Edric C ‘Drips’ Poitier

Friday, March 15, 2019

#By BRENT STUBBS

#Senior Sports Reporter

#bstubbs@tribunemedia.net

#ON April 1, coach Edric C ‘Drips’ Poitier is expected to take on a new role at Florida State College at Jacksonville where he coaches their Blue Waves women’s volleyball and reconstructs their beach volleyball programme after a three-year coaching sting at Savannah State University.

#“I’m confident coach Poitier will continue to grow on the success of FSCJ Volleyball,” said FSC Athletic Director Ginny Alexander.

#“He has a commitment to building programmes that are strong and connections to recruiting high calibre players that can lead our programme to the next level.”

#In response, Poitier thanked Alexander and the volleyball search committee for selecting him and having the confidence in him to take over and lead this programme. “I’m very excited about the opportunity to continue to build on the success that FSCJ Volleyball has had in the past and look forward to the opportunity to take them to the next level,” he said. “My goal is to establish FSCJ as a national powerhouse in NJCAA volleyball.”

#Poitier, 56, will be moving from the NCAA Division I to the Division II level where he has garnered three Central Intercollegiate Athletic Association Coach of the Year awards, four consecutive CIAA Championship and three NCAA Division II Atlantic Regional appearances in his 14-year coaching experience.

#“I love it because it’s a whole lot more responsibility because the university is getting ready to build a seven-court facility and they told me the reason they want me is so that I can manage the facility and produce some national and international tournaments there,” he said.

#“They are building six courts and one stadium court in the facility because there is no where in the Jacksonville area that has more than two courts. They wanted someone who have some experience in beach volleyball as well to manage the facility and coach their indoor volleyball team.”

#While his coaching responsibility will only be limited to the indoor volleyball team, Poitier said he will be seeking persons to coach the beach volleyball team as they attempt to bring the team up to par with hard court volleyball.

#“It’s more responsibilities, especially for recruiting. You don’t have to worry about the NCAA stipulations. It’s a junior college,” Poitier pointed out.

#“A lot of people may look at it as a demotion from a division one to a junior college, but if you are coaching at one of the major division one schools, you don’t have the opportunities for huge success.

#At the junior college level, Poitier said there is much more opportunities for him to succeed.

#“They are still paying me very well and I have an opportunity to do a lot of recruiting, especially with kids from the Bahamas and the Caribbean,” he revealed.

#“If they don’t qualify for NCAA schools due to our educational system, they don’t get to make it. But if they don’t meet the NCAA stipulations, I can recruit them for Florida State College.

#Prior to Savannah State University, Poitier was at Bluefield State College rebuilding a program that had gone 6-113 in the five seasons to a 21-7 record by 2015. Poitier also spent three seasons at Winston-Salem State University from 2010-12 and posted a 43-51 record.

#He is known for rebuilding programs as he started his head coach career with St. Augustine’s College (now St. Augustine University) and went 113-34 in five seasons at the helm. In his first season, he went 14-13 overall, including going 14-6 in conference play.

#The next four seasons, Poitier record 20-plus win and a conference championship in each season. In year two, Poitier went 23-6, including a 19-2 mark in conference play and won the conference and was named the CIAA Coach of the Year and followed up with a 22-7 overall record, including a perfect 21-0 conference record and won the CIAA Championship for the second consecutive season and lost in the first round of the NCAA Regionals.

#Poitier went 29-3 overall and 21-0 in conference play and won the CIAA Championship for the third consecutive season and advanced the second round of the NCAA Regionals and went 25-5 overall and 21-0 in league play with a conference championship and was named Coach of the Year in his final season.

#He is still the only CIAA coach to ever win an NCAA Tournament First Round match. St. Augustine’s went on a 77-game conference win streak over the last four-plus seasons.

#“I’ve coached at Division II and I did division one, but if you are not at oner of the big schools, it’s difficult to win because their recruiting budget is so great,” he further pointed out.

#“You just can’t compete with them. But at the JUCO level, you can compete with anybody.”

#He noted that Florida State College was the only team to beat Miami Dade, who was on a 69-game winning streak before they upset them last year. They eventually lost their title to Idaho.

#“That’s one of the things that motivated me in going to Florida State College,” Poitier declared. “I know I can do a lot with the programme there.”

#Before leaving the Bahamas, Poitier coached the Bahamas national women’s team for nine years from 1992-99 and led the team to two gold medals and three silver medals at the Regional Caribbean Volleyball Championships and was the assistant coach from 1989-92.

#Poitier also played on the Bahamas men’s national team as a setter for 13 years from 1979-92 and won the bronze medal at Commonwealth Volleyball Championship in London in 1981. Poitier took a break in 2004 and left St. Augustine to work in his homeland in the Bahamas as a police officer while coaching two club teams in five years before returning to coach college in 2010.

#Poitier graduated from St. Augustine’s College in 2003 with a Bachelor of Science degree in criminal justice.

#During his coaching tenure, Poitier has compiled a 194-160 win-loss record.

Edric C ‘Drips’ Poitier

As of Friday, March 15, 2019

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#By BRENT STUBBS

#Senior Sports Reporter

#bstubbs@tribunemedia.net

#ON April 1, coach Edric C ‘Drips’ Poitier is expected to take on a new role at Florida State College at Jacksonville where he coaches their Blue Waves women’s volleyball and reconstructs their beach volleyball programme after a three-year coaching sting at Savannah State University.

#“I’m confident coach Poitier will continue to grow on the success of FSCJ Volleyball,” said FSC Athletic Director Ginny Alexander.

#“He has a commitment to building programmes that are strong and connections to recruiting high calibre players that can lead our programme to the next level.”

#In response, Poitier thanked Alexander and the volleyball search committee for selecting him and having the confidence in him to take over and lead this programme. “I’m very excited about the opportunity to continue to build on the success that FSCJ Volleyball has had in the past and look forward to the opportunity to take them to the next level,” he said. “My goal is to establish FSCJ as a national powerhouse in NJCAA volleyball.”

#Poitier, 56, will be moving from the NCAA Division I to the Division II level where he has garnered three Central Intercollegiate Athletic Association Coach of the Year awards, four consecutive CIAA Championship and three NCAA Division II Atlantic Regional appearances in his 14-year coaching experience.

#“I love it because it’s a whole lot more responsibility because the university is getting ready to build a seven-court facility and they told me the reason they want me is so that I can manage the facility and produce some national and international tournaments there,” he said.

#“They are building six courts and one stadium court in the facility because there is no where in the Jacksonville area that has more than two courts. They wanted someone who have some experience in beach volleyball as well to manage the facility and coach their indoor volleyball team.”

#While his coaching responsibility will only be limited to the indoor volleyball team, Poitier said he will be seeking persons to coach the beach volleyball team as they attempt to bring the team up to par with hard court volleyball.

#“It’s more responsibilities, especially for recruiting. You don’t have to worry about the NCAA stipulations. It’s a junior college,” Poitier pointed out.

#“A lot of people may look at it as a demotion from a division one to a junior college, but if you are coaching at one of the major division one schools, you don’t have the opportunities for huge success.

#At the junior college level, Poitier said there is much more opportunities for him to succeed.

#“They are still paying me very well and I have an opportunity to do a lot of recruiting, especially with kids from the Bahamas and the Caribbean,” he revealed.

#“If they don’t qualify for NCAA schools due to our educational system, they don’t get to make it. But if they don’t meet the NCAA stipulations, I can recruit them for Florida State College.

#Prior to Savannah State University, Poitier was at Bluefield State College rebuilding a program that had gone 6-113 in the five seasons to a 21-7 record by 2015. Poitier also spent three seasons at Winston-Salem State University from 2010-12 and posted a 43-51 record.

#He is known for rebuilding programs as he started his head coach career with St. Augustine’s College (now St. Augustine University) and went 113-34 in five seasons at the helm. In his first season, he went 14-13 overall, including going 14-6 in conference play.

#The next four seasons, Poitier record 20-plus win and a conference championship in each season. In year two, Poitier went 23-6, including a 19-2 mark in conference play and won the conference and was named the CIAA Coach of the Year and followed up with a 22-7 overall record, including a perfect 21-0 conference record and won the CIAA Championship for the second consecutive season and lost in the first round of the NCAA Regionals.

#Poitier went 29-3 overall and 21-0 in conference play and won the CIAA Championship for the third consecutive season and advanced the second round of the NCAA Regionals and went 25-5 overall and 21-0 in league play with a conference championship and was named Coach of the Year in his final season.

#He is still the only CIAA coach to ever win an NCAA Tournament First Round match. St. Augustine’s went on a 77-game conference win streak over the last four-plus seasons.

#“I’ve coached at Division II and I did division one, but if you are not at oner of the big schools, it’s difficult to win because their recruiting budget is so great,” he further pointed out.

#“You just can’t compete with them. But at the JUCO level, you can compete with anybody.”

#He noted that Florida State College was the only team to beat Miami Dade, who was on a 69-game winning streak before they upset them last year. They eventually lost their title to Idaho.

#“That’s one of the things that motivated me in going to Florida State College,” Poitier declared. “I know I can do a lot with the programme there.”

#Before leaving the Bahamas, Poitier coached the Bahamas national women’s team for nine years from 1992-99 and led the team to two gold medals and three silver medals at the Regional Caribbean Volleyball Championships and was the assistant coach from 1989-92.

#Poitier also played on the Bahamas men’s national team as a setter for 13 years from 1979-92 and won the bronze medal at Commonwealth Volleyball Championship in London in 1981. Poitier took a break in 2004 and left St. Augustine to work in his homeland in the Bahamas as a police officer while coaching two club teams in five years before returning to coach college in 2010.

#Poitier graduated from St. Augustine’s College in 2003 with a Bachelor of Science degree in criminal justice.

#During his coaching tenure, Poitier has compiled a 194-160 win-loss record.

Phoenix Suns’ Deandre Ayton (22) drives to the basket as Indiana Pacers’ Myles Turner (33) defends during the first half of an NBA basketball game Thursday, Aug. 6, 2020, in Lake Buena Vista, Fla. (Kevin C. Cox/Pool Photo via AP)

As of Friday, August 7, 2020

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#By RENALDO DORSETT

#Tribune Sports Reporter

#rdorsett@tribunemedia.net

#The Sacramento Kings finally got into the win column while the Phoenix Suns became the only 4-0 team in the NBA restart at the ESPN Wide World of Sports Complex in Orlando, Florida.

#The Suns continue streaking and Deandre Ayton continues to deliver dominant performances.

#Ayton finished with another double double – 23 points, 10 rebounds, four blocked shots and two steals in the Suns’ 114-99 win over the Indiana Pacers.

New Orleans Pelicans’ Nicolo Melli (20) goes up for a shot against Sacramento Kings’ Buddy Hield (24) and Kent Bazemore (26) during the first half yesterday. Hield scored three points. (AP Photo/Ashley Landis)

#Chavano “Buddy” Hield played sparingly in the Kings’ 140-125 win over the New Orleans Pelicans in yesterday’s first matchup on the schedule.

#He scored just three points on 1-5 shooting in a season low 11 minutes.

#It was just the second time he played less than 20 minutes in a game after his previous low of 15 minutes in a February loss to the Los Angeles Clippers.

#Hield has averaged just 9.5 points on 28.5 per cent shooting from the field and 25.4 per cent shooting from three-point range.

#The Kings continue play against the Brooklyn Nets (August 7), Houston Rockets (August 9), Pelicans (August 11), and Los Angeles Lakers (August 13).

#“It hasn’t looked great at times, but we haven’t looked great at times,” Kings head coach Luke Walton said of Hield’s play during the latest episode of the “Purple Talk” podcast.

#“We also need him to continue to focus on playing defence, do coverages,” Walton continued.

#“He gets blitzed, so we need him to continue to work on his playmaking ability and being able to pass out of those blitzes, which he’s gotten much better at.”

#Kings play Nets today.

Friday, August 7, 2020

#By BRENT STUBBS

#Senior Sports Reporter

#bstubbs@tribunemedia.net

#AFTER completing his tenure at Florida State College at Jacksonville, Bahamian coach Edric ‘Drips’ Poitier turned his attention to his Powers Volleyball Club in Jacksonville, Florida in the midst of the coronavirus pandemic.

#Poitier, who left FSC at the end of the Bluewaves’ season in November, is contemplating his next coaching move at the collegiate level. But he was happy to work with his PCV team as they participated in an under-15 girls’ AAU Tournament in Orlando, Florida two weeks ago.

#“I have some offers on the table but their season was cancelled because of Covid-19, so they are not hiring anybody until January,” Poitier said.

#“So I’m just waiting to see what happens. There’s not a whole lot going on right now. I’m just coaching club volleyball right now.”

#Since he left FSC, Poitier has been involved in the PVC programme in Jacksonville, but he could be moving back to West Virginia at the end of the month with his wife and family to coach another club programme there if he doesn’t secure a collegiate coaching job.

#Poitier, who has amassed 14 years of head coaching experience at the NCAA Division I and II as well as the junior college level, took PVC to the AAU Nationals in Orlando where they won their bracket.

#In the new norm created as a result of the pandemic, Poitier said they played in a similar bubble like the NBA and the WNBA are doing. He noted that they get their temperature checked before every game a d if one player have any symptoms, the entire team is eliminated.

#“They had the gym set up unusual from having the courts side by side,” he noted of the four-day tournament. “They staggered them almost like a checker board with one court here and the other spaced out. Even the chairs were separated. I thought it was well organized.

#“They didn’t allow all of the teams in the gym all at once. There was a morning wave, a mid-morning wave, an afternoon wave and an evening wave in a big convention center where they sanitized it after every game. Everybody had to wear a mast unless you were a player on the court playing.”

#If this is any indication of what to expect moving forward, Poitier said he could see the process working for volleyball, which won’t be adversely affected because it’s a non-contact sport.

#“You only have players on the opposite side of the court, but those players on each team practice and play together,” he stated. “So they have been around each other the entire time.

#“Even when they get to the arena, they don’t have to mingle with the players from the opposite team. So it’s a lot safer than basketball where they have to get on the court and mix and mingle with other kids. So I think it could work. I think the AAU tournament was the prototype for teams to see how they can run their tournaments and championships to get through a season.”

#Volleyball, however, is one of those sports in the collegiate ranks, that has been put off until January because of the spread of the coronavirus since the outbreak in March when all sports worldwide came to a halt.

#In the meantime, Poitier said he’s weighing out all of his options, which include a return to junior college where he get to spend more time developing players as he does with his PVC programme.

#Prior to going to FSC, Poitier enjoyed a sting of coaching experience at Savannah State University, Bluefield State College, Winston-Salem State University and St. Augustine’s College, now St. Augustine University where Bahamian Tacara Moxey, who played for him, is the new head coach.

#Poitier, a former officer in the Royal Bahamas Police Force, player as a setter from 1979-92 before he served as the head coach for the women’s national team from 1992-99

Phoenix Suns centre Deandre Ayton (22) dunks the ball as Washington Wizards forward Rui Hachimura looks on during the second half of an NBA basketball game Friday, July 31. (Kim Klement/Pool Photo via AP)

Thursday, August 6, 2020

#By RENALDO DORSETT

#Tribune Sports Reporter

#rdorsett@tribunemedia.net

#DEANDRE Ayton and the Phoenix Suns have been the biggest surprise of the NBA restart with an undefeated record thus far including back-to-back wins over playoff teams.

#Ayton has averaged 16.6 points and nine rebounds per game through the three game stretch as the Suns improved to 29-39, two games behind the Portland Trail Blazers in the win column for the ninth spot in the Western Conference playoffs.

#“I still don’t think we get respect, but I don’t care,” Ayton told reporters following Tuesday night’s 117-115 win over the Los Angeles Clippers, “We just go out there and play for each other. We stay together in bad times. Kept chipping, kept chipping and it went our way.”

#The second year centre said that while few pundits expected the team to make an impact, the Suns have found ways to defy the odds early.

#“Locking in. There’s nothing else to do here in the Bubble. Being there for each other. Us building with each other, seeing each other every day. It’s genuine, it’s real,” he said, “That’s coach’s system: sharing the ball. When we move the ball around, everybody eats.”

#The Suns look to continue their streak today against the also undefeated Indiana Pacers at 4pm. They go on to face the Miami Heat (August 8), Oklahoma City Thunder (August 10), Philadelphia 76ers (August 11) and the Mavericks for a second time (August 13).

#“Those guys just grew up tonight,” Suns head coach Monty Williams said following the win, “(The Clippers) sent everything at us. It’s an amazing feeling, and yet I’m already turning the page. That’s the mentality we have to have.By the time I got to the timeout (after conferring with the coaches first), the players had already talked themselves through the terminology and reads. I thought the shots that (the Clippers) got tonight were tough shots. I’m thankful. To be able to win in this environment is pretty cool.”

#On Ayton’s development, Williams said his defensive effort continues to improve.

#“He’s a guy that can be Defensive Player of the Year, I really believe that and I hope he just continues to grow in that area.” Williams told the Arizona Republic, “It’s early, but I think he’s becoming more disciplined and keeping his hands up on defense. He’s calling out stuff earlier. His conditioning is much better than it was so you’re seeing him sprinting back.”

#One of the major talking points of Ayton’s improvement has been his three point shooting, which he credits to Williams’ system giving him the confidence to take those shots from long range.

#After shooting 0-7 through the first 101 games of his NBA career, Ayton has shot 3-6 on three point field goals over the three games in the Orlando clean site.

#“I can say I’ve grown up in a way to where I’m just not being a robot running the play. I’m the playmaker when I got the ball, for real, and just me seeing the type of dominance and the type of effect I have on both sides of the floor affects the whole game and the whole team has bought in,” Ayton said, “I’m a basketball player. That’s the type of stuff you have to work on to play in the NBA. I’ve been working on this thing my whole life. I could’ve been shooting (the 3). It’s just I’m more comfortable with the system surrounding me to make me shoot the shot.”

Thursday, August 6, 2020

Lucius Fox (file photo)

Todd Isaacs

#By RENALDO DORSETT

#Tribune Sports Reporter

#rdorsett@tribunemedia.net

#BAHAMIAN Baseball prospects Lucius Fox and Todd Isaacs joined Major League’s Baseball Reviving Baseball in Inner Cities (RBI) programme to discuss the development of the sport in the country.

#The duo joined a Zoom-call moderated by MLB’s vice president of Baseball and Softball Development, David James, an audience comprised of student athletes from the RBI programme.

#Fox, currently a member of the Tampa Bay Rays’ “Taxi Squad” for the MLB regular season encouraged the group to find inspiration in their stories in their pursuit of own baseball dreams.

#“We didn’t have a lot of fields, a lot of batting cages [in the Bahamas]. We just used whatever we had to get better, whether that was throwing the ball against the wall or throwing the ball up and hitting it and chasing it.” Fox said, “Just finding ways to get active around the house or whatever area you have, using whatever you have, like a tennis ball or a broomstick. Those little things helped us reach the next level and helped our skills progress.”

#Fox is currently listed as the No.24 prospects in the Rays organisation was set to make his 2020 debut in AAA baseball with the Durham Bulls of the International League prior to the cancellation of the minor league season.

#As more Bahamians enter the MLB farm system and with Antoan Richardson in the coaching ranks with the San Francisco Giants, both players noted the impact recent success has had on Bahamian baseball.

#“As we continue to grow and push in professional baseball, we see every time we go back to the island more young kids that look forward to playing the game,” Fox said. “That’s all we ever wanted: to inspire the generation behind us. It’s changed my life, my family’s life, and allowed me to travel to places I never thought I would have been unless I was playing the game. I never thought I would be playing baseball. I always wanted to run the 100 meters at the Olympics, but I’m so happy that I was introduced to the game, and I just want more and more kids to give it a try.”

#Isaacs is currently a free agent, but was most recently a member of the Colorado Rockies organisation. He spent the bulk of last season in Grand Junction at the Rookie Level but also received the highest call up of his career when he was called up to the Albuquerque Isotopes of the Triple-A Pacific Coast League.

#“As an athlete, it’s our responsibility to use our platform to bring awareness and bring change,” Isaacs said in reference to the recent rise in social consciousness seen from athletes at all levels, “Everything that has been going on in the past few weeks has brought everything to the forefront. Education is key, and with us, we have a lot of kids who look up to us as athletes, and they are the future generations who will break the cycle [of discrimination in the world].”

#Fox said: “There is just one race, the human race. White, Black — it doesn’t matter. When we step on the field, the only thing we care about is our organization. We don’t look at race. … It’s important that we continue to push this envelope and educate more and more people. If we keep the fight going, we will see change in the future.”

#The duo created the Don’t Blink Home Run Derby, which has quickly garnered international acclaim in the baseball community in just three years.

#“We played a lot of games in stadiums with a lot of fans and a lot of excitement, but honestly, I never felt anything like stepping on that stage at the Derby,” Fox said. “The crowd is really close. It’s not like a regular game, where the fans are in the stands far away. You can feel the energy as soon as you step foot on the beach. And looking out into the ocean, this beautiful water, you want to hit the ball as far as you can.”

#RBI has featured a web series during the pandemic that has also featured other minorities in the sport, including Rangers’ pitcher Taylor Hearn.

#According to its website, Reviving Baseball began in 1989 and through the 2018 season, grew from a local program for boys in South Central Los Angeles to an international campaign encompassing more than 200 cities and as many as 150,000 boys and girls participants per year. In 2010, Jr. RBI was launched, designed to create new playing divisions that provide baseball and softball opportunities for children ages 5-12 that also serve as a feeder to the age 13-18 baseball and softball divisions.

#John Young, a former Major League Baseball player and scout, developed the concept of RBI to provide disadvantaged youth an opportunity to learn and enjoy the game of baseball.

By Mike D’Orso

There were some things I knew I would find when I landed for a winter weekend on the island of Eleuthera. Bad roads and beautiful beaches. Pink sand and pineapple rum. Balmy breezes, a Bahamian sun and blessed solitude. But nothing had prepared me for Hitler. Nor was I ready for his museum. And I had no idea what to make of his basketball court.

It was a week before Christmas, and I had come to the Bahamas on a free ticket – a major airline reward for yielding my seat on an over-booked flight earlier in the year. I had chosen Eleuthera on a hunch. I knew it was one of the country’s Out Islands – a far cry from glitzy Nassau. The guidebooks told me it was a little more that a speck on the map. A sliver of coral and limestone 100 miles long and two miles wide. Brochures described bougainvillea and hibiscus bushes drooping over picket fences, palm trees lining dirt paths to un-peopled beaches, small, neat homes painted on the bright colors of fruit and looking out on a translucent turquoise sea. This is what I had hoped for, and this is what I found when I stepped off a water taxi onto the dock at Harbour Island, a three- by one-half-mile dot three miles east of the northern tip of Eleuthera.

The 1,500 people who inhabit this oasis call it Briland. The adult’s fish for lobster, conch and grouper, work at half a dozen small resorts along the beaches or commute to the main island to plant and pick in Eleuthera’s pineapple and orange groves. The children attend the island’s single 300-student school.

The schoolyard was empty when I arrived late on a Friday afternoon. Christmas lights were strung on the palms, and poincianas lined the narrow lane that runs past the school’s sandy front yard. Reggae versions of Jingle Bells,and The First Noel drifted from the open windows of the houses nearby. A beat-up van sputtered past me with the words REGGIE’S “NO PROBLEM” taxi written on the side.

I noticed a purple Los Angeles Laker plate fastened to Reggie’s rear bumper just above the Bahamas tag. I soon noticed that almost every vehicle on the island bore the Laker logo, in honor, I learned, of the Bahamian patron saint of basketball, Mychal Thompson. Thompson, whose nickname in his native Nassau is Sweet Bells, was the first native from these islands to make it to the NBA, and he spent the last third of his 12-year career playing for the Los Angeles Lakers. He is now a Seattle SuperSonic radio color commentator.

“Sweet Bells”, explained an elderly shopkeeper, “made the Lakers the word of God in the Bahamas.”

I saw a few Boston plates as well, and was told there had been a surge in Celtic green since Rick Fox – who also cut his basketball teeth in Nassau before moving to Indiana to finish high school and going to North Carolina at the Chapel Hill for college-became a guard with the Celts last season.

“It’s a small country, yeah.” Briland school basketball coach Clayton Johnston, a 32-year old transplanted Canadian, told me when I tracked him down in his tiny office. “But the kids here live on the basketball court. This game is their passion, their absolute passion.”

Most play it outdoors. Johnston’s kids – the boys and girls who wear the Briland Buccaneer jerseys when playing against Eleuthera’s Windermere Warriors, hatchet Bay Potcakes (potcake is Bahamian slang for a junkyard dog) or Governor’s Harbour Rude Boys – practice on an asphalt court a hundred yards from the Atlantic. When the Buccaneers host a visiting team, the game is usually played under the stars, on that lighted court with a third of the island’s population seated on the grass or sand. Occasionally a rooster will dash out of the darkness and interrupt a fast break.

There are only four indoor gymnasiums in the entire country, according to Johnston. One is in Freeport, and three are in Nassau, where Gladstone (Moon) McPhee, the Red Auerbach of the Bahamas, coaches the national team. When college scouts from the U.S. come to the islands, they rarely venture beyond those gyms. It was in Nassau that the scouts found Thompson. And it was there that they more recently came across Dexter Cambridge, who grew up in Hatchet Bay on Eleuthera. Cambridge became the U.S.’s leading junior college scorer at Lon Morris J.C. in Jacksonville, Texas, in 1989-90. He then transferred to the University of Texas, where he led the Longhorns in scoring and rebounding early last season before being suspended for two months by the NCAA for accepting money from a booster while at Lon Morris. He is now with the Dallas Mavericks.

“Dexter’s good, but we’ve got a dozen Dexters around here,” said Johnston, who is a pretty fair athlete himself. He rowed varsity crew and played intramural hockey and football at the University of Toronto and is a member of the Eleuthera volleyball team. He came to Briland in 1987 after answering a Toronto newspaper ad for teachers in the Caribbean. “I’d already applied for a job in the Arctic,” he said, “but this sounded better.”

Johnston teaches several subjects and coaches every sport at the school, from softball to volleyball to track and field. But basketball, he said, is king. Both his boys’ and girls’ teams were undefeated in regular-season play last year – perhaps inspired by the 15-seat van donated to Briland’s sports teams the previous summer by singer/songwriter/author Jimmy Buffett, a regular visitor to the island.

“He heard we had a problem,” Johnston said. “He wanted to do something to help – quietly, you know. No big deal.” A Briland team road trip – which always begins by boat – often ended with no transportation waiting on the other side of the water. Now the van sits parked by the dock on Eleuthera.

Most Brilanders – including such local basketball legends as Marty Saunders, who, Johnston told me, “schooled Dexter every time they played, absolutely schooled him” – rarely leave the island once they finish school. Some quit early, as Saunders did after 10th grade. “A lot of these kids leave school earlier than that,” said Johnston, to go pump gas or carry bricks.” Some, according to Briland police chief Ellis Miller, are eventually done in by drugs, notably cocaine. “A lot of cocaine comes through here,” said Miller, “and some of it stays.” But the main reason most Brilanders never move beyond their small island is the same reason so many tourists come to visit it. “Look around,” said Johnston. “This is paradise. And this is home to these people.”

The Friday I arrived – and that Saturday and Sunday as well – as the sun sank below the coral-colored horizon, the throbbing beat of steel drums and Reggae rose from a tiny courtyard at the center of the island. A sign nailed by the courtyard’s doorway read VIC-HUM CLUB AND MUSEUM. Inside its banana-yellow walls, under an open sky and the fronds of over-hanging palm trees, I found six boys going three-on-three on a half court no larger than a living room. Its surface was a checkerboard of black and white ceramic squares. By nightfall the floor would become a disco, drawing dozens of locals and a handful of tourists.

But now those tiles were splashed with sweat from the basketball players. The players were teens – some students at the Briland school, others already dropouts. One, a slender 16-year-old who told me he was not good enough to make the Buccaneers, cradled an alley-oop pass and threw down a vicious dunk. he then disappeared through a doorway into the “museum” for a soft drink.

There was a pool table inside, surrounded by walls plastered with ragged 1960s record album covers (Janis Joplin, Tom Jones, James Brown, Marvin Gaye) and with vintage posters and photos of American athletes (Magic Johnson, Marvin Hagler, Jackie Robinson) as well as a life-sized foldout of Michael Jordan. A Bulls-Knicks game was on the television. Behind the bar stood a man called Hitler.

His name is really Humphrey Percentie Jr., but everyone on the island knows him as Hitler. Locals say the name comes from the fact that everyone knows not to mess with him. He reminds me of a downsized James Earl Jones, clad in a khaki jumpsuit. He filled me in on Briland’s political history (in a nutshell, there is none) as he poured drinks.

Other than the school’s, his key-sized court is the only basketball arena on the island, and it stays busy every day. I wanted to ask Hitler why he had built it in the center of his patio, but he wasn’t interested in answering questions. Instead, he insisted that I guess the circumference of the coconut he keeps on a shelf behind the bar.

“It is allegedly – allegedly I remind you – the largest coconut in the known world, mon,” he said, setting the coconut on the counter as he popped open two bottles of a Bahamian beer called Kalik.

It was a big coconut. About the size of a basketball. I pointed this out to Hitler, but he was busy shooing the kids off his court and setting up the sound system for the evening crowd that was already drifting through the door.

That pattern was repeated the next two days – raw, above-the-rim afternoon jam sessions played to a pulsing Reggae beat, followed by a night of dancing beneath the moon. I never got to see the Briland Buccaneers in action – they had an away game at nearby Spanish Wells that weekend. But on Monday afternoon I did see the Jimmy Buffett van, parked near the weathered taxis that met me and the other tourists headed to the North Eleuthera airport for our flight back to the U.S.

As the plane climbed and banked over the shimmering water of Harbour Island, I hoped for a glimpse of Hitler’s court of the schoolyard. But all I could see were palm trees, pink sand and the fishing boats.

Mike D’Orso lives in Norfolk, Virginia and has written a number of stories for Sports Illustrated.

Friday, August 23, 201

Representatives of the Sport Journalists Chapter of the ACM met with Victor Lopez, president of North America, Central America & Caribbean Athletic Associations (NACAC) and Anna Legnani, deputy director in the IAAF Communications Department, during a luncheon with the NACAC Family at the IAAF Lounge on August 15.

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In attendance were Michael Bascombe from Grenada, Kwame Laurence from Trinidad & Tobago, Brent Stubbs from the Bahamas and Andre Lowe from Jamaica.

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Both the IAAF and NACAC agreed to work closely with the Chapter in the areas of training and other technical assistance.

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Lopez spoke about the hard work ahead and the need to work closely with the media in this regard. Invitational, area permit and other track and field meets in the region, including the CARIFTA Games, were also discussed. And, for the first time, NACAC will have sponsors.

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The president spoke about the advanced stage of negotiations with several sponsors, including ESPN, Mondo, Scotiabank, Gatorade and others.

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In the case of ESPN, the deal is for the twinning of coverage for the NACAC Senior Championships (starting in 2015) and the CARIFTA Games.

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Lopez also reported plans to appoint a press committee, among other working committees, within NACAC. He promised to update the media on these plans once they are finalised.

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The IAAF continues to be supportive of the media and through Legnani and her team, the international federation will be holding a series of training workshops throughout the region.

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“We believe that this initiative to form a grouping of Caribbean Sport Journalists is timely and this augurs well for the development of the profession,” Legnani said.

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All parties agreed to keep the lines of communication open and to follow up on areas discussed.

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The committee members also attempted to meet with the president of the International Sports Press Association (AIPS), Gianni Merlo, who was also in Moscow, but that didn’t materialise.

Dustin Tynes gets ready for his 500m race in lane 10 at the World Junior Swimming Championships in Dubai.

Friday, August 30, 2013

YOUNG Bahamian swimmer Dustin Tynes has shattered a four-year-old record that Jeremy Knowles set in 2008.

Dustin, competing in his second event in the men’s 50 metre breaststroke at the World Junior Swimming Championships in Dubai, lowered the record from 29.69 to 29.60 when he placed 28th overall for the best showing by a Bahamian male competitor at the championships.

In Saturday’s Big T newspaper, read Dustin’s reaction to his result and see a great picture of Dustin at the games.

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Dustin made sure hwasn’t left out on Thursday after watching Joanna Evans ink her name into the record book twice at the 4th FINA World Junior Swimming Championships in Dubai.

Today, Friday, Evans competed in the preliminaries of the women’s 50m free where she placed 57th overall in 28.65. It was an improvement on her previous personal best of 28.97.

Evans opened the championship for the Bahamas by lowering her national record in the 800m free from 8:59.49 to 8:58.64 for 16th place overall on day two. She came back in her second event and posted her second record on Thursday in the 400m free in 4:24.72 for 20th place overall.

Evans, a 15-year-old native of Grand Bahama, will close out the competition for the Bahamas in the 200m free on Saturday.

Swimming coach Andy Loveitt said he has been extremely pleased with the record-breaking performances from both Evans and Tynes.

“We have had a great meet so far with three senior national records being broken. I could not have asked for more from these two swimmers and I am very proud of them,” he said. “They now have to step up to the senior ranks and continue to develop on the world stage for many years to come.

“This has been a great experience for them, but it is important that they see this as the beginning of a journey and they return home with a renewed energy that will take them onto greater things in the future. Motivation is relatively easy when you have two athletes with the desire that these have to succeed at a higher level. There is always another challenge on the horizon which I can get them to focus on.”

As Evans prepares to complete the Bahamas’ appearance at the meet, Loveitt said he is not going to make any predictions, but added: “I always know that Jo will give me 110 per cent in anything she does in training or in competition. I cannot ask for anything more from her or anyone else I coach.”

BAHAMIAN swimmer Joanna Evans set a new national record time of 8:58.64 in the heats of the girls 800 metre freestyle event at the World Junior Swimming Championships in Dubai.

In the nd Joanna came sixteenth after the timed finals, with 8:58.64; she had been eighth in the semifinal. Her previous record was 8:59.49.

She was pleased to have broken the national record and to be the first Bahamian to get in the top 16 at the championships.

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More than 800 elite swimmers under the age of 18 from 90 countries are competing over six days in the 4th World Junior Swimming Championships in the United Arab Emirates.

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The fastest heat of the girls’ 800m saw a one-girl show as Alanna Bowles (AUS) built a three body-length advantage after 400m and enjoyed a seemingly easy cruise in the second half of the race to win with 8:32.68.

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She just missed her compatriot, Bonnie Macdonald’s 2011 CR by 0.38sec.

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On Monday, Dustin Tynes, 17, for The Bahamas came 37th in the boys 100 metre breaststroke.

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Russia’s Vsevolod Zanko finished just outside the championships record in the race.

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Zanko was a 1:01.43, and he was followed by countrymate Ilya Khomenko in 1:01.57. Khomenko tied with Dmitriy Balandin from neighbouring Kazakhstan for that 2nd spot, and Japan’s Kohei Goto was 3rd in 1:01.96.

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Dustin was recorded at 1:05.37.

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Joanna is in the girls 400 metre freestyle on August 29; the girls 50 metre freestyle on August 30 and the girls 200 metre freestyle on August 31. Dustin is back for the boys 50 metre breaststroke on Friday, August 30, when he swims in heat four of seven, against Mexico, Hong Kong, Trinidad & Tobago, Honduras, Aruba, United States, Lithuania, South Africa and Bulgaria.

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Today (Tuesday), Russia earned eight medals including three golds. In the boys’ field all four finals brought a new Championship Record, one more was clocked in the women’s events and another one in the mixed medley relay final.

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Apostolos Christou (GRE) swept through the pool with a fine sub-55sec effort in the men’s 100m back, ensuring a great start of the second day’s afternoon session.

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The Greek’s win was never in doubt, he clocked a new Championship Record. The battle for the silver was a tight one, Danas Rapsys (LTU) had the better touch-in ahead of Grigory Tarasevich (RUS), by 0.09sec.

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The women’s 200m fly brought a surprising result: Kathryn McLaughlin (USA) launched a sensational finish to pass Liliana Szilagyi (HUN) in the last ten metres; in fact, the Hungarian had the best entry time (a full second better than the others’), won the heats by a huge margin but didn’t noticed the American coming.

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After the opening day’s duel over 400m, the Horton (AUS) vs. Guy (GBR) rematch in the 200m free produced the same outcome with the Aussie winning (and bringing down the Championship Record, of course) by a comfortable margin.

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Ruta Meilutyte (LTU) earned her first gold medal in Dubai, she managed to break the 30sec barrier, she clocked 29.86 upon winning the breaststroke dash – a slightly weaker effort than her world record (29.48) set in Barcelona.

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The boys’ 100m breaststroke event offered a great race: at the half-way mark Dmitry Balandin (KAZ) led the race but the two Russian finalists geared up for the second 50m and Ilya Khomenko, who had turned 6th, came home the fastest, especially in the last 10 metres with Vsevolod Zenko securing a 1-2 finish for Russia. Balandin was out-touched for the bronze by Kohei Goto (JPN) with 0.04sec.

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The girls’ 100m back final was the most exciting race of the day: four swimmers arrived simultaneously to the red part of the lane-diving ropes so it was a bit of luck which decided the final order. In fact, 0.28sec separated the winner from the fourth-placed: Daria Ustinova (RUS) had the golden touch, 0.13sec ahead of Kathleen Baker (USA) with Jessica Fullalove (GBR) with a further 0.09sec away.

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Swimming on lane 1 and 2, Semen Makovich (RUS) and Keita Sumana (JPN) led the pack at the halfway mark in the boys’ 200m individual medley and they managed to keep up with the others in the second part as well. What’s more, Makovich seemed to make wonder by winning the event on lane 1, but Joseph Bentz’s (USA) freestyle leg was devastating: his 28.20 was better than six of the FINA World Championships finalists’ last leg in Barcelona, and his time would have been enough to swim in that final. Here Bentz gained 0.60sec both on the Russian and the Japanese over the last 50m and won the race, though the margin was rather tiny (0.06sec). Naturally, the American set a new Championship Record.

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But it was the Russians who had the last laugh and clinched their third title of the day in a fabulous race in the day-ending mixed medley relay.

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The event – which will also be part of the FINA World Championships’ programme from 2015 – brought a fantastic race. Lithuania was the only team starting with a male backstroker and it paid off as it turned out later: Danas Rapsys clocked an even better time (55.22) than his silver medal-winning effort (55.24) an hour earlier in the individual race and Ruta Meilutyte was still first at 200m.

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However, Vselovod Zdanko’s breaststroke leg in the Russian relay proved to be the decisive one: his reaction time was dangerously good (0.05sec) and his 59.96 effort was more than two seconds better than the closest one in the field and that paved the way to the top of the podium.

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Though Lithuania could go further ahead as another boy vs. girl clash followed in the fly, their 5 second-lead recorded at the 300m turn didn’t last too long. Eva Gliozeryte (LTU) came up with a heroic effort but Evgeny Sedov (RUS) powered her off in the last 50m (49.20 to 57.78), though the Lithuanian girl could keep the second position.

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The US relay, turning fifth, clinched the bronze, thanks to another superb anchor leg from Caeleb Dressler (the last man of the golden US 4×100 free relay from Monday), this time he produced 48.70, the best of the entire field. Interestingly, the majority of the teams applied the girl-boy-girl-boy line-up, only Lithuania opted for reverse order while Great Britain started with two girls who fell 5sec behind at the half-way mark but the boys brought them back to the 5th position from the 8th.

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On Monday Australia’s Mack Horton, in the 400m freestyle, got a new record of 3:50.25.

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Britain’s James Guy qualified in second with a time of 3:51.05 while Andrea D’Arrigo of Italy followed with the third best time of 3:51.05.

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A second championships record went to Lithuania’s Olympic and World Champion Ruta Meilutyte as she bettered the 50m breaststroke mark of 31.25 seconds set in 2008 by Canada’s Amanda Reason. The 16-year-old Lithuanian was timed at 31.10 seconds.

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Olivia Anderson of the US qualified in second with a time of 31.49 seconds, while Arianna Castiglioni came in third best in a time of 31.54 seconds.

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The US girls 4x200m freestyle relay team of Cierra Runge, Quinn Carrozza, Kathryn McLaughlin and Katherine Drabot recorded a time of 8:01.36, ahead of the Australian quartet who qualified second in 8:06.08.

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THE fourth edition of the FINA World Junior Swimming Championships runs until August 31 and has young athletes from over 95 National Federations taking part. Swimmers aged 15-18 (for men) and 14-17 (for women) are competing in the Hamdan Sports Complex.

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Last year the USA took first place with Canada and Japan in follow-up positions.

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It is the most important swimming gathering in these age groups.

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The FINA World Junior Swimming Championships were launched in 2006, with the first edition in Rio de Janeiro (BRA). Monterrey, in Mexico, staged the second edition in 2008, while the Peruvian capital Lima was the host of the 2011 gathering. The competition programme in Dubai comprises 42 events, including the 4x100m free and medley mixed relays.

Wednesday, May 21, 2014

#By BRENT STUBBS

#Senior Sports Reporter

#bstubbs@tribunemedia.net

#A “nagging hamstring issue” has forced quartermiler Shaunae Miller to withdraw from participation as a member of Team Bahamas for the International Amateur Athletic Federation (IAAF) World Relays at the Thomas A Robinson Stadium this weekend.

#In an official statement from Claude Bryan, chief executive officer of On Track Management Inc., the agency for Miller, the exact reason for her withdrawal was disclosed only a few days before the competition begins on Saturday.

#“Regretfully, Shaunae Miller will be unable to compete at the inaugural IAAF World Relays this coming weekend due to a nagging hamstring issue,” said Bryan in his release. “Her doctor and coach have been working assiduously to get her to a state of race readiness, however, despite their best efforts, she is a week shy of that goal.”

#Miller, 20, was originally named to Team Bahamas’ pool for the women’s 4 x 200 metres. Efforts were being made to have her run in both the 4 x 100 and the 4 x 400m, but that request was reportedly rejected by her agents and coaches.

#Bryan, in response to the report, expressed a hearty thanks to the Bahamas Association of Athletic Associations and its president Mike Sands for his considerate understanding and encouragement.

#“Additionally, Shaunae, who will still attend the competition in her role as Adidas/IAAF World Relays Ambassador, wishes to convey both her regret at her inability to compete in front of her adoring home crowd as well as her best wishes to Team Bahamas,” Bryan said.

#Miller, who was in town last week, returned to Georgia where she was evaluated by the doctor. According to Bryan, Miller is trying to focus on her recovery as she prepares to return home this weekend for her obligations to her sponsor and the IAAF.

#When contacted, Sands said he will reserve comments until today’s daily press conference at the Ministry of Youth, Sports and Culture.

#Team Bahamas coaches Rupert Gardiner and Fritz Grant have indicated that they are working on putting the best quartet together to represent the Bahamas in the relay events the Bahamas is entered in.

#It should be noted that Miller is not the only athlete named to the team who will not be competing. Veteran sprinters Debbie Ferguson-McKenzie and Derrick Atkins both withdrew because of injuries.

#According to the coaches, there are a few athletes on Team Bahamas who are nursing some injuries that they are working to minimise before the relays get underway on Saturday.

#The Bahamas is fielding teams in both the men’s and women’s 4 x 100, 4 x 200 and 4 x 400m relays. Team Bahamas is expected to be formally introduced during the press conference today after an adjustment was made to the original list that was produced at a pep rally on Arawak Cay two weeks ago.

Thursday, July 27, 2017

#By BRENT STUBBS

#Senior Sports Reporter

#bstubbs@tribunemedia.net

#ALTHOUGH they are still waiting on the final approval of the remaining members of the team, the Bahamas Association of Athletic Associations has released the names of 21 athletes for the IAAF World Championships.

#With the team scheduled to travel on Monday to London, England, for the championships, set for August 3-13, team manager Maybeline Miller said they are hoping that by today, they will have the entire team list completed.

#Eight athletes have automatically qualified by meeting the standard set by the IAAF, one was invited to compete and the other named will be making up the four relay teams that the Bahamas will compete in.

#The automatic qualifiers are Shaunae Miller-Uibo (women’s 200/400m); Anthonique Strachan, Ty’Nia Gaither and Jenae Abrose (women’s 200m, although only three will be allowed to compete); Devynne Charlton (women’s 100m hurdles); Teray Smith (men’s 200m); Steven Gardiner (men’s 400m) and Donald Thomas (men’s high jump).

#Although she didn’t make the standard, Bianca Stuart was invited by the IAAF to compete in the long jump, based on her position she was in on the performance list for the year.

#Added for relay duties are Carmiesha Cox and Keianna Albury (women’s 4 x 100m); Shaquania Dorsett, Lanece Clarke, Christine Amertil and Doneisha Anderson (women’s 4 x400m relay) and Michael Mathieu, Alonzo Russell, Kendrick Thompson, Ramon Miller and Ojay Ferguson (men’s 4 x 400m relay).

#Also, the IAAF confirmed to the BAAA late on Wednesday that Tamara Myers has also been added to the list for the women’s triple jump.

#Still waiting to be approved is the competitors for the pool for the men’s 4 x 100m.

#According to Miller, there is the possibility that a few more athletes might be added to the team to compete in an individual event, but that is up to the discretion of the IAAF, who will make the final decision.

#“We are looking at about 26-30 athletes going to London,” Miller said. “I think the numbers will increase. We are just waiting for the IAAF to confirm the rest of the athletes. But everything is looking good. We feel the numbers will increase by tomorrow.”

#The management for the team include Carl Oliver, co-manager; Sharon Gardiner, assistant manager; Dianne Woodside-Johnson, head coach; Rupert Gardiner, relay coordinator and Ronald Cartwright, Everette Fraser and Jason Edwards, assistant coaches.

#The team doctor is Keir Miller. He will be joined by Eugenia Patton and Bernique Hanna as members of the medical team.

#While the athletes will be competing for the prestige of being one of the best in the world in their various disciplines as gold, silver or bronze medallists, they will also compete for more than $7 million in cash prizes.

#Individual gold medallists will collect US$60,000, $30,000 for second, $20,000 for third, $15,000 for fourth, $10,000 for fifth, $6,000 for sixth, $5,000 for seventh and $4,000 for eighth place.

#Relay members will split US$80,000 for first, $40,000 for second, $20,000 for third, $16,000 for fourth, $12,000 for fifth, $8,000 for sixth, $6,000 for seventh and $4,000 for eighth place.

#Additionally, any individual athletes (or relay teams) achieving a new world record in the championships will be awarded a bonus US$ 100,000.

#Since the championships got started in 1983, the Bahamas has earned a total of 20 medals, inclusive of six gold, seven silver and seven bronze. The women have won three gold, four silver and three bronze, while the men have collected three gold, three silver and four bronze.

#Only three Bahamians named to the team so far have won medals in the past. Miller-Uibo, who will attempt the 200/400m sprint double, won the silver in the 400m at the last championships in Beijing, China in 2015. Thomas, entered in the men’s high jump, won the gold in Osaka, Japan in 2007, the same year that Mathieu got second leg behind Avard Moncur and ahead of Andrae Williams and Chris ‘Fireman’ Brown for the men’s 4 x 400m relay team of that had to settle for the silver.

#Incidentally, Brown, who has not won an individual medal but was a part of the four relay teams that medal, was hoping to make this his final appearance at the Worlds, but he has not been selected to the team as yet. It’s not known if he will go as a part of the relay team again.

#However, Oliver, who is a co-manager of the team, is going back to the championships after being on both the gold and bronze medal teams in 2001 in Edmonton, Canada and 2003 in Saint-Denis, Paris, France with Brown.