Friday, September 13, 2013

By BRENT STUBBS

Senior Sports Reporter

bstubbs@tribunemedia.net

Despite having his 2012 London Olympics 4 x 400 metre relay medal stolen, and rebounding from an injury in April that ended his season, quarter-miler Demetrius Pinder said he’s still upbeat as he continues to train hard in Bradenton, Florida.

Pinder, 24, is training with American world champion LaShawn Merritt at the IMG Academy that is on the Gulf Coast of Florida where they are working under the supervision of Loren Seagrave.

“Everything is going great,” Pinder said. “I’ve really been putting in a lot of work trying to get back on the track. My legs are fine and I’ve gotten over the injury. I’m just working hard and trying to get ready for next year.”

Pinder, who pulled up on the home stretch of the men’s 200m at the inaugural Chris Brown Bahamas Invitational in April at the new Thomas A Robinson Stadium, had to shut down the remainder of his season, causing him to skip the trip to the IAAF World Championships in Moscow, Russia.

“I was really looking for some big things before the injury,” he said. “But I was really disappointed when I got hurt.”

#

Prior to coeting in the meet, Pinder had moved to Florida to train with his good friend and rival Merritt and Seagrave. This was his first full season competing on the circuit after graduating from Texas A&M where he had an impressive four-year sting for the Aggies.

With the offseason training now in gear, Pinder said he’s looking forward to regaining his form that enabled him to make it to the final of the men’s 400m at the Olympics with Brown. While Brown got fourth, Pinder had to settle for seventh before they both ran the first and second legs as the Bahamas team, including Michael Mathieu and Ramon Miller, went on to upset the United States in the relay.

It was the first time in 60 years that the USA had lost the relay at the Olympics after they competed without Merritt, who went down with an injury in the rounds of the 400m. The USA, with a healthy Merritt on anchor, regained their top spot in Moscow as the Bahamas failed to make it to the final with injuries to Pinder, Mathieu and Miller.

“I’m really training so I can get back to give the Bahamas a chance to get back on top next year,” Pinder said. “Everything was going good with my training until the medal was stolen. But I’m not going to let this get me down. It’s going to get me even more motivated to do some big things for the Bahamas next year.”

Pinder was referring to the medal being removed from the console of his 2011 Dodge Ram 1500 that was parked outside of his Springs at Palma Sola Apartments on Wednesday morning. The Police Department have launched an intensive investigation and his story has been carried extensively through a number of media and social networks.

“I’m really disappointed because it was a medal that I had dedicated to my sister,” said Pinder of his older sister, Claudia, who died while he was in a training camp in England preparing for the games. “But I’m not going to let this get me down. I’m going to use this as a motivation for next year

“You can expect for me to do some big things. I’m having some great training sessions right now. I’ve gotten over the injury and my legs are feeling much better now. So I’m really looking forward to coming back next year and turning things around for the Bahamas.”

He noted that he’s excited about the training sessions he’s having with Seagrave. He’s even more enthused because he has a good training partner in Merritt to work with.

Pinder is gearing up for the 15th IAAF World Indoor Championships in Gdansk/Sopot, Poland, March 7-9 before he comes home to compete at the inaugural IAAF World Relays at the TAR Stadium May 24-25.

Posted on 10 September 2013. by Rogan Smith

The government will spend $3 million to $5 million to host the International Association of Athletics Federation (IAAF) World Relays next year and an additional $3 million to $5 million the following year, according to Youth, Sports & Culture Minister Dr. Daniel Johnson.

According to the minister, 700 of the best athletes from around the world will participate in the two-day event, which will be held on May 24 and May 25.

Up to 500 jobs and opportunities will be available as a result, he said.

Prime Minister Perry Christie announced Monday that his government has agreed to underwrite the costs of the events.

“You’re looking at between $3 million and $5 million per event in terms of setting it up properly,” he said.

“We have a return on investment only about two to one, so we’re expecting the economic impact to be at least double that for us as a country. The advertising impact of this for two days to be on major networks around the world, carried by 52 countries is about a similar amount. So we really have done the economic work behind the scenes and it’s a fairly good investment and the returns should be impressive.”

Bahamas Association of Athletics Associations (BAAA) President Mike Sands said he is pleased that The Bahamas will host an event of this magnitude.

“On behalf of the BAAA we are very excited that the IAAF had the confidence in the BAAA and The Bahamas to award this historic event to The Bahamas. A lot of work has been going on behind the scenes and we are now unveiling it as we speak today. Beginning today we will be moving fast forward for the event, which is scheduled to take place on May 24 and May 25 this year. We will be meeting on a regular basis as we have been to ensure that this event comes off [successfully] as a host country,” he said.

Prime Minister Christie said these events represent a “giant step” towards establishing The Bahamas as a sports tourism destination.

“We are really taking a comprehensive approach to ensuring not only that we execute the games properly, but we get Bahamians involved so that we excite the imagination of the young Bahamian – these potential athletes – and we cause them to know that one day if they work hard and train hard they will be able to perform in the stadium as they will see the best in the world next year,” he said.

Minister Johnson said some renovations will have to be carried out in advance of the event.

He also gave assurances that there would be sufficient hotels to accommodate the large crowds.

Tuesday, August 27, 2013

By BRENT STUBBS

Senior Sports Reporter

bstubbs@tribunemedia.net

BY virtue of getting a bronze medal from Andre Colebrooke, the Bahamas’ four-member team finished tied with seven other countries for 16th place at the 17th Pan American Junior Championships in Medellin, Colombia.

In the official results from the three-day meet, Colebrooke ran one minute and 51.47 seconds for third place in the men’s 800 metre final on Sunday.

The gold went to Bryan Martinez Sanchez from Mexico in 1:50.35, while the silver stayed in Colombia with Miguel Cifentes in 1:51.10.

Colebrooke got third in his heat in 1:52.19 for the third fastest time. Martinez Sanchez won the heat in 1:51.44 and Nicholas Rivera of the US was second in 1:52.77. Rivera, however, finished 7th in the final in 1:53.88.

Also on Sunday, Gerrad Burrows was 15th in the men’s shot put final with 13.52 metres or 44-feet, 4 1/4-inches on his first throw. He scratched his second and threw 13.41m (44-0) on his third and final attempt.

Americans Joshua Freeman (20.20m ) and Coy Blair (19.69m ) got the gold and silver. The bronze went to Nelson Fernandes from Brazil with 19.35m (63-6).

In the discus on Friday, Burrows was ninth with a heave of 48.85m (160-3).

Other results for the Bahamas saw Ashley Oembler finish ninth in the women’s discus with her throw of 39.23m (128-8) and in the shot put, she threw 10.69m (35-1) for ninth as well.

Tayla Carter also made it to the final, running 24.37 for eighth place in the women’s 200m, but she didn’t advance out of the heats of the 100m after running 12.15.

The team is scheduled to arrive home today.

While the Bahamas was tied with Chile, St Kitts & Nevis, Dominica, Uruguay and Haiti for 16th place with a medal each, the United States topped the medal chart with 16 gold, 126 silver and seven bronze for 39 medals.

Cuba came in second with 11 (eight gold and three silver) and Canada was third with 19 (six gold, six silver and seven bronze).

Anguilla was the highest ranked English-speaking country from the region with one gold for eighth spot. Jamaica was 11th with three silver and Barbados was 13th with one silver.

August 22 2013

Press Conference Centrobasket U17 Championship for Women

The U17 girls team leave on the 27th August 2013 for San Salvador, El Salvador

Below are the specifics regarding the team.

Head Coach – Mrs. Varel Clarke-Davis
First Assistant Coach – Ms. Charlene Smith
Second Assistant Coach – Mr. Deven Johnson
Assistant Coach – Ms. Stuarvette Cleare

Players:
Serena Brown – Co -Team Captain
Shalonda Neely – Co- Team Captain
Isis Wilson
Antenique Young
Alisha Thompson
Valerie Nesbitt
Tahjnee Thurston
Savanna Symonette
Lilnique Murphy
Kyla Higgs
Lashae Rolle
Annya Moss
Faith Curry

Medical Trainer – Ms. Eugena Patton
Referee – Ms. Terezz Conliffe

Our schedule as per the Fiba Website:-http://www.fibaamericas.com/en/torneos1.asp?t=NCROUJBEWQ

28/08/13 – 8pm feature game Bah vs El Salvador
29/08/13 – 6pm game Bah vs Mexico
30/08/13 – 4pm game Bah vs USVI
31/08/13 – Semi final round
01/09/13 – Championship round


There are 8 countries competing in the tournament:-
Group A
Puerto Rico
Dominican Republic
Costa Rica
Honduras

Group B
Mexico
Bahamas
US Virgin Islands
El Salvador
Please note that El Salvador is approximately 2 hours behind us, therefore if it is 3pm here its 1pm in El Salvador

• Shervin Stuart added 4 photos.
  
  A legendary Bahamian track and field sprinting phnom has closed the curtain on her decorated career. Chandra Sturrup whose track and field career spanned over 24 years from 1988 – 2012, announced at the BAAA National Track & Field Championships held at the Grand Bahama Sports Complex on Saturday June 22 that she has officially retired from track and field. She thanked the fans for their support over the 20 plus years. What better way to end her career than in the setting where she performed impressively for the Bahamian people. Chandra remains close to the sport imparting her knowledge, skills and experience to a new generation of female athletes through coaching. Her outstanding career is an inspiration to up coming female Bahamian athletes to will continue to carry the Bahamas flag in track and field on the world stage. 
• SNAP SHOT OF CHANDRA’S CAREER 
• Honors Indoors 
• 50 Meters
• Gold – 2001 World Indoor Championships 
• 60 Meters
• Silver – 1997 World Indoor Championships 
• Top 8 ranking 4 times
• Honors Outdoors
• 100 meters
• Silver – 9th IAAF World Outdoor Championships 
• Bronze – 8th IAAF World Outdoor Championships
• Silver – 8th IAAF World Cup 
• Top 8 rankings – 14
• PERSONAL BEST INDOOR
• 50 meters – 6.26 seconds
• 60 meters – 7.05 seconds
• 200 meters – 23.75 seconds
• PERSONAL BEST OUTDOOR
• 100 meters – 10.84 seconds
• 200 meters – 22.33
• Long Jump – 6.70 meters
• 4×100 meter relays
• Silver medal – 1996 Olympic Games
• Gold medal – 1999 World Outdoor Championships
• Gold medal – 2002 Commonwealth Games 
• Gold medal – 2000 Sydney, Olympic Games
  

Friday, July 17, 2020

Shaunae Miller-Uibo

#By BRENT STUBBS

#Senior Sports Reporter

#bstubbs@tribunemedia.net

#Bahamian Olympic champion Shaunae Miller-Uibo was among a list of 24 athletes named to the newly created board called The Athletics Association (TAA) that was formed to safeguard the global interest of track and field athletes.

#In a press release, the AA said the board was formed to provide track and field athletes with a meaningful voice, to fight for stronger athletes’ rights and to seek an athletes-first approach to our sport.

#While the association seeks to stage dialogue with World Athletics, they will also hold the governing body of the sport accountable when necessary and challenge them if they are not acting in the best interest of the athletes.

#“We will offer suggestions and alternatives that would include all stadium disciplines, and would benefit athletes and fans, as well as the long term interests of this diverse and wonderful sport,” the AA said in a statement.

#Miller-Uibo, the 2016 Rio de Janeiro Olympic 400m champion and 2019 Doha, Qatar World Championships silver medallist, will represent the Caribbean on the board along with Jamaica’s Shelly-Ann Fraser-Pryce, who last year won an unprecedented fourth World 100m title in Doha, Qatar, and hurdler Mikel Thomas from Trinidad and Tobago.

#American Christian Taylor, a four-time World triple jump champion, will serve as the association’s inaugural president and American steeplechaser Emma Coburn is the vice president.

#The board is made up of representatives from every continent and comprises 24 athletes, including American sprinter Allyson Felix, decathlete Ashton Eaton and sprinter/long jumper Tianna Bartoletta; England’s heptathlete Katarina Mary Johnson-Thompson; African javelin thrower Julius Yego and New Zealand’s shot putter Tom Walsh.

#“I am very proud of the progress made by the members of the Athletics Association Board. Since its initial inception, a lot of work has been put in to establish the right governance and long-term viability that is essential to do justice to the athletes we represent,” Taylor said in the release.

#“It’s this that has attracted the commitment and support of the athletes on the Board. We have athletes from every continent, and a wide variety of disciplines; we are made up of Olympic and World champions, as well as world record holders and continental champions.“

#Taylor, a close friend of Bahamian national triple jump record holder Leevan ‘Superman’ Sands, said in addition to the board members, there are so many other athletes who have helped get us to this stage.

#World Athletics recently published a strategic plan, and athletes have been identified as key stakeholders. “The Athletics Association provides a representative voice and a simple way for the sport’s governing body to follow through on their commitment. We are ready to contribute to the growth of the sport that we love, ensuring that athletes are part of the decision-making process,” Taylor said.

#“This association is for the athletes, by the athletes, and we are determined to make a real difference. We firmly believe that we can affect positive change in our sport. We are ready for the challenge.”

#Further in their release, the AA revealed they have been busy developing a number of support services and member benefits for athletes, including a hardship grant fund, training courses, and discounts on products.

#However, the statement notes that details of the full annual membership package will be announced ahead of the full roll-out in January 2021. The association will also engage World Athletics and the Diamond League stakeholders in talks about changes to the Diamond League schedule that were announced for 2020. Those changes included removing the 200m, triple jump and discus from the Diamond League circuit, relegating those events to a newly formed Continental Series. “We will offer suggestions and alternatives that would include all stadium disciplines, and would benefit athletes and fans, as well as the long term interests of this diverse and wonderful sport,” the statement said.

#The association will also seek to secure a seat on the World Athletics board so that they can voice their opinion on the decision-making in the sport on behalf of global members and providing a plan with innovative ideas for the growth of the sports, as well as produce a welfare charter that will contain a membership package beginning in January 2021 for courses on issues such as financial literacy, life after athletics and discounts on products.

Celine Jones

Friday, July 17, 2020

#By BRENT STUBBS

#Senior Sports Reporter

#bstubbs@tribunemedia.net

#GRAND Bahamian versatile athlete/beauty queen Celine Jones may have lost her number one supporter, her father Oral ‘Big O’ Jones, after her freshman season at Saint Augustine’s University in Raleigh, North Carolina.

#But having endured a tumultuous career on the softball field for the Falcons over the next two years, Jones was recognised for her contribution off the field in her final year by being nominated for the 2020 NCAA Woman of the Year Award.

#Jones, a 2015 graduate of Bishop Michael Eldon, is among a list of 605 nominees for the award, which highlights a graduating female student-athlete who made a mark in athletics, service and leadership during her time in college.

#The nominees were announced on Tuesday and a committee will choose the top 30 honourees, and from that group, nine finalists will be announced before the NCAA Woman of the Year is named in the fall.

#“Compared to everything that is going on and how my tenure at St Aug turned out, I feel it’s something positive out of all of the negatives that I went through,” Jones said. “It’s just good to be recognised even if I am not the winner.”

#Jones, a former field competitor in athletics at Bishop Michael Eldon and a budding bodybuilder in the Bahamas Bodybuilding Federation, completed her tenure at St Aug on May 9 with an exercise science degree and a 3.73 cumulative grade point average, but will have to wait until the fall for the actual graduation because of the coronavirus pandemic.

#With this being her senior year in softball, Jones said she was finally healthy and ready to compete for the Falcons, she had intended to do her internship at Duke in her major of exercise science as she pursues her goal of becoming a sports nutritionist and then travel to Italy for a two-week graduation gift to herself, but all of that was quashed when the virus started to spread in March.

#“The week when everything started to shut down, we were scheduled to leave that Wednesday to start our tournament on Thursday,” she recalled.

#“As the co-captain of our team, we were making plans for the team and around 8pm we were told it was postponed. By 10pm, they told us it was cancelled.”

#After helping the Lady Falcons’ softball team win two CIAA Team Highest GPA Awards in the sport, including one this season, Jones said it was quite disappointing that their season was called off due to the coronavirus.

#With no spring break, Jones was advised that it was okay to stay on campus, only to find out that the borders were closed and the school instructed the students that they had to leave.

#“I had to find an apartment to stay in because I couldn’t go home,” Jones said. “From what I was reading, I thought they had a hold on the pandemic, but they didn’t.

#“We had a two-week shutdown and after the two weeks, it went to three months and all of the opportunities that I wanted to do outside of school were also cancelled.”

#As a personal trainer, who worked at Olympic Heights in the Circle Mall after she took a year off following her graduation from Bishop Eldon before she left for St Aug in 2016, she said her ultimate goal is to start her own physical fitness business, which she intends to label ‘Get Lean with Celine’ when she returns to Grand Bahama. “I was working on saving up money for my strength and conditioning, but now that money has to go to rent because I have bills,” said Jones, who did two years of bodybuilding, winning the junior national title twice in 2015 and 2016 and placing third in the novice.

#As a result of the death of her father during the summer of 2017, Jones said the start of sophomore year was a difficult one for her. But after an even more adventurous junior year, Jones said she was looking for things to turn around in her senior year.

#“But then come September and we got hit by Hurricane Dorian in Grand Bahama,” Jones recalled. “My mother, Cestina Nixon, was using BTC and their service went down and I wasn’t to stay in communication with them for about a week.

#“But one of the reasons I got the nomination was because of my contribution outside of athletes.”

#Jones, 23, said once she found out that her family was safe and secure, through her sorority platform as Miss Kappa Alpha Psi, she began a feminine drive to assist women in Grand Bahama, who lost everything, and provide some comfort to them on a whole.

#“So I put up a campus all around our campus and I collected personal items that women use,” she stated.

#“I went on the ABC station in our area and the present president of the Bahamian-American Students Association went on TV with me and we had some people perform junkanoo music as people brought in their supplies.”

#Her entire dorm was furnished with supplies that Jones was able to have shipped to Grand Bahama for distribution to those in need. Jones thanked an elderly lady in Raleigh, who rallied behind her to ensure that the supplies were properly packed and shipped off.

#“When I came home in December, they did a Christmas Wonder Drive Holiday Festival where they gave out free groceries and toys with live music and rides and games for the kids,” Jones said. “That was my second check point on my list. But it was so delightful for me to do that for the people.”

#At St. Aug., Jones got to graduate, which capped off the requirement for her domination for the award.

#As a walk-on for the Falcons’ team, where she played second baseman and outfielder, Jones didn’t get to play in her final year because of the pandemic. But based on what they did during the pre-season, she anticipated that they would have done extremely well this year.

#“It’s been four long years,” said an emotional Jones, who noted that she wore number nine to commemorate the number her father wore as a basketball player.

#“My father died in the summer of my freshman year and he was taking care of me financially, so mentally and financially, I didn’t know if I wanted to go back to school. My first semester as a sophomore, I struggled. Technically it was my worst year because I made a 3.1 or 3.2 and I got my first C, but it was in calculus, so I didn’t feel so bad.”

#A well-rounded student-athlete, Jones was selected an Arthur Ashe Jr. Sports Scholar in 2020. The honor recognizes outstanding student-athletes across the country who excel in academics and athletics in addition to campus and community service. She was one of three SAU student-athletes who earned the accolade, a feat she felt she could not achieved without thinking about what her father instilled in her.

#“After all of the games I played in my freshman year, me and my father talked about it as we analyzed what I did and didn’t do right,” Jones remembered. “We were on a winning streak at one point and he was encouraging me.

#“But after he died, I didn’t want to play anymore during my sophomore year. Then my junior year, they asked me and I told them I would play. I ended up getting sick and because the team was going through a lot of injuries, I still decided to play.

#“I had a tooth abstraction that left my gum swollen. I was in pain and I think I lost about 20 pounds in two weeks. My jaw was still swollen. During the season, I barely ate. I only could crew on mash potatoes and things that were soft.”

#Having to play at least two games a day, Jones said it took its toll on her, but she managed to get through it.

#“My senior year was supposed to be my comeback year. I was healthy. Physically I was good. Mentally I was ready. Then we got hit by the pandemic.”

#As she reflects on her entire journey, Jones said she dedicated it all to her deceased father.

#“I have a saying that says ‘I’m Big O Strong’ because his strength is my strength and I continue to live by that,” she summed up. “That has been my motivation.”

#Once she completes her tertiary education, Jones said she plans to return home. But in the meantime, she will start her sports nutrition business online and then she will focus on its physical presence when she is done.

#“Once I get certified, I intend to let people know about my business,” she stressed. “I love working with athletes because I am an athlete. And I want to encourage athletes to make the best of their opportunity to be the best that they can be in whatever field they are in.”

Romell Knowles.

July 17, 2020

Sheldon Longley

0111 Views

The 2022 Summer Youth Olympic Games in Dakar, Senegal, is the latest global sporting event to be pushed back because of the presence of the COVID-19 pandemic. However, so as to avoid conflict with other major sporting events, some of which have been postponed as well, the games won’t be held before 2026.

In a teleconference exchange on Tuesday, International Olympic Committee (IOC) President Thomas Bach, of Germany, said the decision was made following a request from Senegal President Macky Sall amid

widespread disruption caused by the coronavirus pandemic.

The postponement of major events was causing a major cluster over the next three to four years, particularly as it relates to regional and international multi-sport games and events. The postponed Olympics and Commonwealth Youth Games are both set for 2021, the Commonwealth Games are in 2022, and the Pan American Games are in 2023. Following that, the Olympics return in 2024.

Bahamas Olympic Committee (BOC) President Romell Knowles said with the Youth Olympics being pushed back, this allows them to focus solely on the senior Olympics in Tokyo, Japan, next year.

“The Bahamas Olympic Committee certainly supports the reasoning behind the postponement of the Youth Olympics in that our energy and focus can now be on the senior Olympic Games which are in 2021,” said Knowles. “Trying to prepare for two major events back-to-back was going to be extremely challenging for us – operation wise. It would have been challenging for the other National Olympic Committees (NOCs) and international federations as well. This gives us an opportunity to fully prepare for the next Youth Olympics and to get our young athletes ready for the Olympic environment in a more conducive atmosphere in 2026.”

Dakar 2022, as the games were dubbed, was set to be the first Olympic Games, junior or senior, on the continent of Africa. That in itself, said Knowles, is a significant undertaking.

“I’m sure the city of Dakar and the country of Senegal were looking forward to this momentous occasion, but given everything that has happened in the world with the coronavirus, they could now focus their attention on what needs to be done in their home country without the pressure of staging a Youth Olympics,” said Knowles. “The sports calendar is really congested over the next few years. A lot of international federations had already adjusted their schedules, and asking them to adjust it again because of the youth games would have only made a complicated matter worse. We’re always looking for the best possible outcome in the best interest of our athletes and we feel that this is it. We support this move in the best interest of our athletes and in the best interest of our major stakeholders around the world.”

The decision to postpone the Youth Olympics to 2026 was approved by the IOC Executive Board during its latest meeting and will be given the green light by the 36th IOC Session, set to be held virtually today.

IOC President Bach said the Senegalese capital hosting the games would have meant they would have had to organize five major multi-sport games in three years. He said it’s already a strain because of the operational and financial consequences of the global health crisis.

Moving the Youth Olympics to 2026 means it will now be held the same year as the Winter Olympic and Paralympic Games in Milan and Cortina d’Ampezzo, Italy.

Bach said the IOC didn’t get to relay the message to postpone Dakar 2022 to the countries who had expressed interest in staging the 2026 Youth Games before making the announcement on Tuesday.

Colombia, India, Russia and Thailand had all entered into discussions with the IOC’s Future Host Commission over the hosting the games in 2026. Bach said those four nations would now be in a “privileged position” for 2030 and that he was “sure they will understand the situation.”

Meanwhile, Senegal President Sall said they will do all that they can, along with their partners, to ensure that Dakar 2026, the first Olympic event in Africa, will be a successful and memorable event.

Jump Line – Four nations in a privileged position to host the games in 2030

July 17, 2020

Simba French

0265 Views

Bahamian basketball player Adam Johnson has made the jump to join other Bahamian players, who compete in various French leagues, when the new season resumes this fall.

Johnson is enrolled in the Fos Provence Basket Byers Academy and will play with Fos Provence in the NM3 league – the fifth division of basketball in France.

Facilitating this move was Raw Talent’s Jaraun ‘Kino’ Burrows who also plays in France. Burrows was also instrumental in bringing national team player Dominick Bridgewater to France.

“Adam is special,” Burrows said. “He has a calm demeanor and a positive attitude off the court but he has a very competitive spirit on the court. He is very resilient because after numerous troubles for visa to go to college he remained positive and kept working on his game and waited on an opportunity. I am very happy for Adam.”

Johnson was named the Most Valuable Player (MVP) of Chavano ‘Buddy’ Hield’s first local invitational in 2016. Johnson had 23 points, 14 rebounds and five assists to help his Team Alpha take care of Team Elite, 94-93. For his MVP accolade, he received a $10,000 scholarship.

Burrows knows that Johnson has the attributes to play in France and he believes that his game will develop.

“Adam is a very long, athletic and versatile. He has a unique skillset. He can run the court, can shoot from the outside, play inside, finish above the rim and make huge above-the-rim defensive plays with his shot-blocking skills,” Burrows said. “I think he will bring intangibles to the NM3 league in France and use the opportunity to develop his game. He will learn how to use the European system and learn to hone other weaknesses in his game that will help him become a better professional.”

Johnson was instrumental in helping Jordan Prince William High School secure the Bahamas Association of Independent Secondary Schools (BAISS) senior boys basketball title in 2016 and again in 2017.

Burrows learnt Johnson’s story last year and welcomed him into his summer program. Johnson transitioned into the New Providence Basketball Association (NPBA) league for the defending champions Commonwealth Bank Giants who are undefeated this year. Burrows said he is thrilled that Johnson will have a chance to continue his career in Europe.

The forward was instrumental in helping the Giants secure an undefeated record so far this year. He currently leads the team in scoring at 19.8 points per game. On the glass, he has secured 7.9 rebounds per game. He averages 22.8 minutes per game through 16 games.

As long as he remains focused, disciplined, positive and continues to work hard, Burrows said Johnson can go far.

Over the past year, Johnson has worked with local coaches at Raw Talent like Jeffrey Henfield, Michael ‘Furley’ Bain and Quentin Demeritte.

Another Raw Talent athlete making the jump to Europe shows that the program is continuing to grow as they network with partners in The Bahamas, Europe and the United States of America to create opportunities for young Bahamian men and women to further their basketball careers abroad.

Burrows said Raw Talent is about helping to further grow and develop the game of basketball in The Bahamas. The organization works closely with the Bahamas Basketball Federation (BBF) and other partners on the ground in The Bahamas, Europe and the USA to create training, development and professional opportunities for young men and women in The Bahamas and the entire Caribbean.

In his 10-plus years of playing professional basketball throughout Europe, Burrows said he has used his platform to build a network of contacts and partnerships. He has explored ways to help other talented and underprivileged young Bahamians to go abroad and further their development of their basketball skills in various academies.

This year, Burrows and his teams have been able to negotiate an academic component with their partners in Europe so that Raw Talent can offer educational opportunities to some of the younger elite Bahamian prospects. Burrows said he is excited going forward with the Raw Talent program as they continue to ascend to top-level development.

Bahamian professional baseball player Jasrado “Jazz” Chisholm.

Wednesday, July 15, 2020

#By BRENT STUBBS

#Senior Sports Reporter

#bstubbs@tribunemedia.net

#HE would prefer to be on the field in Miami, Florida, preparing to crack the line-up for the Miami Marlins for the upcoming 2020 Major League Baseball season on July 23.

#Instead, Bahamian professional baseball player Jasrado “Jazz” Chisholm found himself confined to his hotel room in Jupiter, Florida, waiting on the clearance to work out again after he had a series of positive-negative testing for the coronavirus.

#“Lately, I’ve been getting too many back and forth positive and negative tests, so I’ve only been on the field for one day,” said Chisholm, the talented shortstop who is ranked at No.3 in the MLB prospects of the Marlins.

#“I need two negative tests in a row to get on the field, but I’ve been getting a positive one day and a negative the next day. The test is just not accurate. I’m trying to get out there, but it’s not happening for me right now.”

#The 22-year-old Chisholm, who was traded from the Arizona Diamondbacks to the Marlins on July 31, 2019, said it’s frustrating for him to have to be confined to his hotel room, rather than going out on the baseball field every day.

#“It’s like they keep telling you that you can go out there and play and then they take away that opportunity when the results come back,” said Chisholm, who admitted that he’s not the only player going through the ordeal with the coronavirus.

#“It’s really frustrating for me as a player, who wants to be out there every day playing,” he said. “I am the only player on our team here in Jupiter who is experiencing this problem.

#“I should be in Miami, but with all of these tests going on for the last three weeks, they sent me to Jupiter to get everything worked out so that I can be ready for the season whenever they need me.

#“With all these tests going on, it’s not happening. They test me every other day and after they test you, if you get a positive result, you have to stay inside and quarantine. The most I can do with the positive result is go out and jog to stay in some shape.”

#With all that’s going on, Chisholm said if he didn’t have a positive mindset, he would really be depressed by now because he doesn’t have any symptoms. He just can’t get two negative tests to get on the field at the Roger Dean Chevrolet Stadium in Jupiter.

#“Every day, if I don’t have a test, I stay in my room or go on a run or a walk,” he said.

#“I try to stay in some type of shape. I can’t really do anything to catch the virus, although I don’t know why I can’t get the two negative tests.

#“I’m watching everybody and I’m really excited that we’re going to have a baseball season.

#“So as soon as they let me out of the gate, I know that I will be ready. I’m coming out with some hatred in my heart because I’m in this room and I know I am healthy.”

#Chisholm, who was invited to his second consecutive spring training albeit with a new team, said he expects that the Marlins will be a force to reckon with in the league this year.

#“With the team and how they have been working out, I believe the Marlins have a chance to win the World Series,” Chisholm said. “I am watching the videos every day from practice and it’s been exciting.”

#As a member of the Marlins’ 40-man roster, Chisholm said it’s one step closer to him getting a call to become the next Bahamian to play in the Major League, joining Antoan Richardson, Ed Armbrister, Tony Curry, Wenty Ford, Wilfred Culmer and Andre Rodgers, the pacesetters.

#“It’s nice to know that they have you under their radar and that this team wants you to be here and they want you to be a part of their future,” Chisholm said.

#It’s been five years since Chisholm began its pro career in baseball, but he felt he should have cracked the Major League at least a year ago.

#“It was my fault that I’m not already there, so it’s my fault,” said Chisholm, who finished last year in Double-A baseball with 21 home runs, a bit down from the 25 he belted two years ago. He also drove in 54 runs last year. “I was more disappointed in myself because I felt I had a chance to get there and I didn’t take it.

#“It was just me not having the right mind set and just going through the motion. I knew I was good last year, but I just had the wrong mindset going onto the field until I got traded. When I got traded, I had a different mindset. When I got traded, I said ‘I was ready. Let me change my mindset.’ I went back to my old mindset.”

#After leaving Faith Temple in grade seven, Chisholm went to Word of Life, now Life Preparatory School Wichita, Kansas to continue high school where he played against Grand Bahamian Chavano ‘Buddy’ Hield at Sunrise Academy in basketball.

#As a typical Bahamian, Chisholm not only played basketball, but he also held his own in baseball and football. But he admitted that baseball was his first love and that was why he stuck with it.

#“The coaches saw me playing in physical education and they asked me to come out to practice for the varsity and the junior varsity basketball team and I also played football in the ninth and tenth grades.

#“I was in the ninth grade and Buddy was a senior when I played against him. His team won. I think Buddy had about 20-something points and I had about nine points. I was really small back then, about 5-feet, 6-inches, but I could shoot the ball and dunk.”

#In basketball, Chisholm played point guard and was a safety and wide receiver in football. But he admitted that after he returned home and concentrated more on baseball, he got signed as an international recruit and his career took off.

#The son of Jazz Chisholm Sr and Martinique Coakley was setting the pace for his four sisters and two brothers, including Domonique Collie, his adopted brother, who is now in the pipeline in the minor league.

#With minor league suspended for the rest of the year, Chisholm said he’s already reached out to the more than 20 Bahamian players to encourage them to stick with it and not give up hope of fulfilling their dreams.

#“I sent all of the young guys a video of me talking to them and I was telling them to think about it as a longer off season,” Chisholm stressed. “If you think about it as a longer off season, you will only get better.

#“So if they give you more than to get better during the off season, you should be better by the time the league comes back. By the time you go back to play, you should be able to play next year. You should be better because you had over a year to get ready.”

#Having his grandmother, Patricia Deveaux as his role model when she played softball, Chisholm said he grew up around the sport and that extended to baseball when he got a chance to play.

#“I have a few cousins playing college baseball, but I’m the one who really excelled so far,” said Chisholm of his family members Myron and Shannon Johnson and Wayde Beckford, who are following in his footsteps.

#And with the new national baseball stadium expected to be completed by the end of the year, Chisholm said it won’t mean anything to him and the other pro players if they are not allowed to use it.

#“Are they going to use it for baseball and the professional players to participate in, or are they going to use it for other events,” he asked. “If professionals don’t get to use it, then they can’t say anything about it.

#“I personally would not speak on the stadium if I am not allowed to use it as a professional baseball player. That’s just me. I don’t know what they are going to use it for. If they say professional baseball players can’t use it to practice, then why should I come home to practice if I won’t be able to use the best field in the Bahamas to practice?”

#Chisholm said it would be more convenient for him to stay in Miami where he can utilize the best facility available and to take advantage of the Marlins’ staff that is at his disposal.

#In the meantime, Chisholm said he’s trying to avoid being a victim of the coronavirus where the state has seen an increase of cases on a daily basis.

#“Normally, I just stay to myself. I don’t go anywhere,” he stressed. “So for me, I don’t have a problem with what’s going on and I’m not worried about it. I don’t make contact with people unless me and you are really close.

#“I know the people who I hang out with only hang out with me, so I’m not worried about it.”

#While he’s going through his ordeal, trying to get his negative testing so he can get back on the field, Chisholm thanked the Bahamian people for their tremendous support and their prayers that they will all be great in their future endeavors.

#“We will be great, trust me,” he summed up. “I know I can’t wait to get back on the field and prove that I deserve to be in the Major League.”