• Simba French
• 2 hrs ago
•  0

• Facebook
• Twitter
• LinkedIn
• Email

• Facebook
• Twitter
• LinkedIn
• Email
• Print
• Copy article link
• Save

SANTO DOMINGO, Dominican Republic – After a torrential downpour and flash flooding on Saturday, the game between The Bahamas senior men’s national soccer team and Guyana was postponed from Saturday to noon yesterday. However, yesterday came and that match was postponed again, this time until further notice as tragedy struck Santo Domingo. Nine people died as a result of a highway wall collapsing during adverse weather.

The Bahamas and Guyana were set to play in the Confederation of North, Central American and Caribbean Association Football (CONCACAF) Nations League’s League B Group D. The game was set to be held at the Estadio Olímpico Félix Sánchez, in Santo Domingo, Dominican Republic (DR). It was set to be a home game for The Bahamas, but because of ongoing repairs to the Thomas A. Robinson National Stadium, the match is scheduled for elsewher

“The 23/24 CNL (CONCACAF Nations League) League B group stage match between The Bahamas and Guyana, scheduled to be played today at Estadio Olímpico Félix Sánchez, in Santo Domingo, Dominican Republic, has been postponed following multiple days of adverse weather conditions affecting the area and a suspension of public and private activities announced by local authorities.”

The highway wall that collapsed was on the 27 de Febrero Avenue which is one of the roads that leads to the stadium. Local authorities were still trying to go through the rubble two hours before the match was set to start yesterday.

At the stadium, team officials from both The Bahamas and Guyana were present to discuss the next step which was to postpone the match as the country grapples with the tragedy. A total of 14 provinces, including Santo Domingo, were on red alert, according to the Dominican Republic’s Center of Emergency.

The venue already had the necessities in place such as field markings, corner flags, broadcast crew, two ambulances and a public announcement system. Half an hour after the match was scheduled to start, the grounds crew lifted the goal nets and removed the corner flags, signifying that the game was officially postponed.

Team Bahamas flew to San Juan, Puerto Rico, late last night, set to play against Puerto Rico in what was to be the final match for The Bahamas in the group stage. That game gets underway at the Juan Ramon Loubriel Stadium in Bayamon, Puerto Rico, at 8 p.m. tomorrow. This is a huge match for The Bahamas as the country has one point in the standings – three points behind Antigua and Barbuda who are in third place with four points.

Puerto Rico is coming off a 3-2 victory over Antigua and Barbuda on Saturday and they sit in second place in the group with nine points – three points behind Guyana who leads the group with 12 points.

The group winner will be promoted to League A while the second and third place teams stay in League B. The fourth place team will be relegated to League C.

• Simba French
• 2 hrs ago
•  0

• Facebook
• Twitter
• LinkedIn
• Email

• Facebook
• Twitter
• LinkedIn
• Email
• Print
• Copy article link
• Save

After some speculation over who would get the final exemption spot at the 2023 Hero World Challenge, Tiger Woods announced that he will be using that exemption on himself. The tournament is set for November 30 to December 3 at the Albany Golf Course at Albany, Bahamas.

The other 19 players, featuring eight of the top 10 in the world according to the Official World Golf Rankings, were announced in October, and the 20th and final spot was to be revealed before the tournament started. The list of golfers includes world number one Scottie Scheffler, of the United States.

Woods makes a return to the sport after undergoing ankle surgery in April of this year. It will be his first appearance since withdrawing in the third round from the Masters Tournament back in April because of the bad ankle.

The 15-time major champion, who is also the host, last played in the tournament in 2019 when he finished with a score of 14-under par for a fourth place finish. He has never won the tournament since it moved to Albany in 2015. He last won in 2011 with a score of 10-under par.

Three members of the winning European Ryder Cup team will be competing, joined by 11 members of the American team. Two major champions from the 2023 season will make their debuts at the Hero World Challenge – U.S. Open winner Wyndham Clark and Open Championship winner Brian Harman. The field this year features nine players who boast a total of 13 major victories.

This is the eighth year that the tournament will be held in The Bahamas after first making The Bahamas its home in 2015. Once again, all four rounds will be covered live on the Golf Channel and NBC will do live coverage of the third and final rounds.https://7c4f106cff463f875fad04192f634e20.safeframe.googlesyndication.com/safeframe/1-0-40/html/container.html

Last year, Hovland and Scheffler were paired on the final day. Hovland almost gave the title to Scheffler on the last hole, hitting a ball into the water. He was able to pull himself together and sunk a putt for a bogey and the championship, winning by two strokes.

Proceeds from the Hero World Challenge benefit the foreign-based TGR Foundation and Tavistock Foundation, and the locally-based Bahamas Youth Foundation.

• Simba French
• Nov 17, 2023
•  0

• Facebook
• Twitter
• LinkedIn
• Email

• Facebook
• Twitter
• LinkedIn
• Email
• Print
• Copy article link
• Save

Bahamians Eric Gordon and DeAndre Ayton were in action on Wednesday night in the National Basketball Association (NBA), continuing their seasons.

Gordon scored 15 points for the Phoenix Suns, helping them crush the Minnesota Timberwolves, 133-115, at the Footprint Center in Phoenix, Arizona. The Suns improved to a 5-6 win/loss record on the season, tied for ninth in the Western Conference of the NBA.

Gordon started for the Suns as guard Bradley Beal is still out with a back injury. Gordon made the most of his 29 minutes on the floor, going 6-for-9 from the field, including 3-for-6 from deep. He also dished out three assists.

Gordon got on the scoreboard with 9:08 left in the first quarter on a driving layup that tied the game at 10 points. After leading 17-16 at the 5:22 mark in that period, the Suns went on a 15-2 scoring run to take a 32-18 lead at the 3:08 mark of the first quarter.

The quarter ended 35-29 with the Suns in control. That lead ballooned to a 22-point advantage at the half with a 76-54 scoreline. In the second quarter, the Suns scored 41 points compared to the Timberwolves’ 25. The Timberwolves had no answer for the Suns who were led by guard Devin Booker who returned to the line up with a game-high 31 points, and Kevin Durant who matched those 31 points.

The Wolves were led by power forward Karl Anthony-Towns with 25 points.

Everything was dropping for the Suns as they torched the Wolves by making 60 percent of their shots. The Suns made 17 three-pointers compared to the Wolves’ five.

The Bahamian guard has started in six of the 10 games he was featured in this season and is averaging 13.7 points per game on the season. He is shooting at a 46.3 percent clip from the field which is above his career average of 43 percent. He is making 2.2 three-pointers per game.

After a two-game losing streak, the Suns will look to make it two straight wins when they head to the Delta Center in Salt Lake City, Utah, to take on the Utah Jazz (4-7) at 10 p.m. tonight.

Ayton had a rough time in the field where he went 3-for-10 to finish at 30 percent shooting. He had six rebounds.

The center missed his first three shots of the game but hit a turnaround hook shot at the 6:52 mark of the first quarter. The Cavaliers led 12-8 at that point. That lead quickly went up to 19-8 with the quarter ending at 30-25 in favor of the Cavaliers.

The Blazers were able to tie the game at 32 points each with 10:14 left in the second quarter. There was a tough stretch for the Blazers as the Cavaliers took a 52-41 lead with 4:11 left in the first half. The Blazers were able to cut into the lead and trailed 55-47 at the half.

The Blazers never got close to the Cavaliers again as the Cavaliers cruised to the 109-95 victory.

Ayton is having a roller coaster season but is still shooting a respectable 55.8 percent from the field. He is tied for sixth in the league in rebounds at 11.5 boards per game. He is averaging 11.9 points on 10.3 shots per game.

The Bahamian big man will next be featured in a matchup against the Los Angeles Lakers (6-6) at home in Phoenix, Arizona, tonight at 10 o’ clock.

• Simba French
• Nov 17, 2023
•  0

• Facebook
• Twitter
• LinkedIn
• Email

• Facebook
• Twitter
• LinkedIn
• Email
• Print
• Copy article link
• Save

The Bahamas senior men’s national soccer team will get the first leg of their final window of the 2023 Confederation of North, Central American and Caribbean Association Football (CONCACAF) Nations League underway tomorrow, taking on Guyana at the Felix Sanchez Stadium in Santo Domingo, Dominican Republic. The game gets underway at 6 p.m.

The match is a home game and is being played in the Dominican Republic because the Thomas A. Robinson National Stadium is undergoing repairs.

“This is a difficult window as guys are nursing injuries and there are players who are off to school. There is no excuse as we still have to perform to the best of our ability. We picked up some momentum from the last game, so we are hoping to improve on that,” Jean said.

Midfielder Chris Rahming, who has played in all of the previous four games and found the back of the net once, is expecting him and his teammates to play with a lot of heart as they wrap up Nations League action for this year.

“The guys fought a lot more in the last game, so coming into training for this window, it seems like the guys have more heart now. We see what it takes to compete in these games. I think we are going to do better in these games this time around,” Rahming said.

Guyana leads the group with the full 12 points. They only need a draw to ensure promotion to League A. Puerto Rico has six points while Antigua and Barbuda has four points. The Bahamas has one point and will look to win their remaining games. They will play Puerto Rico on

Tuesday in Puerto Rico.

The Bahamas and Guyana faced each other in September in Leonora, Guyana, with the home team escaping with a narrow 3-2 victory. The Bahamas scored the first goal in that game but the home side got two goals to go up 2-1 before Team Bahamas tied it up. Guyana got the go ahead goal and the win.

That game is history now, and Jean is looking ahead to the game tomorrow.

“We just need to improve on momentum,” Jean said. “If we limit the mistakes, we could do well in the Caribbean, but it takes mental focus for 90 minutes. The players have something to prove because we want to go out there and improve in the group stages.”https://7128cee8df8e87f115f27b460f787a1a.safeframe.googlesyndication.com/safeframe/1-0-40/html/container.html

A look at the scores from home and away games, it seems like the team plays better away.

“We wish we were playing in front of our crowd to show them that we are capable of playing based off the 2-2 result against Antigua and Barbuda. On the flip side, I think the guys are more comfortable playing away instead of playing with their families and friends around, which is the best time to play; but at the same time, the players are more comfortable playing away when there is not so much pressure on them,” Jean stated.

Rahming echoed the same sentiments as his coach about playing away from home.

“It is strange, but we play better away from home as the scoreline shows in the away games,” Rahming said. “It may be because playing at home brings more pressure on us as we play in front of family, friends and people who know us. Playing on a neutral ground maybe easier on the players.”

Rahming is looking to play at a high level to help the team get a win, also hoping to be noticed by professional scouts.

The team arrived in the Dominican Republic yesterday and will hold their final practice today before playing Guyana tomorrow.

• Sheldon Longley
• Nov 17, 2023
•  0

• Facebook
• Twitter
• LinkedIn
• Email

• Facebook
• Twitter
• LinkedIn
• Email
• Print
• Copy article link
• Save

While his big brother Mike continues to find his way in the National Football League (NFL), Prince Strachan is making a name for himself in collegiate football.

The 6’ 5” 203-pound freshman for the Boise State Broncos football team hopes to follow in his brother’s footsteps, aspiring to play professional football in the NFL. Both play at the wide receiver position.

New Mexico dropped to 3-7, 1-5 in the Mountain West.

Strachan entered the game on the Broncos’ second possession and immediately went to work. He was targeted six times in the game and produced three catches.

On his first catch, Strachan reeled in a 30-yard reception from quarterback Maddux Madsen on third down and 13, taking the ball down to the New Mexico 10-yard line with 3:36 remaining in the first quarter. The Broncos scored on the next play as running back George Holani took it in from 10 yards out, giving the Broncos a 15-7 lead.

It didn’t take long for Strachan to make his presence felt again. On the Broncos’ first drive of the second quarter, he reeled in a 74-yard reception from Madsen and took it to the end zone. Strachan’s second touchdown of his collegiate career gave the Broncos a 22-14 lead early in the second quarter and they never looked back.

Strachan caught his third and final pass of the game in the third quarter. On first down and 10, he reeled in a 24-yard pass from Broncos’ backup quarterback Taylen Green on the Broncos’ first drive of the third quarter, taking the ball down to the New Mexico 35-yard line.

The Broncos ended the drive with another touchdown run from Holani and took a 39-14 lead with 3:02 remaining in the third quarter.

Strachan led the Broncos in receiving with his three catches for 128 yards, including 32 yards after catch (YAC).

For the season, the freshman receiver out of Freeport, Grand Bahama, has seven catches for 191 yards and two touchdowns.

As a high school junior at John Carroll Catholic School in Fort Pierce, Florida, he had a team-leading 33 receptions for 633 yards and eight touchdowns. As a senior the following year, he hauled in 34 catches for 773 yards and nine touchdowns, leading to him being named All-Treasure Lakes Conference Offensive Player of the Year and first-team all-league in his final prep campaign.

Older brother Mike Strachan was selected by the Indianapolis Colts in the seventh round of the 2021 NFL Draft, and currently plays for the Carolina Panthers.

Prince Strachan and the Broncos travel to Maverik Stadium in Logan, Utah, to take on the Utah State Aggies in their next matchup. That game will kick off at 7 p.m. on Saturday. The following Friday, they will host Air Force at Albertsons Stadium in Boise, Idaho, to end their regular season. The Broncos are 4-1 on their home field this year and 1-4 on the road.

Bahamians Natasha Brown, Mike Armbrister and Nick Dean pose above with one of their Mexican friends at the NCCMA Outdoor Athletics Championships in Juarez City, Mexico.

As of Friday, November 17, 2023

• Sign in to favorite this
• DiscussComment, Blog about
• Share thisEmail, Facebook, Twitter

#By BRENT STUBBS

#Senior Sports Reporter

#bstubbs@tribunemedia.net

#Coach and chiropractor Mike Armbrister and fitness guru Natasha Brown returned from the 2023 NCCMA Outdoor Athletics Championships in Juarez City, Mexico, with some hardware over the weekend.

#Armbrister, an 800-metre specialist, captured a gold in both the 400m and the long jump and a silver in the 800m in the 65-69 age group category of the masters track and field competition.

#Brown got a silver in the women’s 50-55 age group long jump, but Nick Dean, the only other member of the team, didn’t compete in the 100m in the 40-45 because of a slight injury.

#For Armbrister, it was a good feeling to be back on top of the medal dias again.

#“It was a comeback for me in international competition,” said Armbrister, who last competed at the World Masters Track and Field Championships in 2010 where he fell short of getting on the podium.

#“I was at the beginning of my age category, so I was very pleased that I got to do so well against the more seasoned competitors. It went very well. I was very happy with my performances.”

#Although he’s been a formidable competitor in the two-lap race (800m), Armbrister said the long jump has now turned out to be his best event to compete in. As for the competition, Armbrsiter said it was just what he expected.

#“The guys, who I competed against have been competing a lot more than me so they were more race sharp than I was,” said Armbrister, who now serves as an assistant coach for the Red-Line Athletics Track Club.

#“But I really surprised myself. I went out there and I competed well against them. I knew that I was in shape because I work out with our athletes. So I really, really prepared for the competition.”

#Brown, who has since turned to bodybuilding and fitness since she last competed, said the spirit of competition never left her, so she felt right in her element.

#“When I went on to get my pro card in fitness, that was another avenue for me to sustain myself explosively,” she noted. “I’ve gotten up in age and I missed my opportunity to make the Olympic team as a track athlete, which was my ultimate dream.

#“But I felt like I was jumping again just as I did in the 2000 Olympic trials. I had a lot of different things that got in my way and prevented me from jumping the way I really wanted to, but I felt really good. It felt like I wasn’t away as long as I was since the Olympic trials in 2000.”

#Now that she has the competitive juices flowing again for the sport, Brown said she will definitely be back for an encore at the masters level.

#Having won the gold in the long jump and a bronze in the high jump at the 1984 CARIFTA Games here at home at the original Thomas A Robinson Track and Field Stadium, Brown said she got a nostalgic moment during the celebrations of the 50th anniversary of CARIFTA here in April at the new Thomas A Robinson Stadium where she was interviewed about her past performance.

#“So 39 years after winning these medals, the message is not about winning the medals, but rather the lifestyle, in addition to having my clientele, it allows me to get up every morning at 5am. It’s a lifestyle.

#“The message is that track and field allowed me to get a collegiate scholarship and I was able to come back home and continue in bodybuilding, winning my pro card and now assisting so many people with their healthy lifestyle.”

#Like Armbrister, who has competed in several masters competitions, Brown said she intends to continue to perform for the Bahamas in her post-track and field career, while she maintains her fitness programme with her clients.

READY FOR BATTLE: The Memphis Tigers women’s basketball team took advantage of their free day before the start of the Battle 4 Atlantis Tournament to host a basketball clinic for some of the local high school players. Photo: Dante Carrer

As of Friday, November 17, 2023

• Sign in to favorite this
• DiscussComment, Blog about
• Share thisEmail, Facebook, Twitter

#By BRENT STUBBS

#Senior Sports Reporter

#bstubbs@tribunemedia.net

#THE Memphis Tigers women’s basketball team, through their connection with Bahamian Olympic and world champion Shaunae Miller-Uibo, took advantage of their free day before the start of the Battle 4 Atlantis Tournament to host a basketball clinic for some of the local high school players.

#The event took place inside the Kendal Isaacs Gymnasium yesterday just before the Tigers began their final preparation for the start of the Bad Boy Mowers-sponsored tournament at the Atlantis resort on Paradise Island.Memphis is scheduled to open play at 1:30pm on Saturday against Arizona.

#Head coach Alex Simmons, who transferred from Garner University in April, said the tournament will be a good way for her Tigers to get back on track after losing their last game to the No.15 ranked Tennessee 84-74 in overtime on Monday.

#“We play a really fast-paced game. It’s a fun style of basketball to watch,” she said.

#“We share the ball a lot. We like to play fast, get up and down the court and press the defence.

#“We are a defensive-minded team, so you will see our team get a lot of steals and be able to play in transition. We have a lot of older players on the team, but this is our first time trying to get to know each other on and off the court. So we are looking forward to the tournament.”

#With this being an off day, Simmons thanked Miller-Uibo and her family and all of the local people who came together and helped to get the event off the ground for them. “We wanted to use this day to get into the community and what better way to do that than to get on the basketball court with some younger guys who want to be just like us soome day,” she pointed out.

#“So I thought our team did a really good job of interacting, teaching and coaching these players. I saw a lot of potential. You could tell they really love basketball. Their attitude was great and they really are interested in learning and that is the most important thing.”

#Simmons and the Tigers will spend today going over their game plan in preparation for their first match on Saturday. Depending on their outcome, there is a possibility that Memphis could face the Ole Miss Lady Rebels and Bahamian coach Yolett McPhee-McCuin in their second game on Sunday.

#Ole Miss, which features Bahamian injured forward Rhema Collins, will play the first game of the tournament on Saturday at noon against Temple.

#Either way, those on hand were just delighted to have Memphis in the gym sharing their expertise with the local players.

#Bahamas Basketball Federation’s president Eugene Horton thanked May Miller, Miller-Uibo’s mother, for reaching out to the BBD through Bahamas Union of Teachers’ president Belinda Wilson for setting up the event.

#He noted that a committee that included himself, Wilson, Varel Davis, president of the Government Secondary Schools Sports Association, along with the National Sports Authority to make it happen..

#“It’s good to see the young girls out here participating in the event,” Horton said. “Hopefully this will be the start of something great.”

#Wilson said when she was asked by Miller to assist Memphis, she immediately contacted the Ministry of Education, Ministry of Youth, Sports and Culture, the Ministry of Tourism, the NSA, the GSSSA and the BBF.

#And “we formed a small committee to make sure this event happened. We are really pleased with all of the groupings and entities who partnered with us,” she started.

#“We hope that this can be an annual event because the 15 players and nine coaches were able to benefit from the clinic. We wish Memphis well during the tournament.”

#Davis, an advocate for women’s sports in the island nation, having played basketball at the international level before she became a coach, said the visit by Memphis will really help to boost the GSSSA as they prepare for the start of their basketball season on Monday.

#“This will definitely go a long way. This is the first time that the players get to interact with a team like this, so they were able to see what the college teams go through,” she stated.

#“We look forward to watching them and the other teams play in the tournament.”

#Jaida Fraser, an eighth grader at HO Nash Junior High, said it was a good opportunity for her to display her skills before the coaches and players from Memphis.

#“This year, I’m going to try my best to be the best and to come out as the best player in high school,” she said.

#“I think the team looked good. They really inspire me to be like them,”

#The versatile, all-around player said her goal is to go to college and eventually play pro basketball.

As of Friday, November 17, 2023

• Sign in to favorite this
• DiscussComment, Blog about
• Share thisEmail, Facebook, Twitter

Veteran boxer Carl Hield.

#By TENAJH SWEETING

#Tribune Sports Reporter

#tsweeting@tribunemedia.net

#BAHAMIAN boxer Carl Hield will make his commute to Santa Marta, Colombia, today to prepare for his second professional boxing match scheduled for next week Wednesday.

#Hield will match up against Colombia’s Diomedes Miranda in the super welterweight division at the Fight Night.

#The former decorated amateur boxer’s upcoming match comes on the heels of his successful pro debut at the International Knockout Night in Cartagena, Colombia. He bested the host country’s Elkin Bolaño in the second round via a technical knockout at the Saga Boxing Club Gym.

#After a big win in his first professional fight, Hield is ready to make a statement against Miranda on November 22. The Bahamian’s opponent has a record of 21 wins, including 17 knockouts and has been defeated just four times.

#“This is my second pro fight, it is a big step up fight for me where I have to make a big statement. This fight is going to be a big step for me to prove to myself that I belong in there with the best,” the veteran boxer said.

#The 36-year-old made his transition from amateur boxing to competing on a pro level in October to get more experience in matches in preparation to try and qualify for next year’s Olympic Games in Paris, France.

#“I am trying to be more active than I was with the amateurs. After my last qualifying event in Cali, Colombia, I would not have competed anymore until next year but now, with pro fights, it is a lot more experience and staying active for next year to be able to qualify for the Olympics,” he said.

#As for preparation ahead of the big fight, Hield has trained alongside fellow boxer Rashield Williams as they both are preparing for upcoming matches. Williams is set to compete in Tampa, Florida on Saturday and the two boxers have helped each other ahead of the tough matches next on their schedules.

#“Preparation and training camp was awesome. I want to give a good thanks to my fellow teammate Rashield Williams. He will be competing on Saturday and was helping me while I was helping him with sparring. We did a lot of work together to get prepared for our upcoming matches,” he said.

#The veteran boxer is dedicating his next fight to his late mother Norma Hield as he always does and wants to make his dreams come true to honour her.

As of Friday, November 17, 2023

• Sign in to favorite this
• DiscussComment, Blog about
• Share thisEmail, Facebook, Twitter

Perry Newton, president of the Bahamas Lawn Tennis Association. Photo: Austin Fernander/Tribune Staff

#By TENAJH SWEETING

#Tribune Sports Reporter

#tsweeting@tribunemedia.net

#FOLLOWING a busy two weeks at the National Tennis Centre (NTC), beginning with a regional training camp and concluding with the U14 Junkanoo Bowl, BLTA president Perry Newton was impressed with the development and competition levels on display.

#The BLTA held the first ever hosting of the International Tennis Federation (ITF)- COTECC regional training camp for English-speaking countries over the course of a few days earlier in November.

#After the training camp was completed for 12 of the top under-14 players from the host country, Trinidad and Tobago, St Lucia, Curaçao and Barbados, the U14 Junkanoo Bowl followed behind and wrapped up on Wednesday at the NTC.

#Newton was particularly happy that the juniors got to experience the opportunity to compete and develop with players from other English-speaking countries within the region.

#“I am so excited that the children had this opportunity. I am very glad everything went how we planned, especially the weather holding up on the final day.

#“Bahamians were able to capture a few titles in the finals so we are happy with that. The kids have really shown what they have been working on all year and it was a good way to end for the under-14s,” the BLTA president said.

#Among the Bahamians to capture titles at the COTECC event sponsored by Custom Computers included Patrick Mactaggart and Tatyana Madu in the singles matchups. Madu, of Grand Bahama, was in cruise control in her last two rounds of the U14 Junkanoo Bowl tournament. The 14-year old was the number one seed in the girls singles division and dropped Curaçao’s Keziah Fluonia in two sets 7-6(3), 6-1. In the finals, she ousted Trinidad and Tobago’s Makeda Bain in consecutive sets 6-0, 6-3 to win one of two titles in the event. She earned her second trophy alongside Bain in the doubles finals against Bahamian Briana Houlgrave and Fluonia.

#The BLTA president praised the efforts of Madu and other top juniors in the competition for their work on the courts.

#“We had a good showcase, it was really good for our top players in U14 to win the finals. Tatyana was a top player in this tournament. It is really good to see her development as she is from Grand Bahama. It showcases the talent we have across the country for her to be the top U14 girl and end her U14 run with a win at home,” he said.

#John Goede, ITF development officer for the Caribbean, led the charge at the regional training camp and complimented the efforts of the BLTA and competitors from the host country.

#“On behalf of ITF and COTECC I would like to thank the Bahamas Lawn Tennis Association for hosting this and making this possible. It did not look like it would happen in the Caribbean and we are very grateful that The Bahamas took it up and made this happen,” Goede said.

#He noted that having the top players from different islands of The Bahamas including Grand Bahama and Eleuthera available for the regional training camp was commendable.

#“I have seen the players develop a lot. It is always wonderful to be in one of the very few countries in the Caribbean where girls tennis is big. I always appreciate that there are a lot more girls playing tennis here on an historic level since I have been the development officer,” he concluded.

#The other winners from the U14 Junkanoo Bowl were Barbados’ Dimitri Kirton and Curaçao’s Brandon Bridgewater in the boys’ doubles finals.

American coach Greg Jack, sitting in front row third from left, is flanked by local coaches participating in the throwers’ clinic. The Bahamas Association of Athletic Coaches (BAAC) is hosting a three-day throwers clinic under the supervision of American coach Greg Jack. BAAC president Corrington Maycock is hoping that the weather will clear up for their outdoor session today at the original Thomas A Robinson Track and Field Stadium.

As of Friday, November 17, 2023

• Sign in to favorite this
• DiscussComment, Blog about
• Share thisEmail, Facebook, Twitter

#By BRENT STUBBS

#Senior Sports Reporter

#bstubbs@tribunemedia.net

#IN their bid to provide an opportunity for more coaches to get exposure to coaching in all areas of the sport, the Bahamas Association of Athletic Coaches (BAAC) is hosting a three-day throwers’ clinic under the supervision of American coach Greg Jack.

#Despite the inclement weather, the session got started in a classroom format yesterday, but BAAC president Corrington Maycock is hoping that the weather will clear up for their outdoor session today at the original Thomas A Robinson Track and Field Stadium.

#On Saturday, the clinic will conclude with a weight training session at the Empire Fitness Center before the local coaches participating will have a practical session at Queen’s College where they will get to demonstrate what they’ve learned with some of the local throwers, especially those in the Blue Chips Athletic Club programme.

#“The purpose of this clinic is to educate as many coaches as possible in every discipline,” Maycock said.

#“This is just one of the series that we want to implement going into next year and hopefully we can take these clinics up to level two, three, four and five.”

#Maycock said eventually they want to get coaches to sit the World Athletics or the United States Track and Field Coaches courses to earn their international certifications.

#At yesterday’s session, at least two local coaches indicated that they were thrilled with the information that coach Jack imparted to them.

#Sydline Justilien, a physical education teacher and coach for the Lions at HO Nash Junior High School, said the session has been quite informative for her.

#“I know that we are more dominant with the track events and not the field, so this is a good opportunity to get some information that I can provide some more knowledge for my students with the shot put, discus and javelin.”

#Justilien said with the knowledge, she can help them to apply it as they prepare for the Government Secondary Schools Sports Association’s track and field championship next year.

#Ann Bullard, now assigned to CC Sweeting High School where she’s grooming the once dominant Cobras’ programme, said she liked the way that coach Jack was able to break down the concepts of the throwing events.

#“He’s made it so easier for us to impart the knowledge to our athletes,” she pointed out. “It’s so important for us to get as much knowledge as possible so we can make it better for our programme to improve.”

#Having spent some time coaching on the Family Islands, Bullard said the challenge is greater here in New Providence because the student-athletes are easier distracted than those on the islands.

#“On the Family Islands, we also have to struggle in providing the equipment to train the athletes, but there is a bigger crowd,” she said.

#“Here in Nassau, the crowd is bigger to select from, but it’s harder to get the student-athletes to come out and participate. “I think based on what I’ve heard from coach Jack so far, I can better encourage more of the student-athletes to come out and participate in the throwing events, rather than just focusing on the track events.”

#Coach Jack, a multiple thrower who attended Florida State, started coaching at the University of Pittsburgh for two years before he moved to Virginia Tech where he stayed for 17 years.

#He then ventured in track and field consultancy where he’s travelling around helping universities, coaches and coaches with their throwing programme.

#Since he first came here to do some recruitment, coach Jack said he met Maycock through his Blue Chips Athletics and he fell in love with two of his standouts Keyshawn Strachan and Rhema Otabor.

#“We stayed in touch and he told me that he wanted me to come back and get this thing going,” coach Jack said.

#“We have different levels of coaches here and that will only snowball because they are all eager to learn.”

#Once this session is over, coach Jack said he would love to return in the future and continue to work with the local coaches to follow up how they have been able to apply the knowledge shared with their athletes.

#Maycock said he’s excited to have coach Jack in town and he’s certain that he will be able to impart a lot of knowledge to the local coaches during the sessions.