Kentucky Returning To Bahamas In 2016 To Play Arizona State

Wednesday, June 24, 2015

#THE University of Kentucky men’s basketball team is slated to play Arizona State University in a regular season game in Nassau on November 28, 2016.

#The game will be played in the 3,800-seat Imperial Ballroom at the Atlantis resort on Paradise Island, the site of the yearly Battle 4 Atlantis tournament.

#The game against the Sun Devils will mark Kentucky’s return to the Bahamas after a successful “Big Blue Bahamas” six-game foreign tour by the Wildcats in the capital last summer.

#“We are thrilled to return to the Bahamas in 2016 to play Arizona State,” Kentucky head coach John Calipari said. “The Bahamas brings back a lot of good memories for our team. It was there we built the foundation for our unforgettable 2014-15 season. I have a ton of respect for coach Bobby Hurley and believe he’s going to take Arizona State to the next level. A great opponent coupled with a beautiful setting after the holiday weekend should make this an unbelievable trip for our fans.”

#“We look forward to a great matchup with Kentucky in a place where Arizona State has never played next November,” said Arizona State head coach Bobby Hurley. “It is important for our programme to play high-level competition early in the season while at the same time gaining exposure for our players. It will be another great learning experience for our team in a place that is becoming popular in the college basketball world with regards to early-season games. The list of teams playing in Atlantis increases every year, and we are glad to be part of it.”

#Kentucky leads the all-time series between the schools 3-0. This season, UK will host ASU on December 12 in Lexington’s Rupp Arena.

#Last season, the Wildcats became the first team in NCAA history to begin a season 38-0 before falling in the NCAA Final Four national semi-final game to Wisconsin.

#Calipari became the third coach in history to take his school to four Final Fours in a five-season span, and the Wildcats head coach will be enshrined into the Naismith Memorial Basketball Hall of Fame in September as a member of the Class of 2015.

#Hurley was named the Sun Devils head coach in April after two seasons at Buffalo, where the Bulls were 42-20, despite playing 29 road games.

#In 2014-15, Hurley led Buffalo to a school-record-tying 23 victories, the Bulls’ first Mid-American Conference title and first NCAA Tournament berth.

#The Sun Devils were 18-16 last season and advanced to the second round of the NIT.

#“Having Kentucky play a regular-season game at the Atlantis, especially against a quality non-conference opponent such as Arizona State, is another tremendous opportunity for the Bahamas to play host to more great college basketball,” said Lea Miller, president of Complete Sports Management.

#“We were proud to bring Kentucky to Nassau for their foreign tour last summer. The quality of the Wildcats’ experience during the tour led them to consider a return to the Bahamas, and we are thrilled to have this game occur in November 2016.”

New Andre Rodgers National Baseball Stadium To Be Constructed

As of Wednesday, October 8, 2014

#By BRENT STUBBS

#Senior Sports Reporter

#bstubbs@tribunemedia.net

#WITH the Baseball Baseball Association and the Bahamas Baseball Federation now coming back together under one umbrella, the Ministry of Youth, Sports and Culture is looking at the next phase of restoring the creditability of the sport with the construction of the new Andre Rodgers National Baseball Stadium.

#According to Dr Daniel Johnson, the Minister of Youth, Sports and Culture, work on the new stadium is expected to begin in January. The state-of-the-art facility is expected to be erected on the plot of land opposite the Government High School where the Seventh-Day Adventist is currently hosting a Revival Camp.

#“With the signing of this agreement, as a show of good faith on our part, I’ve instructed the National Sports Authority to get the architects and planners in this week because we have located the site for the reconstruction of the Andre Rodgers National Baseball Stadium,” Dr Johnson said.

#“Once all of the associations see the plans, we hope to break ground the first week in December as we do a special tribute in honour of Andre Rodgers. We hope to have several of his former professional baseball teammates in the United States to visit the Bahamas as host of Antoan Richardson, our present Major Leaguer, when we will break ground for the new construction that should commence on January 1.”

#The facility, when completed, should have a 3,000-seat capacity in the initial stage. There will be accommodations for locker rooms, vendors, lighting and green space. Additionally, there will be eight smaller diamonds erected for the use of practice fields and the staging of junior league programmes and tournaments.

#The original Andre Rodgers National Stadium was located in the Queen Elizabeth Sports Centre, was constructed in 1966 adjacent to the old Thomas A Robinson track and field stadium. However, when the government decided to build the new TAR National Stadium with the People’s Republic of China, the Andre Rodgers Stadium was destroyed in 2006.

#Rodgers, a talented shortstop, was the first Bahamian to play in the Major League. He made his debut with the New York Yankees on April 16, 1957 and finished his career with the Pittsburgh Pirates on September 30, 1967. He died aged 70 in December 2004.

#“I can’t put a figure on what it will take to construct the new stadium,” Dr Johnson said. “But when you have so many young players playing in the United States and they can’t come home to play, you can’t put a price figure on what it will take for us to construct the stadium. But I can guarantee you that everything that we do in that complex will take care of itself. “

#Once the baseball stadium is completed, Dr Johnson said work will commence on the construction of the new Churchill Tener Knowles National Softball Stadium, which was also demolished to make way for the new National Stadium. The new softball stadium will be located just across from the Banker’s Field at the Baillou Hills Sporting Complex.

#The original softball stadium was constructed in honour of Tener Knowles, a resident of Grand Bahama, who was the second Bahamian to be inducted into the International Softball Federation Hall of Fame. He was enshrined in the class of 1991 as an administrator and organiser. He followed the late Leon ‘Apache’ Knowles, who was inducted in 1987 as a coach/player.

#Additionally, Dr Johnson said the Bahamas Lawn Tennis Association is in the process of constructing a proper stadium court, the Bahamas Golf Federation is nearing the completion of their nine-hole course, the Bahamas Football Association is looking at upgrading their pitch and there will be a new multi-purpose indoor arena that will be built on a site to be announced.

#“We’re looking at making the entire area a one-stop sports mecca,” Dr Johnson said. “There are talks with the hotel division of the College of The Bahamas with the idea of designing a small hotel that the college students will run so that we can host any type of games for athletes, coaches and officials.

#“So we have a lot of things on the agenda that we hope to have established over the next few years

Almost $60,000 of donations handed out from CARIFTA

National News

by: Kelsie Johnson, NG Sports Reporter

Devynne Charlton on right defeats Bahamian Carmiesha Cox at her left and Jamaican Monique Spencer in …

A total of $58,849 was donated to three separate entities by the Local Organizing Committee (LOC) from money derived from the 2013 CARIFTA Games, according to the committee’s chair, Basil Christie.
A total of $45,000 was given to the Bahamas Association of Athletic Associations (BAAA), $10,000 to Special Olympics Bahamas and $3,849 toward the hosting of the 2014 World Relays, sanctioned by the International Association of Athletics Federations (IAAF). A financial breakdown from the 2013 CARIFTA Games was compiled in an extensive report and executive summary, made public yesterday by the LOC.
The Easter holiday games were dubbed a success by Christie, who also added that funds would go toward other major projects.
” In my capacity as chairman of the local organizing committee for CARIFTA 2013, I am pleased to present through the media to the public, our final report for the games,”  said Christie.
” This is a comprehensive report and includes the executive report that has been presented to the Ministry of Youth, Sports and Culture, and the prime minister. We have available to you the full report and the financial report.
” We are happy to say that the consensus of our participants, from participating countries, that the games were a success.
” The organizing committee feels as though it was probably the best games in the region. Most notable, the games were able to generate a significant profit and of course much credit goes to the strength of the marketing team, and the public relations team.
” We are here today to let you know that the local organizing committee has established a sports foundation for the distribution of the funds that were generated from 2013 CARIFTA.” 
No figures were given for the Family Islands track and field program, which will be spearheaded by an executive team, handpicked by the LOC.
Christie said the track and field program will be the biggest beneficiary of funds derived from the games that were held March 29- April 1, at the new Thomas A. Robinson National Stadium.
Christie said: â Foremost, our biggest beneficiary for funds is the development of Family Island track and field programs, specifically designed to assist with the training of Family Island track and field coaches to train and recognize talent in the Family Islands and being able to assist them with attending events locally, regionally and internationally.
“Also, money will go toward assisting with the purchase of equipment and other necessary items to develop the track and field programs in the Family Islands.
” We have set up a program to make this happen and an executive team will head that. They will be responsible for the distribution of these funds.
” The second item of priority is setting up a training program for Family Island coaches. We are happy that the Ministry of Youth, Sports and Culture, along with the prime ministerâ s office, have embarked on an extensive program to develop track and field in the Family Islands, including the erection of facilities and training coaches.
” We will work hand-in-hand with the Ministry of Youth, Sports and Culture on this particular project. Additionally, we have made contributions to Special Olympics Bahamas, also we have assisted with the preparation of the world relays.” 
The LOC plans to make more contributions and donations in the coming months.
The executives hope that the disbursed funds will assist with the development and advancement of athletics in The Bahamas.

Vision Of The Future

As of Friday, January 13, 2012

#By BRENT STUBBS

#Senior Sports Reporter

#bstubbs@tribunemedia.net

#NOT since the Ministry of Youth, Sports and Culture demolished the Andre Rodgers Baseball Stadium in 2006 to make way for the construction of the new Thomas A. Robinson Track and Field Stadium has senior baseball been played in New Providence.

#Yesterday, Minister of Youth, Sports and Culture Charles Maynard and Bahamas Baseball Federation’s president, Craig “Salty” Kemp, unveiled the plans for the construction of the new Andre Rodgers Baseball Complex.

#The plan, designed by architect and former baseball player turned coach Teran Rodgers, calls for a main stadium with a seating capacity of 5,000. There would also be a pair of 13-and-over fields and combined smaller fields for ages 9-10 and 11-12 that will accommodate 1,500 seats each.

#There will also be at least four practice fields built in the proposal for the complex, which will be next to the Government High School in the Queen Elizabeth Sports Centre.

#Additionally, there will be a baseball academy and five dormitories.

#Construction of the complex, according to Maynard, will begin in stages sometime this year, although he declined to give any further details until all of the specifics are ironed out by the Sports Authority that will come into existence in the next two weeks.

Map

Position of the proposed Andre Rodgers Baseball Complex

#“In 2006, in preparation for the ground breaking of the new national stadium, the Andre Rodgers Baseball stadium was demolished, and so from 2006 to date, we have not had a national facility for baseball and senior baseball has suffered as a result,” Maynard disclosed.

#“In fact, night-time baseball in the Bahamas has suffered as a result. So, with the introduction of these facilities, we hope to take advantage of all of the success that we have had over the years in junior baseball and bring senior baseball back to the Bahamas in a big way.”

#Kemp, accompanied by his secretary general Teddy Sweeting, it’s great that under his watch, the complex will start to take shape, but it doesn’t matter because he just want to see that the young players in the country have the best opportunity to play in the best facilities available.

#“I’m honored to be the one sitting in the chair here for the moment,” Kemp stressed. “I’m just more elated that it’s going to take place soon.”

#While the focus is now being placed on the new complex, Kemp said the federation is looking forward to the day when at least one stadium is constructed on each of the islands where they

#“The plans that we have for baseball is going to blow everybody away,” he said. “But this is our starting point. We would like to see Major League teams come here and have spring training and have exhibition games.

#“We would like to host collegiate games. We have all sorts of things that we would like to see happen for this complex. That is why we believe that it is important for us to design a first class facility to attract these kinds of events to our shores.”

#Kemp said it is obvious that everyone wants to come to the Bahamas, but a lot of times, there’s only one shot in making it possible and so the federation wants to make sure that they take advantage of their opportunity.

#Maynard congratulated the federation for their diligence in keeping the sport alive, despite not having a national stadium to showcase the senior players.

#“What they would have done was brought baseball back alive in the Bahamas. Baseball used to be one of the number one sports back in the day in the 1960 and 1970,” he said.

#“We had a lull there for a long time baseball just was not progressing. The sports federation decided to concentrate on youth development and doing that we ended up with successes in baseball.”

Waltiea Rolle Takes Time Out To Meet ‘Mother’ Pratt

Monday, November 11, 2019

photo

Cynthia ‘Mother’ Pratt and Waltiea Rolle.

#AS she gets prepared to be honoured by the Bahamas Hoopfest, the Bahamas’ first player to participate in the Women’s National Basketball Association (WNBA) Waltiea Rolle took the time out to meet Cynthia ‘Mother’ Pratt, the first female to serve as a Deputy Prime Minister of the Bahamas.

#Rolle met on Saturday at the home of Pratt, one of the country’ most versatile female athletes. The Bahamas Hoopfest, scheduled for November 20-30 at the Baha Mar Resort, will bring five women’s NCAA Division One basketball teams here to compete. They are Arkansas, Ball State (Ind.), Fordham (N.Y.), Lehigh (Pa.) and Wisconsin-Madison.

#The event tips off with a Thanksgiving Day matchup between Lehigh and Ball State on November 28. The slate continues on day two with an early bout seeing Arkansas face Fordham followed by Ball State taking on Wisconsin.

#On Saturday, Fordham returns to take on Lehigh in the final day’s opening action before the event concludes with a showdown between “Power 5” foes Wisconsin and Arkansas.

#On Thanksgiving night, November 28, we will have a Junkanoo Thanksgiving celebration for the teams at the Baha Mar Resort. This event will take place from 5-7pm and will be open to the public. Rolle was a third-round pick (36th overall) by the Minnesota Lynx in the 2013 WNBA Draft and appeared in all three pre-season games with the team, averaging 7.0 points, 4.3 rebounds and 1.0 steals per game. In six games with the Storm in 2014, Rolle averaged 3.2 points and 2.8 rebounds per game.

#The 6’6” centre and University of North Carolina product last played with Xianjiang Magic Deer of the Chinese Women’s Basketball Association. She made Bahamian basketball history by becoming the first Bahamian to play in the WNBA when she appeared in the Storm’s 80-74 loss to the Tulsa Shock on July 29, 2014.

#A 2013 graduate of North Carolina, Rolle owns two of the top 10 best shot-blocking seasons in school history. Her 89 blocks during the 2013 campaign stand are the sixth best of all-time and her 82 blocks in the 2011 season eighth in North Carolina history.

#Bahamas Hoopfest is hosted by the Springdale-based non-profit, International Youth Education & Sports (iYES) Foundation.

#Bahamian Dr Simeon Hinsey is a co-founder of iYES and Bahamas Hoopfest, whose mission is to enhance cultural exchange between youth in the United States, The Bahamas and other Caribbean nations in order to develop communities through education, recreation and sports while preparing youth to pursue post-secondary education.