In the 1980s, high school track and field in New Providence was large. The competition between the schools was intense as the private and public schools challenged for athletic supremacy. There was Government High School (GHS), St. Augustine's College (SAC), C.C. Sweeting, St. John's College, R.M. Bailey High, and numerous others with great athletes and great followings.
Around the mid 80s, there was a strike by the physical education teachers who decided not to participate in after-school activities unless they were paid. This ended the New Providence Association of Interschool Sports (NPAISS), and had a significant effect on high school sports in New Providence, and in particular, athletics. This in turn significantly affected the junior program.
Dr. Bernard Nottage, president of the Bahamas Amateur Athletic Association, now the Bahamas Association of Athletic Associations (BAAA), at the time, thought that there was some benefit in considering a national high school track and field championships. He had Franklyn Rahming and this writer pursue the idea.
Inaugural BAAA National High School Track and Field Championships
The time was ripe for such an event and the inaugural championships exceeded our dreams, with a significant number of teams from the Family Islands. The event was held on the 37th anniversary of the founding of the BAAA, and it was a delight to see the teams march past that evening on May 6, 1989. It was truly a national event with some athletes and teams doing unbelievable performances. Some of those performances of 1989 remain championship records to this day. They are the stellar performances of Daphne Saunders of Eight Mile Rock High School, who captured the high jump with a 1.77 meters (m) - 5'9-1/2" - performance, the long jump with a 5.97m (19'7") performance, and the heptathlon with a 4,592 point performance.
The prior year, Saunders represented The Bahamas at the second International Association of Athletics Federations' (IAAF) World Junior Championships in Sudbury, Canada in the long jump. At the trials that year, she jumped over 20 feet, in the long jump, becoming only the third Bahamian woman to do so.
Gareth Flowers of powerhouse C.C. Sweeting Secondary School jumped 2.16m (7'1") in the under-20 boys high jump, a record that remains today. Kevin Smith from Bishop Michael Eldon High accumulated 5,872 points in the under-20 boys decathlon. The last remaining record from 1989 was the 3:18.2 done in the under-20 boys 4x400m relay.
Other records lasting the test of time

There are several other records that lasted for a long time that we need to mention.
The sprints
1991 - under-20 boys 200m - 21.11 seconds - Marcus Knowles, Catholic High.
1991 - under-17 girls 200m - 24.26 seconds - Debbie Ferguson, St. Andrew's.
1991 - under-17 girls 400m - 55.9 seconds - Vernetta Rolle, N.G.M. Major.
1994 - under-17 girls 100m - 11.58 seconds - Tamar Cheribim, St. Augustine's College.
1994 - under-20 girls 100m - 11.18 seconds - Debbie Ferguson, St. Andrew's.
1994 - under-20 girls 200m - 23.68 seconds - Debbie Ferguson, St. Andrew's.
1995 - under-20 boys 100m - 10.39 seconds - Judson Jervis - C.C. Sweeting.
Middle Distance and Distance
1991 - under-20 boys 800m - 1:58.7 - Preston Sargent, St. John's College.
1991 - under-20 girls 800m - 2:15.82 - Vernetta Rolle, N.G.M. Major.
1992 - under-17 boys 1,500m - 4:14.9 - David Bell, Eight Miler Rock.
1992 - under-20 boys 5,000m - 15:41.1 - David Bell, Eight Mile Rock.
1992 - under-17 girls 1,500m - 5:00.1 - Lucille Guerrier, C.I. Gibson.
1993 - under- 20 boys 1,500m - 4:03.2 - David Bell, Eight Mile Rock.
1994 - under-20 girls 800m - 2:09.51 - Vernetta Rolle, N.G.M. Major.
1994 - under-20 girls 3,000m - 10:50.9 - Lucille Guerrier, C.I. Gibson.
Jumps
1993 - under-20 girls triple jump - 11.64m (38'2-1/4") - Abigail Ferguson, L.W. Young - first year held.
1993 - under- 17 girls high jump - 1.67m (5'5-3/4") - Tanya Wildgoose, St. Augustine's College.
1993 - under-17 boys high jump - 1.98m (6'6") - Ricardo Jacques, C.C. Sweeting.
Throws
1992 - under-20 boys javelin - 60.71m (199'2") - Jermaine Curry, L.W. Young.
1995 - under-20 girls shot put - 13.95m (45'9-1/4") - Doris Thompson, Nassau Christian Academy.
Some World Beaters from the National Track and Field Championships
Since the introduction of the championships in 1989, numerous "world beaters" have participated. Just think of some of them - Daphne Saunders, Debbie Ferguson-McKenzie, Tonique Williams, Christine Amertil, Avard Moncur, Chris Brown, Troy McIntosh, Anthonique Strachan, Shaunae Miller, the Collie-Minns twins, Stephen Newbold and Ryan Ingraham.
The Introduction of the Under-15 and Under-13 Divisions
Over the years, it was thought beneficial to add additional divisions to the under-17 and under-20 divisions started in 1989. The under-15 division was started in 2002, and the under-13 division was started in 2010. Both have seen young stars develop on the national scene. To name just a few, we have Brashae Wood from St. Augustine's who dominates the girls throws, Dannielle Gibson in the jumps, and Blayre Catalyn and Donniesha Anderson in the sprints.
The Importance of Records
For the most part, records chart the development and improvement of our beloved sport. Records also are important for the fans. They show where we have been and how far we have come. How many of these records will be broken in this year's meet and those in the next few years?
Incentives for Schools
Over the years, the BAAA has provided several incentives for the participating schools. In the past, schools were provided cash incentives.
Sponsorship
Over the last several years, Scotiabank has partnered with the BAAA to provide significant sponsorship for the championships. That financial institution is the title sponsor again this year. Scotiabank has also started an award for the top athletes of the meet, based upon the international ranking of their performances. The theme of Scotiabank is 'Discover what's Possible', which is in line with athletic performances.
Out of a challenge that saw the death of the New Providence Association of Interschool Sports (NPAISS), came the BAAA National High School Track and Field Championships, which after these 26 editions, has done much for bringing the nation's youth together, and still has much potential. We still remember fondly though, the excitement of the NPAISS meets a quarter of a century ago.
The Role of the Ministry of Education
Over the years, the Ministry of Education has cooperated with the BAAA with logistics and recently with funding. It is hoped that this cooperation increases. On several occasions, cooperation has also come from the schools permitting their students to come out early or have a particular day off to attend the meet. Evon Wisdom is the head of the sports unit in the Ministry of Education. It is the belief of some that this ministry can and should do much more to improve school sports. The increase in cooperation has been talked about and it is welcomed.
The Future
When we compare the fan support of the New Providence Association of Interschool Sports, the BAAA National High School Track and Field Championships does not compare favorably. Support from alumni is gravely needed. The Bahamas Association of Independent Secondary Schools (BAISS) Track and Field Championships still draws a much larger and exciting crowd. Each of us can do our part in improving this aspect by supporting the school attended, whether it is in New Providence or in the Family Islands. We look forward to the day when the new stadium, not just the old, can be filled.
After all, these championships gather the largest number of young students in The Bahamas.

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