Following an executive board meeting, the Junior Baseball League of Nassau (JBLN) has decided to complete its 2020 season, albeit under social distancing guidelines and with the proper safety protocols in place. FILEJuly 8, 2020

Sheldon Longley

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With the country now into phase five of the plan to reopen the economy, sporting activities are gradually on the return.

Following an executive board meeting last week, the Junior Baseball League of Nassau (JBLN) has decided to complete its 2020 season, albeit under social distancing guidelines and with the proper safety protocols in place. The league is the first to make such a decision in local sports in the face of the COVID-19 pandemic.

League president Jeffrey Walcott said it’s important that they keep their players active and get back to some state of normalcy, while respecting safety guidelines and procedures. As it stands now, they will start with a test run using junior and senior players, and then move into a phased opening in order to compete the season that has been on hold since the second week in March. Right now, there is no timeline for the games, but the test run is expected to take place this summer.

A meeting is set for July 18 with coaches, umpires and league officials, so that everyone can be brought up to speed on how the league intends to proceed with its 2020 season.

“We’re very excited. We will discuss what we need to do and what we need to have in place for the test run and then again for the resumption of the season,” said Walcott. “It’s important that we get back to some sense of normalcy but do it safely. Whenever the permission is given, we will start again. We believe we owe it to our players and spectators to complete the season. If it runs late into the year, then we will start the 2021 season a little later – everything will be parallel with completing the 2020 season,” he added.

Walcott said that fans will be allowed to the fields but under social distancing guidelines.

“What we will do is have a reduced schedule of games, so that there can’t be a huge gathering at any one time,” he said. “We cannot afford to have any level of overcrowding for obvious reasons. Physical distancing is important,” he stressed.

Usually, registration starts in September and the league’s draft takes place in October. That is followed by team practices and scrimmages, and then the season gets underway. Over the past few weeks, the Bahamas Baseball Association (BBA) has produced an extensive 10-page document detailing a safe and secured return to baseball and presented it to the Ministry of Health and the Ministry of Youth, Sports and Culture. They are still awaiting a response on that document. Over 100 recommendations and items of consideration were put forth in the document by the COVID-19 Response Committee for baseball, inclusive of executives from JBLN and the Freedom Farm Baseball League (FFBL) along with BBA officials. That committee was chaired by Freedom Farm Senior Director and Commissioner Clarence ‘CJ’ McKenzie.

Committee member Shane Albury earlier said the document outlines prevention and safety methods and measures, and addresses all aspects of play on the field – pre-game, during the game and post-game. Included, he said, are social distancing measures; cleaning and sanitizing protocols, as it relates to equipment, stands and premises; and safety training for coaches, players, officials, volunteers, parents and concession stand workers.

Walcott said: “We will appoint health and safety officials to ensure that we adhere to all of the protocol as it relates to COVID-19 and follow the guidelines of the document. We are very concerned about health and safety but we want to get back some state of normalcy. There is no better way to do that than to get back to the field of dreams and do what we all enjoy – playing baseball. That’s very important for us and we’re looking forward to it.”

With the country being in phase five of the economic reopening plan, all restrictions on movement are lifted with the exception of it being during curfew hours – from 10 p.m. to 5 a.m. daily. Group training is allowed as long as it is done with social distancing in effect.

“We’re still waiting on the competent authority to give us the go ahead but we’re going to have all the protocols in place and get it right,” said Walcott. “We’re going to start the resumption of the season with a phased approach and that is going to be after we have a dry run this summer, where we’ll have the junior and senior boys come out and play games with the proper protocols in place – let them go through the motions of an actual game to see how it works. There are still things that we have to mitigate in terms of physical distancing and the only way that we could put the respective protocols in place is to have a dry run session.”

Walcott said they may have to make tweaks to how the games are organized and executed based on what happens during the test run.

“The idea is to go through all of the steps during the dry run, so that when we get back to the fields and resume the 2020 season, and also at the beginning of the 2021 season, we could make the necessary adjustments and tweak protocols if we have to do so,” said Walcott. “Once the competent authority gives us the OK to return to baseball activities, we will go ahead and put a schedule in place. The dry run is very important to us. We have to be able to learn from that and tweak certain things if we need to, so that protocols could be in place for the resumption of the 2020 season and we have a smooth transition back to regular baseball.”

The test run will only be for the juniors and seniors, 14-and-under (14U) and 16-and-under (16U). As for the phased opening, it would be done in such a way that caters to the older players first. The first phase will encompass players 13 and older (junior, senior and girls softball); the second phase will feature the nine to 12 year olds (minor and major); and the final phase will cater to the younger kids, eight and under (tee ball and coach pitch).

“The older players could appreciate what we are trying to implement and they understand it better, so we feel that it would be best to start with those two age groups and then transition to the others,” said Walcott.

Bahamas Olympic Committee (BOC) President Romell Knowles said that as long as they are following the safety protocols put in place by the Ministry of Health, they have their support and approval.

“I think it is a good thing to get the kids out of the house and practicing some outdoor activity, so that we could gradually get back to some type of normalcy,” said Knowles. “I’m sure that the leadership of JBLN is responsible enough to ensure that the health of their athletes and patrons is not compromised. That should be of paramount concern.”

Walcott is optimistic that the 2020 season will be completed by the end of the year, so they can then move gradually into the 2021 season. Baseball, in the country, has been stagnant since mid-March, due to the presence of the COVID-19 pandemic.

July 9, 2020

The Nassau Guardian

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Undoubtedly, the COVID-19 pandemic has placed extreme demands on leaders in almost every sector of the world, with a considerable amount of uncertainty and apprehension pushing them into crisis mode. However, the true test of leadership is based on the response to the chaos and disruption; a response that unites people to propel an articulated mission and university leaders are no exception. The uncertain times of social distancing, quarantine, sanitizations and feelings of loss of control and emotional instability, demand a leadership change in behavior, and a mindset of calm and resilience to navigate its stakeholders throughout the pandemic.

Global College Access and Ballin’ by da Beach are uniting efforts along with their sponsor, the University of the Ozarks, to host their 7th Annual Student Summer Success Series. High school students, student-athletes, parents, coaches, guidance counselors and educational stakeholders have a unique opportunity to connect with university presidents, athletic directors, coaches and college admissions leaders for four consecutive nightly sessions. The series, which will take place on a virtual platform for the first time, offers four nightly Zoom sessions free of charge from Tuesday, July 14 to Friday, July 17, from 6 p.m. to 8 p.m.

Under the theme “Crucial Conversations in Higher Education: COVID-19 Threats and Opportunities”, this year’s series will provide relevant insight into international college recruitment, admissions, enrollment and financing, but in an unprecedented way. From the comfort of their homes, scholars, parents and educational stakeholders in The Bahamas and within the Caribbean region will have access to the faces behind college and university mascots who are pioneering, leading change, creating new pathways and making crucial decisions to address the way forward. Sessions will include: leading the change through a global crisis; executing the change; the college athlete and coaching through the crisis; and expanding opportunities for student success.

Interested persons are asked to tune in via Zoom or the social media platform of choice to hear from international college presidents as they speak about the process of navigating through a pandemic into a successful school year in the fall and beyond. They are asked to connect with international college vice presidents and admissions directors as they discuss the evolving college admissions processes during a world crisis, and watch as college athletic directors and coaches tackle topics such as the notable changes in the recruitment process, social distancing on respective college campuses, how the “new normal” will impact student-athletes and other topics involving the expanding opportunities that some students and parents have not considered.

The only investment required is one of vision, time and subsequent strategic action.

“We have sought to embrace this time to educate and challenge our participants as we embrace the challenge and threat of COVID-19; a way to create an even grander opportunity to connect students with higher education opportunities. So, what’s standing in the way of an uncertain now and an extraordinary future – information, access, strategies – opportunities like this year’s Student Summer Success Series,” said Jurelle Mullings, Ballin’ by da Beach Camps founder and coordinator of the Student-Athlete Resources and Support (STARS) Programme in the Ministry of Education.

To register for the virtual series, interested persons are asked to please visit the website studentsummersuccess.com.

July 9, 2020

The Nassau Guardian

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FREEPORT, Grand Bahama – Whether you call it soccer or football, the game has gained a reputation as one of the world’s most popular team sports. With a history that dates back about three thousand years, it is played by 250 million players in over 200 countries, including The Bahamas. On Grand Bahama, and throughout the country, the Bahamas Football Association (BFA) has led a charge in making the game widely accessible to hundreds of young athletes.

Founded in 1967, the BFA has welcomed men, women and children interested in the sport and became officially affiliated with FIFA (International Federation of Association Football) in 1968. In its 53rd year, the BFA continues to serve as the nation’s official football federation and as part of its mandate, has built a platform of inclusion that allows its members access to resources from around the world. In late August 2019, the BFA, under the leadership of Anton Sealey, formed a partnership with the Scottish Football Association (SFA). Under this partnership, and with the approval of UEFA (Union of European Football Associations) Assist, the associations designed a cohesive program to provide developmental, technical support and coaching education and for players in The Bahamas.

Unfortunately, the passage of Hurricane Dorian in September quickly sidelined the initiatives planned. Determined to lend its assistance, however, the SFA shifted its focus to meet the immediate needs of local athletes.

“We were so moved when the team from SFA inquired about ways they could assist our islands in the wake of the storm,” said BFA Deputy Secretary General Carl Lynch. “We agreed that equipment would be the highest priority in rebooting the grassroots programs in Abaco and Grand Bahama.”

The work of ordering and shipping began immediately but sadly was hindered by restrictions imposed as a result of the COVID-19 pandemic. As restrictions have relaxed, both the BFA and SFA have worked to solidify all the elements of its assistance program.

“We’re happy to announce that the shipment of donated equipment has arrived on Grand Bahama and today is being made available to players through the various summer sports programs,” Lynch explained.

During a press conference held on Grand Bahama this week, representatives from the Freeport Rugby Football Club (FRFC), the Grand Bahama Soccer Club and the Grand Bahama secondary and primary schools athletic associations received donations that included proper large, medium and small metal goals, training pop-up goals, flags, sports bags, cones and new footballs. The donations will be immediately followed up by assessments to determine how additional resources can be provided to help get the various football (soccer) programs get back on track.

“Our association is so grateful for this wonderful donation for our schools and our football program,” said Gia Walker, president of the Grand Bahama Principals and Vice Principals Association. “Our programs have progressed so far but were wiped out by Dorian and have now been curtailed by COVID-19. We hope that this equipment will allow our season to kick into full gear when school resumes.”

In the coming weeks, the BFA will also expand its work with their Scottish partners on the development of the BFA Center of Excellence based on New Providence. The initiative, which was also unveiled at the press conference, will recognize top-rated male and female players in the country, providing them with additional selection opportunities for national teams. The program will work to encourage athletic excellence while teaching character building and life skills as well.

“Again, due to the impact of COVID-19, we had to cancel the Samuel P. Haven Jr. High School Soccer Nationals,” explained Anya James, BFA executive. “We are looking to have all our programs back up and on track by the start of the school year, as well as national and international games playing as soon as possible – but this will be dependent on COVID-19 regulations and social distancing necessities.”

The donation from the SFA is estimated to have cost over $40,000 and was shipped by Skyway Shipping Solutions and stored for free by Freeport Ship Services in Grand Bahama. Speaking to the media about the donation, FRFC President Robert Speller said he was thrilled to receive and help facilitate donations in Grand Bahama.

“This will get our club back on track for our football teams, camps and ongoing programs,” noted Speller. “We have spent the last 10 months repairing our club, rebuilding our pitch, and we had lost most of our equipment. So, our huge thanks to the SFA, UEFA Assist, and our own BFA who are making it possible for us to keep our regular programs on course.”

The donations were made this past week in Freeport, Grand Bahama.

Kai Jones.J

july 9, 2020

Simba French

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Bahamian collegiate freshmen Kai Jones and Oscar Smith were named to the 2019-2020 Academic All-Big 12 Rookie Team earlier this month.

Jones plays basketball for the University of Texas Longhorns, and Smith is a sprint hurdler for the Kansas State University Wildcats.

The honor is earned by conference competitors who are new, incoming freshmen at their respective institutions. Nominated by each institution’s director of student-athlete support services, student-athletes on the Academic All-Big 12 Rookie Team must be new, first-time or incoming freshmen who have completed 24 semester hours of non-remedial coursework and achieved a cumulative grade point average (GPA) of at least 3.00.

The BIG 12 Conference is a part of the National Collegiate Athletic Association (NCAA) Division I (DI).

Jones and the Longhorns

finished the 2019-2020 season with a 19-12 win/loss record, 9-9 in Big 12 Conference play. Jones ended the season averaging 3.6 points, 3.2 rebounds and 1.1 blocks in 16.7 minutes per game.

In the second-to-last game before the season got canceled due to the COVID-19 pandemic in March, Jones erupted for 20 points, seven rebounds, two steals, one assist and one block against Oklahoma State University. That was his best statistical game of the season. He played 32 minutes and shot a blistering 66 percent from the field in that game.

Jones plans to improve his play in his sophomore year, looking to have the option at season’s end to enter the 2021 NBA (National Basketball Association) Draft in 2021.

Smith, a former CARIFTA athlete, posted a personal best time of 7.81 seconds in the 60 meters (m) hurdles to finish third at the Razorback Invitational in Fayetteville, Arizona, back in January. That time was the third best time in the Big 12 Conference in that event. During the indoor season, he was also able to dabble in the 4x400m relay at Kansas State. He and his team finished second at the DeLoss Dodds Invitational on the school’s campus, in Manhatton, Kansas, in a time of 3:27.09.

Smith’s freshman season was also cut short due to the COVID-19 pandemic, but he managed to set the bar high for his sophomore season.

In addition to being on the CARIFTA team from 2017-2019, Smith has represented The Bahamas at the International Association of Athletics Federations (IAAF), now World Athletics (WA), World Under-20 Championships in Tampere, Finland, in 2018. He finished third in his semifinal heat of the men’s 110m hurdles in 15.31 seconds, and was also a member of The Bahamas’ 4x100m relay team that finished fifth in its heat in 40.85 seconds.

The St. Augustine’s College (SAC) high school graduate was also on The Bahamas’ 2017 Commonwealth Youth Games team that competed at home, in Nassau, The Bahamas.

The Academic All-Big 12 Rookie Team was introduced during the 2012-13 academic year.

Shaunae Miller-Uibo.

FILEJuly 13, 2020

Sheldon Longley

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Taking on a pair of world-class athletes in separate locations, Bahamian Olympic Champion Shaunae Miller-Uibo ran a modest 17.15 seconds in the women’s 150 meters (m) on Thursday, finishing second in the event at the Weltklasse Zürich Inspiration Games.

Running for Team North America, new mother Allyson Felix looked as impressive as ever, winning the event in a personal best time of 16.81 seconds. Miller-Uibo got a second place finish for Team World, and running for Team Europe, Mujinga Kambundji, of Switzerland, settled for third, in a personal best run of 17.28 seconds. In the unique team event, athletes ran on separate tracks in separate locations as the meet featured about 30 track and field superstars competing in eight disciplines across two continents around the world.

Miller-Uibo, 26, ran out of Bradenton, Florida – about a two-hour ride southwest from her home and training base in Orlando.

“I feel good about it. It was different but it was good for the fans and athletes around the world to have something to look forward to. I think I did well considering the strong winds.” she said.

Felix competed out Walnut, California, near Los Angeles; and Kambundji ran out of Zürich.

It was the first time the Diamond League staged such a unique event, but given the nature of the coronavirus and the reluctance of athletes to travel to different locations, organizers put together a special format, and from all indications, it was well-received.

“Very strange,” said 13-time World Champion Felix with a smile regarding the format. “It’s kind of like practice but not really, with no teammates. Running alone, it’s hard to challenge yourself, but I love this sport so any chance to get out here and run, I’m all about that.”

Miller-Uibo was well short of her national record of 16.23 seconds that was done at the Adidas Boost Boston Games two years ago, but this was just her second meet of the season and she is gradually getting back to form after being off the track for over three months due to the presence pf the COVID-19 pandemic. Also, this was her first loss in an event other than the women’s 400m in nearly three years. It was the first clash between herself and six-time Olympic Champion Felix since the 2017 London World Championships when Felix finished third and Miller-Uibo was fourth. The two years prior, they exchanged the top two spots at the Beijing World Championships and the Rio de Janeiro Olympics with Felix winning the world title in 2015 and Miller-Uibo claiming the Olympic title in 2016.

During the race on Thursday, it was difficult to determine a leader during the event that ran simultaneously in the three locations. However, as the trio approached the finish line, it was clear that Felix had a slight advantage. As for the winds, they were nearly identical for Miller-Uibo in Florida and Felix in California. Felix battled a 2.6 meters per second (mps) headwind, and Miller-Uibo had a 2.5mps headwind reading at her location. Kambundji ran with a 0.3mps tailwind behind her.

For Felix, it was the first of two victories for her on Thursday. She later came back and anchored her team to victory in another unique event, a 3x100m relay. The legendary athlete teamed up with Americans Candace Hill and Tianna Bartoletta to clock 32.25 seconds, ahead of a Swiss team that ran 32.50 seconds in Zürich and a Dutch squad that clocked 32.94 seconds in Arnhem, Netherlands.

“This is fun,” Felix said. “I can’t wait until we can do it in person.”

The only on-site face-off on the day was the men’s 100-yard dash in which Jimmy Vicaut, of France, Canadian Andre de Grasse and Olympic 110m hurdles Champion Omar McLeod met on the Bradenton track where they faced a 3.4mps headwind.

De Grasse won in 9.68 seconds, four one hundredths of a second ahead of Vicaut. McLeod was a distant third in 9.87 seconds. Meet organizers said the aim was not just to provide live sport for athletics fans across the globe, but also to inspire the next generation of track and field athletes in these extraordinary times.

The Wanda Diamond League is set to continue with the Herculis EBS 2020 Meeting at the Louis II Stadium, in Fontvieille, Monaco, on Friday August 14. Meet organizers are reportedly taking the necessary safety and social distancing precautions in the face of the COVID-19 pandemic.

The remaining Diamond League meets are compacted into a three-month schedule from August to October. The Diamond League meets will not include a series point score this year, so there will be no overall league winners.

Izaac Bastian.

July 13, 2020

Simba French

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A total of six Bahamian collegiate swimmers were rewarded for their excellence in the classroom as they were named to the College Swimming and Diving Coaches Association of America (CSCAA) 2020 Scholar All-American Team for the 2019-2020 season.

The list was published on the CSCAA website late last week.

The six Bahamians to receive the honor are Izaak Bastian, sisters Lilly and Albury Higgs, DaVante Carey, Tyler Russell and Maya Thompson.

The award recognizes students who achieved a grade point average (GPA) of 3.50 or higher and were invited to compete at their respective national championships. Selections were drawn from 209 colleges and universities.

This year was Albury Higgs’ fourth straight year as a CSCAA Scholar All-American. The senior, who swam for the University of South Carolina Gamecocks, was one of seven Gamecocks swimmers to receive the honor every year of their collegiate career. The Public Health major was one of 27 Gamecocks swimmers to receive the honor this year.

Higgs was selected to swim in both events at the NCAA Division I (DI) Swimming Championships. In the 100 yards breaststroke, her seed time was 59.75 seconds – the 31st fastest time in DI. In the 200 yards breast, she clocked a season’s best of 2:08.85, to earn a spot at the DI Championships. It was also the 31st fastest time in DI swimming.

Both times were ‘B’ standard times for the NCAAs.

University of North Carolina (UNC) Tar Heels’ sophomore Lilly Higgs made the CSCAA Scholar All-American list for the second consecutive year. The Tar Heels had 17 swimmers in total receiving the honor this year.

The Exercise Science major was set to swim against her sister Albury Higgs in the 100 yards breast at the NCAA DI Championships. The sophomore clocked a season’s best time of 59.92 seconds, achieving the NCAA ‘B’ standard and was seeded at number 37.

Bastian had a strong sophomore year for the Florida State University (FSU) Seminoles. He was one of 25 Seminoles swimmers to receive the CSCAA Scholar All-America honor. This was the second straight year he earned that honor.

The Athletic Training major qualified for the NCAA DI Championships in the 100 yards breast after recording a season’s best time of 52.36 seconds. That time was the 26th fastest time in the country and was a ‘B’ standard time. It was also the sophomore’s first time qualifying for the championships individually.

His 400 yards medley relay team was special this year, as they won a silver medal at the Atlantic Coast Conference (ACC) Championships with an automatic ‘A’ qualifying time of 3:05.62 for the NCAAs. His three other teammates were Griffin Alaniz, Max McCusker and Peter Varjasi.

Carey finished his freshman year for the McKendree University Bearcats this past season as one of 18 Bearcats who got CSCAA Scholar All-America nods and one of 10 Bearcats men to get the honor.

The Exercise Science major qualified for the NCAA Division II (DII) Championships in the 100 yards backstroke, and 200 and 400 yards medley relays.

In the 100 yards backstroke, Carey went into the NCAA DII Championships seeded at number nine with a time of 47.81 seconds.

Carey and his teammates John Heaphy, Gregg Lichinsky and Alexander Skinner were the DII 200 yards medley relay national champions when they clocked 1:25.29. It was the first time the Bearcats won the national title in that event and it was the fastest time in DII for the year.

In that race, Carey catapulted his way to the second fastest time in DII with a fast 21.45 seconds split in the 50 yards backstroke portion of that race.

In the 400 yards medley relay, Carey and his team posted a time of 3:12.06 to finish with the third fastest time in DII.

Thompson swims the freestyle and backstroke events for the Rollins College Tars in NCAA DII competition. She was one of 11 Tars swimmers to receive the honor.

The junior swam a personal best in the 50 yards freestyle with a time of 23.90 seconds to finish 11th at the Sunshine State Conference (SSC) Championships back in February of this year. At that same meet, the International Business major was able to swim a personal best time of 51.74 seconds in the 100 free to finish 10th.

At that same meet, she anchored her school to a silver medal in the 200 yards free relay, finishing in 1:34.22.

The Tars women finished third overall at the SSC Championships.

Russell swims for the Emory University Eagles in the NCAA Division III (DIII). The Business Administration major was one of 34 Eagles swimmers and one of the 18 Eagles men to receive team selections. This was his second straight year on the CSCAA Scholar All-America list.

In the 100 yards breast, he swam a time of 54.77 seconds to finish with the 11th fastest time among DIII swimmers.

The sophomore and his 200 yards medley relay team posted the 11th fastest time in DIII with a time of 1:29.17. That time was accomplished at the Denison Invitational back in December 2019.

Back in April, the Higgs’ sisters, Bastian, Carey, Russell and Jared Fitzgerald were named to the CSCAA All-American list for the 2019-2020 season.

Jump Line – A total of five Bahamians were named to the CSCAA All-American list in April

The Bahamas Basketball Federation’s (BBF) Summer of Thunder basketball showcase has been cancelled for 2020 due to the COVID-19 pandemic. FILE

July 13, 2020

Simba French

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The Bahamas Basketball Federation’s (BBF) Summer of Thunder basketball showcase is cancelled for 2020 due to the presence of the COVID-19 pandemic.

Nassau Guardian Sports caught up with BBF President Mario Bowleg who confirmed that college teams were unable to come for the annual showcase, that was expected to highlight weeks of high-level basketball intensity this year because of the pandemic.

“We have reached out to all of our agents who normally bring teams here to participate in the Summer of Thunder. Due to COVID-19, all of them would have cancelled. I think that is because of the incompletion of the NCAA (National Collegiate Athletic Association) season and not knowing what is going to happen with NCAA football which I think is the greatest income for most of those sporting programs. That caused most of those teams to take the necessary precautions on their financial spending. Unfortunately, Summer of Thunder is one of those ventures that they would have entered during the month of August that they had to cancel,” Bowleg said.

The showcase is mainly held in August and has been played at the Kendal G.L. Isaacs

National Gymnasium, the Baha Mar Resort and the Atlantis Resort in recent years. College teams, national squads, and European professional clubs come to The Bahamas to fine-tune their play for upcoming competitions. Local basketball teams also get a chance to play against the visiting teams.

“It was very disappointing. I heard from (Jaraun) ‘Kino’ Burrows who is with Raw Talent and was getting ready to come home. He had some young guys – up-and-coming young Bahamian athletes who were getting ready to go to France. They were looking forward to using those games and record them so they can showcase their talent to take them to the next level. This pandemic is something that is beyond our control and we just have to face the consequences and try to make the necessary adjustments in order for us to move forward and start preparing for next year. It is definitely disappointing to the players and coaches and the executives of the federation,” Bowleg said.

Several NCAA Division I teams were looking to make the trip. These included the Eastern Michigan University, Appalachian State University, Wake Forest University and Seattle University. A women’s team from the University of Tennessee at Martin was also scheduled to make an appearance.

A few NCAA Division I teams came for the showcase last year, including Georgetown University, Texas Tech, the University of Memphis, Temple University, Murray Sate University, Duquesne University and Furman University. Also making the trip last year was Mega Bemax, a professional team out of Serbia. York University women’s team came to play against a Bahamas Select All-Star women’s team.

Bowleg said the Summer of Thunder showcase is a huge fundraiser for the federation.

“The federation will have a great loss as far as fundraising because that is our major fundraising. It normally helps to take care of our development programs and our national teams. The cancellation will definitely impact the federation financially,” Bowleg said. “This is a great setback for us in trying to ensure that we have our necessary funding to send our men’s national team off to competition, which will be confirmed by August 31, whether or not we are going to be playing that window in November where we’re supposed to play in Washington and Puerto Rico for the FIBA AmeriCup Qualifiers. Those trips cost us about $80,000 per trip. Taking that into consideration we are going to find ourselves in a financial bind if those games are played in November.”

Several players who have played in the Summer of Thunder have made the jump to the National Basketball Association (NBA) in the United States. Back in 2014, Bahamian DeAndre Ayton was a force to reckon with as his locally-based Providence Storm team shocked the formidable University of North Carolina (UNC) Tar Heels, 84-83. He finished that game with 17 points and 18 rebounds as a teenager still in high school.

The annual showcase has seen some quality teams and players on the court and this year’s edition will be greatly missed by local basketball fans as well as the fans who travel to The Bahamas to see their teams play.

Wednesday, July 8, 2020

COACH Norbert Elliott shares a special moment with Tamar Greene (left) and Samson Colebrooke.

#By BRENT STUBBS

#Senior Sports Reporter

#bstubbs@tribunemedia.net

#THERE has been much concern about the effect of student athletes travelling to the United States to continue their education in the COVID-19 pandemic.

#On Monday, the US Department of Homeland Security announced temporary exemptions for non-immigrant students for the fall 2020 semester, which indicated that students currently enrolled in schools and/or programmes that are fully online will either have to depart the country or take other measures, such as transferring to a school with in person instructions to remain in lawful status.

#When contacted to get their take on these new requirements, at least one coach, Bahamian Norbert Elliott at Purdue University, said the rule will not affect the Bahamian athletes currently enrolled there.

#“Those students, who don’t have a visa, they can’t come in the fall (August), they will have to come in the spring (January),” said Elliott, a former Olympic triple jumper who competed for the University of Texas at El Paso following his graduation from St Augustine’s College.

#At present, Elliott has three Bahamians on athletic scholarships with the Boilermaker track team at Purdue. They are sprinter Samson Colebrooke and jumpers Tamar Greene and Vinajah Adderley.

#“Since they are currently enrolled as international student athletes, they are not affected,” Elliott said. “Vinajah and Tamar are both home on vacation in the Bahamas and they will be allowed to return without any interruption and join Samson on the team. Samson is already here. He stayed for summer school.

#“For our international students, we’ve never advised them to take online courses. The university is not resorting to that. I know some schools are doing it. Harvard University is doing it for the fall for all online courses, but Purdue is going to do some partial online and some face-to-face classes. So those international athletes wont be affected by those new US Government regulations.”

#Elliott, however, said those athletes who have not yet received their student visas will definitely be affected this fall.

#He noted that they were trying to get an athlete in from Trinidad & Tobago for their freshman year this fall, but that won’t happen until the spring because of the new restrictions.

#“These restrictions are changing every day as regards to COVID-19,” Elliott noted.

#“Right now, we are having some online classes and some face-to-face classes, but I think we will be okay with the international students that we have on our roster.

#“We are really monitoring that very closely, but it shouldn’t be a problem for them. They are not issuing any new student visas and I think that is probably the case with most schools. The US Government is not issuing any new visas for student-athletes. So that will pose some difficulties.”

#With so many student-athletes looking at the scholarships available to colleges and universities in the United States, not just in track and field, but across the board, Elliott said it’s going to be difficult to comply to the social distancing and the wearing of the mask. “We have a new study out that shows that this COVID-19 is affecting more of the younger generation,” Elliott said.

#“So it’s going to be hard to keep them in place, especially those who are attending colleges and universities because they are more adventurous. So if those students can’t come on campus and train, this will really modify what we do this season in all sports across the board. Right now, they are looking at pushing the start time for basketball and football, the bigger sports, further back to the spring as opposed to the fall.”

#Athletic directors in all of the schools are on pins and needles as they work from home trying to figure out how to make the adjustments to their programmes and when this pandemic will end.

#Purdue University is scheduled to open up on August 24 and their fall semester will actually end on November 24, which means that all of their holidays and regular breaks will be cut out this year.

#“What they don’t want is to take a break and having students going to parties and coming back with the virus,” Elliott stated. “So they are really condensing the school year to compact anything into a shorter space of time.

#“In that way, the schools will try to eliminate the spread and the contact tracing of the virus because once the students are in school, there will be no need for them to have to do all of the things that they did off the campus like they did in the past.”

#In Lafeyette, Indiana where Purdue is located, Elliott said they have contained the virus so far, but a lot of the southern states around them are not so fortunate. So he’s encouraging his athletes to do their part to try and control the spread of the virus by following the guidelines and the protocols that are in place.

#While there has been a vast increase in cases of the coronavirus in Florida to more than 214,000 and over 3,000 deaths, there are about 49,000 cases in Indiana with over 2,000 deaths.

#The United States has confirmed more than three million cases and over 133,000 deaths.

#Worldwide, there are over 11 million cases and more than 539,000 deaths.The Bahamas has 104 cases, 89 of which were recovered, with 11 deaths.

BACK TOGETHER AGAIN: Shown (l-r) are Deyton Albury, coach Jamal Smith and Garrett Edgecombe.

Wednesday, July 8, 2020

#By BRENT STUBBS

#Senior Sports Reporter

#bstubbs@tribunemedia.net

#For the first time since they were members of the Temple Christian Suns about two years ago, coach Jamal Smith got a chance once again to work with point guard Deyton Albury and forward Garrett Edgecombe.

#The trio hooked up last week to participate in the first in a series of AAU basketball tournaments for boys in the United States. As a part of the Carolina Defenders, they went 3-0 in a tournament in North Carolina.

#This weekend, the Carolina Defenders will be back in action at the Big Shots Tournament at the Myrtle Beach Sports Center in South Carolina. They start playing on Thursday with games shown live on demand at BallerTV.com.

#“This is like a reunion because when we were at Temple Christian, we had an awesome team,” said Smith, who spent the past year in the United States coaching basketball.

#“These guys in particular showed a lot of promise and that they had the ability to play at the next level. So being in a position where I am in a position with the Carolina Defenders, I am glad that I could give them the platform to display their skills.”

#Smith, who relished the days he coached the duo at Temple Christian, said Albury and Edgecombe will have a chance to play against some of the top high school players who have been recruited by division one basketball this year.

#“For Deyton, in particular, I think he had a very strong year at Sunrise Christian Academy and so I expect him him to just build on that,” Smith said.

#“The competition level is good for him. I think he will rise to the occasion and be the player that we have known him to be. He just has an awesome weekend and an even awesome month.

#“When it comes to Garrett, I expect him to be the same kind of defensive force that he was when he played for Temple Christian. This is going to be an adjustment period for him because with his size, he will have to play more on the wing, but I think he can adjust to it.”

#After being sidelined from his Sunrise Academy team since March due to the spread of the coronavirus that halted all sporting events worldwide, Albury said it was good to be back in the United States and playing again.

#“I was happy to get back on the court and playing basketball again,” said the 18-year-old Albury, who left town on July 1 when the borders reopened to get acclimated with his new team.

#During the month of July, the Carolina Defenders are expected to participate in at least five tournaments and at least 30-40 games. Hopefully, they will be successful where they can end up playing in another tournament in August to wrap up the tour.

#“A lot of the tournament directors are taking the necessary preventive measures. They check your temperatures at the door and you must wear your mask to get in,” Smith said.

#“The spectators are limited because they are only allowing a few to come in and watch their team when they play and you have to leave the gym when you are done. So they are trying to deal with the social distancing to prevent any outbursts.”

#With all of the safety measures in place, Albury, who was a two-sport star at Sunrise Christian Academy in Bel-Aire, Kansas where he was featured on their state championship football team, said he’s just concentrating on playing basketball.

#“I’m just happy to be on the court,” stated the 6-foot, two-inch guard.

#“I’m not worrying about it. I’m wearing my mask and sanitising, so I’m good. I feel safe in the environment we’re playing in.”

#As for his performance so far where he averaged about eight assists, seven steals and 12 points, Albury said he just wanted to get back in the flow of things as he reunited with Edgecombe and Smith as they prepare for the Big Shots Tournament this weekend.

#“We’ve been playing together for a long time, so the chemistry was always there between us,” said Albury of teaming up with Edgecombe on the court. “It’s just a matter of getting into the rotation with the other guys and seeing how they play.”

#Edgecombe, an 18-year-old six-foot, three-inch forward, said it was good to be playing with Albury again, especially since they haven’t done anything since the start of COVID-19.

#“Every player on our team has been holding up their end of the bargain,” Edgecombe said. “I feel like me and Deyton will make a big difference on this team because we know how each other play.

#“The tempo is a lot faster than I expected, but I’ve made the adjustment. It just feels great to be back on the hardware floor playing basketball again. I’m liking it.”

#Albury, who graduated from Sunrise Academy with a 3.50 grade point average, said when they got the news that they would also be playing for coach Smith, they got even more excited because they remember the success they enjoyed at Temple Christian.

#And Edgecombe said despite the fact that there’s very little fans in the stands to cheer them on, they feed off each other and that has been one of the reasons for their success so far.

#“For the tournament coming up, I expect that we will finish on top and we can go as far as we can go as a team,” Edgecombe said. “Coach Smith has really been a big inspiration for us too.”

#While Albury left Temple Christian to complete his high school days at Sunrise Christian Academy, Edgecombe moved on to Galilee Academy. Both are looking at playing at two different prep schools in South Carolina over the next year before they look at entering the collegiate ranks.

#Carolina Defenders, according to Smith, have about four players who combined have already received over 30 division one offers. He said they have an all-around team that can shoot the ball and play solid defence.

#So based on the personnel they have with the addition of Albury and Edgecombe, they should be able to continue the winning streak that they started last week.

JABARI Wilmott with an array of awards and jerseys for the Hooping by the Park tournament that has been cancelled this year due to COVID-19.

Wednesday, July 8, 2020

#By BRENT STUBBS

#Senior Sports Reporter

#bstubbs@tribunemedia.net

#COVID-19 has had a drastic effect on sporting events globally. Here at home, a number of organisations are still trying to come to grips with the fact that they may not be able to hold any activities in quite a while due to the health risk involved.

#Hooping by the Park, a non-profit organisation started by former basketball player Jabari Wilmott to provide some social activities for the residents and visitors of the community of Fox Hill, is one of those affected.

#Wilmott announced that his organising committee has decided to cancel this year’s tournament, which was to culminate with the annual Fox Hill Day festivities on Freedom Park.

#The tournament, the brainchild of Wilmott and Keron Pratt as their way of giving back to the community, featured competition for boys in the under-16 age group, the open men and a church division.

#Since coming on stream in 2018, the tournament became a staple event, replacing the defunct park league, which provided some wholesome activities for the men in the community.

#“Our goal is to firstly provide a basketball experience that showcases our youths’ talents and more importantly use the game to bring our communities together,” said Wilmott, a former player for the St Augustine’s College Big Red Machine who went on to play for the Johnnies at St John’s University in Collegeville, Minnesota where he graduated in 2016.

#“Over the last two years, we have had the privilege to work with over 150 young males from various communities. Many travelled to the historic Fox Hill Park from neighbourhoods such as Bain Town, Carmichael, and Pinewood, all sharing one common passion, which is the game of basketbal.”

#Wilmott, however, said since they will not be able to stage this year’s event, which was expected to get started next month, his committee is now focused on trying to get the third tournament off in 2021. “Some new features to be expected in 2021 are, the addition of a women’s division, which we tried unsuccessfully to host last year, as well as charity initiatives within the Fox Hill community,” he said.

#“Our team is committed to finding ways to incorporate more than basketball. Basketball cultivates a spirit of comradeship. “Hooping By The Park represents togetherness and creates everlasting memories.”

#With the spread of the coronavirus and the rules of social distancing imposed by the Ministry of Health, Wilmott said it was just not feasible for his committee to consider putting on the event this year.

#The Bahamas Government continues to ensure that everybody is safe in the reopening of the economy, and has provided the assurance to the community that Hooping by the Park will be back.

#“Our team encourages everyone to like and follow our social media pages ‘Hooping by the Park’ for further updates and announcements over the next 12 months,” he stated. “We want everybody to be safe in these unpredictable times and know that their health and safety is more important at this time than putting on a basketball tournament.”

#Wilmott thanked all of the sponsors who had made a commitment to support this year’s event and advised them that while they have had to cancel the event, his committee is still looking for their contribution when they re-brand in 2021.