Kerrie Cartwright and Marvin Rolle in action. Photos: Terrel W Carey Sr/Tribune staff

Wednesday, December 19, 2018

#By BRENT STUBBS

#Senior Sports Reporter

#bstubbs@tribunemedia.net

#It was a clean sweep for Kerrie Cartwright, Danielle Thompson, Marvin Rolle and Kevin Major Jr as they closed out round robin play in the Bahamas Lawn Tennis Association’s 2018 Giorgio Baldacci Open Nationals.

#Sydney Clarke fell short in joining the quartet, but she was extremely pleased with her 6-1, 6-0 triumph over Donesha Gibson on day two of the week-long tournament yesterday at the National Tennis Centre.

#The 18-year-old Clarke was coming off her success in the BLTA’s hosting of the International Tennis Federation’s Goombay Splash Bowl last month when she captured the title.

#On day one of the Open Nationals on Monday, Clarke was looking forward to her matchup with former arch-rival Iesha Shepherd. However, Shepherd sprained her right ankle in the first set of her first round win over Gibson and was unable to play Clarke.

#“I was ready to play yesterday (Monday), so I had to make it up today,” Clarke said.

#“I was kind of sluggish today (yesterday) because I was kind of more excited about yesterday (Monday).

Sydney Clarke

#“But I stepped on the court and did what I had to do. I was a little up and down between the sets, but overall I played a good match.”

#The victory in her final junior tournament has really inspired Clarke, who indicated that she’s looking forward to playing the top female players who are home, either from college or playing on the pro circuit.

#“My game has improved tremendously since last year, so I’m just hoping to do well in this tournament,” she projected. “The competition is tough. The girls are back home, but I just feel like I have to give it my all.

#“I just want to go out there and give it my best shot and play relaxed. I’m not really feeling any pressure right now. I will just play as best as I could.”

#Thompson blanks Kinza Johnson

#Morgan State University graduate Danielle Thompson didn’t allow 14-year-old Kinza Johnson to get into the match. Thompson, 24, applied the pressure from start to finish for her second round victory.

#“Today (Tuesday) was a lot better than yesterday (Monday),” Thompson said. “I was able to get into a groove and played my points better. I was more aggressive with my selection of points, so I was happy with my play today.”

#Now that she’s into the main draw, Thompson said she’s doesn’t have any expectations, except to play her best tennis and make the Fed Cup team next year.

Danielle Thompson

#“I’m actually looking forward to playing doubles with Kerrie (Cartwright),” said Thompson, of her Fed Cup teammate. “We’ve never really played together, so I’m excited to see how that goes. Also, it’s always nice to be able to play Kerrie. She’s my role model. I look up to her. So I’m looking forward to that matchup if we have to play each other.”

#Cartwright, in her second round match, swept Sydni Kerr in a 6-0, 6-0 decision as well.

#Major Jr in sweep over Donovan Ingraham

#On the men’s side, Kevin Major Jr continues to make his comeback after missing last year’s tournament as he made his transition from college to the professional ranks.

#Major, 23, blanked Ingraham 6-0, 6-0 to clinch his berth in the main draw.

#“I’ve been playing pretty well so I don’t really have much expectations. I rather play good and whatever happens, happens,” Major Jr pointed out. “I’m going to go out there and leave it all on the court and see what happens.”

#With the field of players in the tournament, Major Jr said he’s not going to worry about anyone because he feels they have to be more concerned about his performance. “You can expect me to play much better the rest of the week,” he projected. “Win or lose, I will be playing some good tennis.”

#Rolle in sweep over Michael Butler

#After losing in a tiebreaker to 15-year-old Jacobi Bain on day one of the tournament on Monday, 35-year-old veteran Marvin Rolle took his frustration out on Michael Butler, easily winning 6-0, 6-0.

#• In two other matches that the players didn’t even have to work up a sweat, Philip Major Jr won by walk-over against Macgregor Woodside and Baker Newman did the same against Bjorn Munroe.

#The tournament continues 9am today with the start of main draw play.

Monday, August 26, 2019

Amron ‘Sandman’ Sands

#By BRENT STUBBS

#Senior Sports Reporter

#bstubbs@tribunemedia.net

#Amron ‘Sandman’ Sands wasted little time against American Thomas Hawkins, knocking him out one minute and nine seconds into round two to remain undefeated as a heavyweight boxing contender.

#In the co-main event on Friday night at the Bryan Glazer JCC Auditorium in Tampa, Florida, Sands showed no signs of any ring rust as he returned to action for the first time since he knocked out Hector Hodge on February 16 in St Petersburg Coliseum in St Petersburg, Florida. “It was good. He actually came to fight,” Sands told The Tribune after the fight. “It was good. I knocked him out.”

#During the first round, the 25–year-old 6-foot-6 Sands dropped the 29-year-old Hawkins to the canvas as he contained the charging southpaw from Huston, Texas.

#“As the fight progressed, I saw more opportunities for me to go inside and work on him,” Sands said.

#“I just threw the over-hand left and the right uppercut and he fell.”

#Although he handed Hawkins his fifth consecutive loss in his 10 fights, Sands said he knew he could have performed better.

#“I was a little rusty, having not fought in six months,” he said. “I think I would give myself a grade seven out of a 10 in this fight.

#“At certain times, I kept my guard down. If I throw the left, my right hand should be protecting my head. So I have to get back on my defence and using my jab more effectively.”

#With a few days off to recuperate and enjoy his recent success, Sands will be home this week before he heads back to Orlando, Florida, to resume his training under the supervision of his coach Buck Mitchell and manager Kevin Dever.

#He’s hoping to return to the ring on October 5 in Madison Square Garden.

#He’s just waiting on his new management team from Dever Sports Management and promoted by DiBella Entertainment to send him the official contract.

#Sands’ promoter is Lou DiBella, the second biggest promoter in the sport. “They like what they saw in the fight, coming off the long lay off,” Sands said. “They have indicated that they hope to keep me more active as I will start to get some bigger fights in the future.”

#During his brief time here at home, Sands hopes to stay sharp by working out with his original and local coach Ronn Rodgers at the Strikers Boxing Club on Wulff Road.

#While rehabbing an injury he sustained playing basketball, Sands was introduced to Rodgers, who helped guide him through an extensive amateur career with a 40-3 win-loss record. Under Rodgers, Sands officially became a pro fighter in his successful debut on August 5, 2017 against Julio Mendoza at the Lakeland Event Center in Lakeland, Florida.

Thursday, November 7, 2019

AMRON Sands

#By RENALDO DORSETT

#Tribune Sports Reporter

#rdorsett@tribunemedia.net

#WHEN Amron ‘Sandman’ Sands steps back into the ring, the bout will be a heavyweight matchup between two former basketball players now turned boxers with undefeated streaks on the line.

#Raphael “The Nigerian Hurricane” Akpejiori of Nigeria was officially announced as Sands’ opponent for “Rumble In The Bay” to be hosted November 23 at the Bryan Glazer JCC Center in Tampa, Florida.

#Akpejiori, a former basketball and football player for the University of Miami Hurricanes, comes into the fight undefeated at 5-0.

#Standing at 6’8 and 240 pounds, Akpejiori set a self imposed timeline to become the world heavyweight champion in four years.

#This will be his second match in a three-month span under Dever Sports Management and DiBella Entertainment following a nearly six-month layoff.

#Currently with a record of 9-0 (8 KOs), Sands last fought on August 23 against American Thomas Hawkins when he scored the knockout one minute and nine seconds into round two at the Bryan Glazer JCC Auditorium in Tampa, Florida.

#“He actually came to fight. It was good. I knocked him out,” Sands told The Tribune after the fight. “As the fight progressed, I saw more opportunities for me to go inside and work on him. I just threw the over-hand left and the right uppercut and he fell.”

#Under Kevin Dever Sports Management, Sands joined DiBella Entertainment as the latest addition to its roster of heavyweight prospects.

#“I signed with DiBella Entertainment because Lou is one of the most trustworthy promoters in boxing and he has great relationships in the business to get my name out there,” said Sands. “I know that, with his guidance, I can become the heavyweight champion of the world. I can box and I can bang and I’m what the heavyweight division needs. I’m very excited about my future and am ready to put in the work.”

#He made his heavyweight debut with a TKO win over Julio Mendoza at the Lakeland Events Center in Lakeland, Florida, on August 5 2017.

#He followed with consecutive knockout wins over Eric Evans (November 18 at the Crossroads Arena in Corinth) and Kendrick Houston (February 17 2018 at the Orlando Live Event Center).

#He spoiled the debut for Darrell Parker with a TKO at the Florida State Fairgrounds Hall in Tampa on May 18.

#Sands made his pro debut at home on the undercard of “The Backyard Rumble” with a unanimous decision over Jerry Butler May 26.

#He returned to the US and scored a knockout win over Cade Rodriguez on July 21. He then defeated American journeyman Francois Russell via second round TKO on the undercard of Friday Night Brawl, hosted at the Bryan Glazer Family JCC Auditorium in Tampa, Florida.

#“I can do it all. I can box, but I favour brawling, because it shows who has the bigger heart. No one has a bigger heart than me,” Sands said. “I just need to listen to my team and let Kevin do his job. I’ll do mine and we can make it to the top.”

Wednesday, November 27, 2019

Amron Sands

#By RENALDO DORSETT

#Tribune Sports Reporter

#rdorsett@tribunemedia.net

#LOOKING ahead to the promise of future prospects, Amron Sands and his team plans to seek more opportunities in the Northern United States.

#Fighting primarily in Florida for the first two years of his career thus far, Sands said his management and promotional groups are already in the preliminary stages of solidifying a fight in New York as he expands out of the Florida area.

#On Saturday, Sands defeated Daniel Najera of Mexico via first-round stoppage on the undercard of “Rumble In The Bay” at the JCC Center in Tampa, Florida. “After the fight he [Lou DiBella] called me and we are already lining up our next fight. The next fight will definitely be in New York so now we will be moving up there to get more exposure, stepping up the competition.”

#Sands remained undefeated after a pair of knockdowns brought an abrupt ending to the fight as he improved to 10-0.

#“It was very good. We stuck to the gameplan and did what we were supposed to do to come out with the W,” he told Sidestep Boxing.

#“I played basketball, I’m used to changing angles so it’s just the transition to boxing that makes me stand out. My style in the ring, it looks beautiful as a heavyweight, because heavyweights don’t do that, they are more [plodding] but with me using my angles and moving light on my feet it separates me from them. With a big name like Lou DiBella behind me, moving like that and fighting like that, we’re only going to the top.”

#The 25-year-old Sands has scored early knockouts this year against Hector Hodge in the opening frame and, most recently, a second-round stoppage of Thomas Hawkins on August 23.

#Prior to last weekend’s win, Sands was last in the ring when he defeated Thomas Hawkins via knockout one minute and nine seconds into round two, also at the Bryan Glazer JCC Auditorium.

#“Keep following, I never forget my people, 242 y’all know I represent y’all and thank you Florida for welcoming me, I represent y’all as well,” he said.

#Under Kevin Dever Sports Management, Sands joined DiBella Entertainment and finished off 2019 with three fights in a four-month span.

#“I signed with DiBella Entertainment because Lou is one of the most trustworthy promoters in boxing and he has great relationships in the business to get my name out there. I know that, with his guidance, I can become the heavyweight champion of the world. I can box and I can bang and I’m what the heavyweight division needs. I’m very excited about my future and am ready to put in the work,” Sands said.

#He made his heavyweight debut with a TKO win over Julio Mendoza at the Lakeland Events Center in Lakeland, Florida, on August 5 2017.

#He followed with consecutive knockout wins over Eric Evans (November 18 at the Crossroads Arena in Corinth) and Kendrick Houston (February 17 2018 at the Orlando Live Event Center).

#He spoiled the debut for Darrell Parker with a TKO at the Florida State Fairgrounds Hall in Tampa on May 18.

#Sands made his pro debut at home on the undercard of “The Backyard Rumble” with a unanimous decision over Jerry Butler on May 26.

#He returned to the US and scored a knockout win over Cade Rodriguez on July 21. He then defeated American journeyman Francois Russell via second-round TKO on the undercard of Friday Night Brawl, hosted at the JCC Auditorium.

Thursday, November 7, 2019

AMRON Sands

#By RENALDO DORSETT

#Tribune Sports Reporter

#rdorsett@tribunemedia.net

#WHEN Amron ‘Sandman’ Sands steps back into the ring, the bout will be a heavyweight matchup between two former basketball players now turned boxers with undefeated streaks on the line.

#Raphael “The Nigerian Hurricane” Akpejiori of Nigeria was officially announced as Sands’ opponent for “Rumble In The Bay” to be hosted November 23 at the Bryan Glazer JCC Center in Tampa, Florida.

#Akpejiori, a former basketball and football player for the University of Miami Hurricanes, comes into the fight undefeated at 5-0.

#Standing at 6’8 and 240 pounds, Akpejiori set a self imposed timeline to become the world heavyweight champion in four years.

#This will be his second match in a three-month span under Dever Sports Management and DiBella Entertainment following a nearly six-month layoff.

#Currently with a record of 9-0 (8 KOs), Sands last fought on August 23 against American Thomas Hawkins when he scored the knockout one minute and nine seconds into round two at the Bryan Glazer JCC Auditorium in Tampa, Florida.

#“He actually came to fight. It was good. I knocked him out,” Sands told The Tribune after the fight. “As the fight progressed, I saw more opportunities for me to go inside and work on him. I just threw the over-hand left and the right uppercut and he fell.”

#Under Kevin Dever Sports Management, Sands joined DiBella Entertainment as the latest addition to its roster of heavyweight prospects.

#“I signed with DiBella Entertainment because Lou is one of the most trustworthy promoters in boxing and he has great relationships in the business to get my name out there,” said Sands. “I know that, with his guidance, I can become the heavyweight champion of the world. I can box and I can bang and I’m what the heavyweight division needs. I’m very excited about my future and am ready to put in the work.”

#He made his heavyweight debut with a TKO win over Julio Mendoza at the Lakeland Events Center in Lakeland, Florida, on August 5 2017.

#He followed with consecutive knockout wins over Eric Evans (November 18 at the Crossroads Arena in Corinth) and Kendrick Houston (February 17 2018 at the Orlando Live Event Center).

#He spoiled the debut for Darrell Parker with a TKO at the Florida State Fairgrounds Hall in Tampa on May 18.

#Sands made his pro debut at home on the undercard of “The Backyard Rumble” with a unanimous decision over Jerry Butler May 26.

#He returned to the US and scored a knockout win over Cade Rodriguez on July 21. He then defeated American journeyman Francois Russell via second round TKO on the undercard of Friday Night Brawl, hosted at the Bryan Glazer Family JCC Auditorium in Tampa, Florida.

#“I can do it all. I can box, but I favour brawling, because it shows who has the bigger heart. No one has a bigger heart than me,” Sands said. “I just need to listen to my team and let Kevin do his job. I’ll do mine and we can make it to the top.”

Friday, October 18, 2019

AMRON Sands

#By RENALDO DORSETT

#Tribune Sports Reporter

#rdorsett@tribunemedia.net

#AMRON ‘Sandman’ Sands looks to step back into the ring and continue his undefeated streak next month.

#Sands will be one of the headliners of “Rumble In The Bay” to be hosted November 23 at the JCC Center in Tampa, Florida.

#This will be his second match in a three-month span under Dever Sports Management and DiBella Entertainment following a nearly six-month layoff.

#Currently with a record of 9-0 (8 KOs), Sands last fought on August 23 against American Thomas Hawkins, when he scored the knockout one minute and nine seconds into round two at the Bryan Glazer JCC Auditorium in Tampa, Florida.

#“He actually came to fight. It was good. I knocked him out,” Sands told The Tribune after the fight. “As the fight progressed, I saw more opportunities for me to go inside and work on him. I just threw the over-hand left and the right uppercut and he fell.”

#Under Kevin Dever Sports Management, Sands joined DiBella Entertainment as the latest addition to its roster of heavyweight prospects.

#“I signed with DiBella Entertainment because Lou is one of the most trustworthy promoters in boxing and he has great relationships in the business to get my name out there,” said Sands.

#“I know that, with his guidance, I can become the heavyweight champion of the world. I can box and I can bang and I’m what the heavyweight division needs. I’m very excited about my future and am ready to put in the work.”

#He made his heavyweight debut with a TKO win over Julio Mendoza at the Lakeland Events Center in Lakeland, Florida, on August 5, 2017. He followed with consecutive knockout wins over Eric Evans (November 18 at the Crossroads Arena in Corinth) and Kendrick Houston (February 17 2018 at the Orlando Live Event Center). He spoiled the debut for Darrell Parker with a TKO at the Florida State Fairgrounds Hall in Tampa on May 18.

#Sands made his pro debut at home on the undercard of “The Backyard Rumble” with a unanimous decision over Jerry Butler May 26. He returned to the US and scored a knockout win over Cade Rodriguez July 21. He then defeated American journeyman Francois Russell via second round TKO on the undercard of Friday Night Brawl, hosted at the Bryan Glazer Family JCC Auditorium in Tampa.

#“I can do it all. I can box, but I favour brawling, because it shows who has the bigger heart. No one has a bigger heart than me,” Sands said. “I just need to listen to my team and let Kevin do his job. I’ll do mine and we can make it to the top.”

Monday, November 25, 2019

Amron Sands

#By RENALDO DORSETT

#Tribune Sports Reporter

#rdorsett@tribunemedia.net

#New opponent, same result as Bahamian heavyweight Amron “Sandman” Sands continues his undefeated streak.

#Sands defeated Daniel Najera of Mexico via first-round stoppage after a pair of knockdowns brought an abrupt ending to the fight Saturday night on the undercard of “Rumble In The Bay” at the JCC Center in Tampa, Florida.

#After his second consecutive win at the venue, Sands is now 10-0 with 9 KOs.

#The 25-year-old Sands has scored early knockouts this year against Hector Hodge in the opening frame and, most recently, a second-round stoppage of Thomas Hawkins on August 23.

#He made his heavyweight debut with a TKO win over Julio Mendoza at the Lakeland Events Center in Lakeland, Florida, on August 5, 2017.

#He followed with consecutive knockout wins over Eric Evans (November 18 at the Crossroads Arena in Corinth) and Kendrick Houston (February 17, 2018 at the Orlando Live Event Center).

#He spoiled the debut for Darrell Parker with a TKO at the Florida State Fairgrounds Hall in Tampa on May 18.

#Sands made his pro debut at home on the undercard of “The Backyard Rumble” with a unanimous decision over Jerry Butler on May 26 He returned to the US and scored a knockout win over Cade Rodriguez on July 21. He then defeated American journeyman Francois Russell via second round TKO on the undercard of Friday Night Brawl, hosted at the JCC Auditorium.

#Prior to last weekend’s win, Sands was last in the ring when he defeated Thomas Hawkins via knockout one minute and nine seconds into round two, also at the Bryan Glazer JCC Auditorium.

#Under Kevin Dever Sports Management, Sands joined DiBella Entertainment as the latest addition to its roster of heavyweight prospects.

#“We want to close out the year strong with this fight and hopefully going for the first belt in the new year,” Sands told Sidestep Boxing.

#“They have some good stuff in store for me. It shows that you’re moving forward and progressing in your career, knowing that those kinds of people are watching you,” said Sands during his signing with the group.

#Since signing to DiBella, he finished off 2019 with three fights in a four-month span.

#“I signed with DiBella Entertainment because Lou is one of the most trustworthy promoters in boxing and he has great relationships in the business to get my name out there. I know that, with his guidance, I can become the heavyweight champion of the world. I can box and I can bang and I’m what the heavyweight division needs. I’m very excited about my future and am ready to put in the work,” Sands added.

By Renaldo Dorsett

Monday, January 13, 2020

#BAHAMIAN pro boxer Amron Sands had the opportunity of a lifetime – to work closely and learn from the most dominant heavyweight in boxing today.

#Sands participated in training camp alongside WBC heavyweight champion Deontay Wilder as the latter prepares for his upcoming title defense next month against Tyson Fury.

#Sands, the youngest and least experienced fighter in the group, was nicknamed “Young Lion” by Wilder and his team of trainers and staff.

#“It was a very good learning experience to be in such a huge camp so early in my career. It speaks volumes of the road I’m headed on. It was a really good camp, a lot of work, great sparring, got to spar with the heavyweight champion of the world so it’s a major step forward,” he said.

#“I learned alot from it fighting wise, even out of the ring, he mentored me, gave me a little info on what to look forward to – in this game you have to always be 100 per cent ready. His trainers showed me different moves in the ring, being the bigger man in the ring and what they expect from you, things like that.”

#Wilder is currently 42-0-1 with 41 KOs, the highest knockout rate in the sport.

#“I really became a Wilder fan until I met him…very humble dude. For a dude who makes what he makes and who he is, he’s a very humble dude and down to earth. It was great hospitality the whole time. You might expect a different attitude from somebody of that magnitude,” Sands said.

#“He was very open and showed me a lot of great stuff in the ring and that’s something I can carry with me the rest of my career.”

#In his last ring appearance, Sands defeated Daniel Najera of Mexico via first-round stoppage on the undercard of “Rumble In The Bay” at the JCC Center in Tampa, Florida.

#Sands remained undefeated after a pair of knockdowns brought an abrupt ending to the fight as he improved to 10-0.

#Under Kevin Dever Sports Management, Sands joined DiBella Entertainment and finished off 2019 with three fights in a four-month span.

#“I signed with DiBella Entertainment because Lou is one of the most trustworthy promoters in boxing and he has great relationships in the business to get my name out there. I know that, with his guidance, I can become the heavyweight champion of the world.

#“I can box and I can bang and I’m what the heavyweight division needs. I’m very excited about my future and am ready to put in the work,” Sands said.

#“He told me I was the biggest prospect he signed last year. If they keep up their work with the pace we are on I should be the first major title holder for a Bahamian heavyweight.”

#Looking ahead to the promise of future prospects, Sands said his team plans to seek more opportunities and his next fight is scheduled to be in New York in February.

#He fought the first two years of his pro career throughout Florida.

#The 25-year-old Sands has scored early knockouts against Hector Hodge in the opening frame and, most recently, a second-round stoppage of Thomas Hawkins on August 23.

#Prior to his last win, Sands defeated Thomas Hawkins via knockout one minute and nine seconds into round two, also at the Bryan Glazer JCC Auditorium.

#He made his heavyweight debut with a TKO win over Julio Mendoza at the Lakeland Events Center in Lakeland, Florida, on August 5 2017.

#He followed with consecutive knockout wins over Eric Evans (November 18 at the Crossroads Arena in Corinth) and Kendrick Houston (February 17 2018 at the Orlando Live Event Center).

#He spoiled the debut for Darrell Parker with a TKO at the Florida State Fairgrounds Hall in Tampa on May 18.

#Sands made his pro debut at home on the undercard of “The Backyard Rumble” with a unanimous decision over Jerry Butler on May 26. He returned to the US and scored a knockout win over Cade Rodriguez on July 21. He then defeated American journeyman Francois Russell via 2nd-round TKO on the undercard of Friday Night Brawl, hosted at the JCC Auditorium

Amron Sands

Wednesday, August 19, 2020

#By RENALDO DORSETT

#Tribune Sports Reporter

#rdorsett@tribunemedia.net

#Amron Sands is now listed at No.15 among contenders for the North American Boxing Federation heavyweight title.

#The organisation recently released its August 2020 rankings and the undefeated Sands progressed several spots from the previous update.

#The NABF is one of nine regional sanctioning bodies under the World Boxing Council (WBC).

#Canada’s Arslanbek Makmudov is the current NABF heavyweight champion while Tyson Fury of Great Britain is the WBC champion.

#The list of contenders features several former champions, including Deontay Wilder (No.1), Andy Ruiz (No.5), and Michael Hunter (No.3).

#In his last match Sands improved to 11-0 (nine KOs) via unanimous decision over Cristian Galvez on February 20 at Club Deportivo Calero in Santo Domingo, The Dominican Republic.

#Earlier this year, Sands also participated in training camp alongside former WBC heavyweight champion Wilder.

#Under Kevin Dever Sports Management, Sands joined DiBella Entertainment and finished off 2019 with three fights in a four-month span.

#“I signed with DiBella Entertainment because Lou is one of the most trustworthy promoters in boxing and he has great relationships in the business to get my name out there. I know that, with his guidance, I can become the heavyweight champion of the world. I can box and I can bang and I’m what the heavyweight division needs. I’m very excited about my future and am ready to put in the work,” Sands said.

#“He told me I was the biggest prospect he signed last year. If they keep up their work with the pace we are on I should be the first major title holder for a Bahamian heavyweight.”

#Once the calendar shifted to 2020, Sands scored several knockouts – in February against Hector Hodge in the opening frame, a second-round stoppage of Thomas Hawkins in August and and a win over Daniel Najera of Mexico via first-round stoppage in November on the undercard of “Rumble In The Bay” at the JCC Center in Tampa, Florida.

#During the COVID-19 pandemic, Sands told The Tribune that like all athletes in their respective disciplines, his progression has been halted by the restrictions.

#“I know for sure that this year I was supposed to be in the top 20 in the world, but hopefully we will get over this soon and we can resume what we were doing. We just need everybody to stay safe and clean so that we can get over this. We need to get sports back to where it was even though we know that it won’t be the same with some of the things that they did before,” he said. “I’m good. I am in shape. If they say Amron we have a fight for you tomorrow, I’ll take that because I’m ready. It’s hard to get ready, but when you stay ready, it’s so much easier. I’m good. I am in shape and ready to go whenever the calls come.”

#Combat sports have returned with several boxing and mixed martial arts promotions hosting events

Wednesday, August 19, 2020

Sydney Clarke

#By BRENT STUBBS

#Senior Sports Reporter

#bstubbs@tribunemedia.net

#THE country’s former top junior female tennis player Sydney Clarke is now making the transition to the collegiate level.

#The 18-year-old left town on August 10 and has now settled in her dormitory at the University of Alabama at Birmingham for her freshman year with the Blazers women’s tennis team.

#“Everything is fine. I had to take a COVID-19 test before I could come on campus and to use the courts,” Clarke said. “I started practicing with the team on Friday.

#“Once I took the test, I moved in and I went right on to the court to interact with my new team-mates. It was quite interesting, but everything is going fine right now.”

#As a new venture for Clarke, who graduated from Windsor School on June 13, the experience has been all that the former CR Walker Secondary High student-athlete expected and more when she arrived on her new campus in Birmingham.

#“They have all the safety measures in place for COVID-19 and the members of the team, who have been here before, are doing all they can to assist us, who are coming in for the first time,” said Clarke, who is one of three incoming freshmen on the team.

#Having dreamt about this opportunity since she signed her letter of intent, Clarke said she’s excited to finally be in a position to accomplish her goal of attending college.

#“I think it’s going to be more intense for me playing with a team like this for the first time,” said Clarke, who has had some experience playing in a team atmosphere with the Bahamas Lawn Tennis Association’s Fed Cup team.

#“So it’s really going to be different when we start playing next year against different schools and just having a role on the team to help out. There’s no role for me to be selfish, so I’m looking forward to making my contribution.”

#Before she left home, Clarke said she got a chance to work on her game at the National Tennis Centre prior to the Bahamas Government putting a halt to all sporting activities due to the spread of the coronavirus.

#When that opportunity was taken away from her, Clarke said she was able to work out at home where she had the use of a wall to hit the balls as she worked on certain aspects of her game and stayed fit at the same time.

#“So it made a difference when I started working out with the team,” pointed out Clarke, who has returning team-mates from Germany, Spain, Poland and Bulgaria. “We have about 10 weeks to practice before school closes in November and I got to return home.”

#Appreciative of all the support she’s gotten from her parents, Bernard and Shayvon Clarke, Clarke said she’s eager to make them proud and to set the stage for her younger sister, Sarai, whom she has inspired to play tennis and is one of the top young players in the BLTA.

#“I miss them already, but I’m adjusting to being away from them,” she said.

#“I know that whenever I get a chance, I will head back home. It’s a big adjustment, but I’m keeping in contact with my family daily, so it’s good.”

#Should she get a chance to come home for Christmas, Clarke said she would like to play in the BLTA’s Giorgio Baldacci National Tennis Tournament because she hasn’t played in a competitive tournament since December.

#The Blazers’ season doesn’t officially get underway until January, so Clarke said it would be good to test her skills against some of the top female players at home before she gets prepared for the collegiate circuit.

#In the meantime, Clarke said she’s trying to get prepared for her classes towards her degree in business and her experience on the court as a collegiate player.

#“They have things in place on campus to make sure that we are safe,” Clarke said.

#“We have a lot of shops nearby so we don’t have to venture too far from the campus, which is good. So I’m just taking the precautions to stay safe.”