The Ministry of Youth, Sports and Culture announced its spring sports schedule yesterday.
According to the minister, Dr. Daniel Johnson, all of the teams competing this spring will compete under the theme "Team Bahamas - One goal. One voice. One Bahamas".
The schedule is highlighted by the International Association of Athletics Federations (IAAF) World Relays (April 22-23); the FIFA (International Federation of Association Football) Beach Soccer World Cup (April 27-May 7); and the Commonwealth Youth Games (July 19-23), all of which will be in The Bahamas, and several CARIFTA Championships, including judo in The Bahamas (April 5-9), water polo in The Bahamas (April 7-9), track and field in Curacao (April 14-16) and swimming in The Bahamas (April 15-19).
The National High School Track and Field Championships will be staged March 9-11, on Grand Bahama, and the high school basketball nationals is one week before that, set for March 2-6, also on Grand Bahama.
According to members from each of the local federations that will be represented at a CARIFTA event, the support from both the ministry and the government of The Bahamas at large has gone a long way in terms of helping their athletes prepare for the
regional championships. This year's judo championships will mark the first time that a judo event will take place under the CARIFTA banner.
There are over 100 athletes from nine Caribbean countries expected to compete at the four-day event, which will be staged at Kendal G.L. Isaacs National Gymnasium.
"We have been blessed to have such a good environment to host CARIFTA Judo," said Bahamas Judo Federation (BJF) Vice President D'Arcy Rahming Jr. "The athletes are having a good time training. They're lifting weights every day, training after school, and they are just really excited to compete."
After seeing their fair share of success at last year's water polo championships in Trinidad and Tobago, the three competing water polo teams look to put on a good show for the home crowd, with the hope of attracting more young athletes to the program. The Bahamas will be represented in all three divisions - under-12, under-14 and under-16.
"We owe many thanks to the ministry of sports and the Bahamas Swimming Federation (BSF) for putting our name forward," said The Bahamas' Water Polo Head Coach Chris Illing. "We started off with one team; now we have three teams in different age groups. We have 20 teams coming in from seven different countries and we need everyone's support. Last year we had a triple silver showing in Trinidad and Tobago, but now we are trying to pick up some gold."
As for the swimmers, they are looking to reclaim their title as regional champs.
After winning back-to-back championships in Aruba and Barbados in 2014 and 2015, Team Bahamas finished a close second to Guadeloupe at last year's championships in Fort-de-France, Martinique. The 2017 CARIFTA Swimming Championships will be held at the Betty Kelly-Kenning National Aquatics Complex, and the open water segment will be staged at Junkanoo Beach.
"The CARIFTA team is expected to be named on March 13," said BSF Assistant Secretary Rochelle Bastian. "This year we plan to take the crown back, so we hope that we have a large crowd each day. Bring your drums, cowbells and anything else you can find and come out and cheer the kids on."
Although the track and field team has a large obstacle in its way of the gold in the form of perennial powerhouse Jamaica, Bahamas Association of Athletic Associations (BAAA) officials are confident that they can overcome Jamaica this year and capture the country's first ever track and field title.
"We would like to thank the ministry for its continued support, ensuring that our athletes can compete in this event every year," said BAAA Treasurer Mildred Adderley. "This year's team has two main goals - the first is to win CARIFTA, and the second is to be ambassadors to our country. We want to show them what we have to offer since we are hosting the games next year."
The 2017 Commonwealth Youth Games is set to be the largest multi-sport event ever hosted in The Bahamas. A total of 1,250 athletes representing 71 countries are expected to take part in the event, competing in nine sporting disciplines - athletics, aquatics, boxing, cycling (road), judo, rugby sevens, tennis, and for the first time ever in the quadrennial games, beach soccer and beach volleyball.
The FIFA Beach Soccer World Cup will be staged at the newly renovated Bahamas Football Association's (BFA) Beach Soccer and Futsal Facility, and the IAAF World Relays will be held at Thomas A. Robinson National Stadium for a third time. The Bahamas has also been awarded the 2019 edition of the world relays.

The “Big Apple” felt a big bite from a small squad of gymnasts who competed in the 2017 Manhattan Classic over the weekend of January 28.

The team, sponsored by Bahamas Star Gymnastics and Bahamas Gymnastics Parents Booster Club, filled a tall order to test out a competitive meet for the first time and left proof of their participation in the score books.

Level 1’s Krismerlyn Nixon and Malia Strachan teamed up with Level 2’s Aemerie Curry and Level 3’s Rhianna Smith and Taevia Wright to endure the nipping winds of Manhattan in exchange for nipping other competitors on the medal podium.

The Level 1 team duo of Nixon and Strachan tied for first place All Around with a score of 37.025 (of 40) and medaled on all four apparatus. Nixon secured first place finishes on uneven bars and balance beam with Strachan taking the lead for first place on vault and floor exercise.

Nixon and Strachan along with other Level 1 teammates wrapped up Atlantis Crown in December in first place in the team standings.

Aemerie Curry, in her second season of competition, rallied to first place All Around for Level 2. After an impressive Level 1 season and posting national records last year, Curry repeated her high bid for national ranking on balance beam (9.650) and floor exercise (9.60).

“Curry is a cerebral competitor who is improving her understanding of body movement. After a disappointing start on vault, she mustered the courage to fight back on uneven bars with a second place finish and posted scores more typical of her routines in beam and floor”.

Rhianna Smith and Taevia Wright who have enjoyed multiple successes in the sport, added their medals to the 19 which the team brought home. Smith’s performance ranked her in third place on vault and uneven bars.

Wright who is the shortest of her club’s competitive squad muscled out second place on uneven bars and third place on balance beam.

“From time to time, we test out competitive meets outside the Sunshine State of Florida so that our gymnasts are competing against different pools of competitors and assessed by different judges.

Our girls settled their nerves and gave Manhattan a taste of the Bahamas’ hard work in the sport” updated Coach Tenille Thompson who co-chaperoned the team with Coach Makiya Cargill.

Bahamas Star Gymnastics opened its doors in 2010 and will host its annual “Invitational” renamed Sun TwiSTARS in April for the sixth consecutive year. The only local club to currently host a meet and offer training clinics to local coaches, BSG remains committed to improvement in the sport of gymnastics.

Happy handstands,

Bahamas Gymnastics Parent Booster Club

"Believing in the Great Potential of our Bahamian Champions"

Did you know that this will be the 10th anniversary of the Ride For Hope? Since inception the Ride For Hope charity cycling event has raised close to 3 million dollars to aid in cancer research, care, and treatment here in The Bahamas. For their 10th anniversary the event will return to the island of Eleuthera on February 18th, and Powerade will be there to help all participants power through this long distance route. This will be the second year that Powerade will be served as the official sports drink.

“We at Ride for Hope are so appreciative to have Caribbean Bottling Company and Powerade back as a Yellow Jersey Sponsor again this year! Their support since Ride for Hope’s inception has been unwavering” says Karen Eldon, Ride for Hope Organizer. “The generosity of our corporate sponsors ensures that every single dollar raised by participating riders goes directly to the cause which is to fight cancer in the Bahamas. We are also excited to have Powerade as the featured sport drink for our riding participants this year, perfect for keeping our riders hydrated and refreshed!”

“One of the great programs that has been created as a result of the Ride For Hope is FIMS (Family Island Mammogram Screening Program)”, explained Cara Douglas, Marketing Manager for Caribbean Bottling Company (CBC). “This program allows women from around the Bahamas to get free Mammogram Screenings, which is typically only available in New Providence. As you can imagine this service has significantly helped some Family Island women. Programs like this makes it an easy decision to support the Ride For Hope, and we are happy to participate for the second year as a ‘Yellow Jersey Sponsor’. We look forward to the foundation’s continued work battling cancer here in The Bahamas.”

The Ride for Hope will be taking place in Eleuthera on February 18th, for more information on this cycling race, and about the Ride For Hope Foundation please visit their website: www.rideforhopebahamas.com.

Cara Douglas

Marketing Manager

Carribean Bottling Company

The Island Game donates a passenger van to the Bahamas Football Federation for the use of transporting kids to various sites for soccer. The Presentation of the Van was made to the BFA president Anton Sealy by CEO of the Island Game Pete Deveaux.

Mr. Sealy and his team where excited about this gift and have already put it to use

“The challenges of taking the kids to and from training for soccer has really become difficult for some of the kids to make practices so this generous donation is really appreciated”

Mr. Deveaux see this as an important gift to the whole community “This is really important for the Island Game to do because the youth of our nation is the key to our future. Sports has always been dear to our hearts at the Island Game because sport teaches discipline, comradery and competition”

The Bahamas football Association does a great job in promoting soccer in the country as they are currently running multiple youth programs and preparing for the Beach Soccer World Cup event at the End of April

BFA President Anton Sealy and CEO of the Island Game Pete Deveaux.

The BFA Team poses with CEO of the Island Game Pete Deveaux and kids in front of the new BFA Van

Mark Carter

V.P. Carter Marketing