports league of the year. C.H. Reeves won the junior athletic school of the year award and St. Augustine’s College (SAC) won that award in the senior category.
The Erin Brown national sports award for disabilities went to Special Olympians Austin Reeves and Caitlin Romer.
The Leevan Sands Courage Award went to tennis player Rachel Thompson and the tourism brand ambassador award went to Indiana Pacers’ guard in the National Basketball Association (NBA) Chavano ‘Buddy’ Hield. The tourism sports impact award went to Battle 4 Atlantis.
The sportsmanship ambassador award went to Ivanique Kemp.
Finally, the Minister of Youth, Sports and Culture’s Award for Excellence went to Terrance Jones and the Prime Minister’s Award for National Pride went to Miami Marlins’ outfielder in Major League Baseball (MLB) Jasrado ‘Jazz’ Chisholm Jr.
Apart from the National Sports Awards, athletes are expected to be recognized by their respective sporting federations this year.