Starting with softball this year, as opposed to volleyball, didn't require a major transition according to Government Secondary Schools Sports Association (GSSSA) President Alfred Forbes. Courtesy of an agreement reached through the Ministry of Youth, Sports and Culture to have a uniformed sporting calendar among the high schools in the country, the GSSSA adjusted the schedule of its sporting disciplines. According to Sports Officer in the Ministry of Education Evon Wisdom, the move was basically to facilitate national championships in all of the core disciplines at the completion of the respective regular seasons.
The Bahamas Association of Independent Secondary Schools (BAISS) had already started their sporting calendars with softball, so it was just up to the GSSSA to comply. "Well, we had a meeting and some of the people were a bit reluctant, but in respect of the proposed nationals for high schools as the primary reason, we decided that it would be in the best interest of the whole Bahamas to make the change," said Forbes. "With softball, we could just ease into it because we finished with softball. It will be a smooth transition for us.
It is respect of the nationals, that was on the table for a while, but those would have to come under the auspices of a high school federation, and there is no high school sports federation at this time, so the ministry is taking charge. We like the sound of it and we are willing to work with the other organizations for the betterment of high school sports in the country." Unfortunately, the idea of having national championships across the board stalled right out of the gate.
The Austin 'King Snake' Knowles High School Softball Invitational is set to fall right in the middle of the GSSSA's softball season. By the time the season is completed, it will be time to move into the next sporting discipline on the calendar, which is basketball. "I think that we will have to look at implementing the nationals in softball for next year, but that wouldn't affect the other disciplines. Those national championships would still be played," said Forbes.
"Right now, we're looking at incorporating more sports into the calendar. There is an abundance of talent in the government schools and we want to explore that. "Also, to do that, we would have to shorten the seasons of the other disciplines, so we are looking at having single round-robin seasons for all of the sports. I think that would create a more exciting atmosphere. Most of the sports start with tournaments and there are also a number of jamborees, and also all-star midway through the seasons, so there will be sufficient games.
Also, we are looking at best-of-three playoff series as opposed to sudden death playoffs, and then the championships will remain best-of-three so we feel that there will be sufficient games. We feel that the shorter seasons will create more excitement and the attendance will be up." The GSSSA softball season is tentatively set to start October 1, and finish in early November. Basketball is set to get underway in November.
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