The best-of-the-best in American football in the country, past and present, will be have their time in the spotlight, as former Commonwealth American Football League (CAFL) Chairman and current member of the awards selection committee Mel Ferguson has finalized plans for the first ever CAFL Legends Awards Banquet. That banquet will be held on Sunday at 3 p.m. at the Crab House located on the intersection of Collins Ave. and Sixth Street, Palmdale.
The CAFL honorees, the 2014 league award winners and the CAFL All-Bahamian Team will be honored at this event on Sunday. Special invited guests include Minister of Tourism Obie Wilchcombe, Minister of Youth, Sports and Culture Dr. Daniel Johnson and Senator Greg Burrows Sr.
Tickets are priced at $40 and can be purchased at the Diplomat Barbershop on Madeira Street in Palmdale, and at Curley's Barber Shop off Robinson Road (west of East Street). The players who will be honored were selected by statistical data and coaches nominations.
"Basically there was an awards criteria and the players were selected," said Ferguson. "Putting the All-Bahamian team together was not very difficult because we had a good selection committee that went through all of the numbers provided by the team coaches. Some coaches were very adamant and descriptive, explaining why their players should be selected. Some were not, but those who made the list are all deserving.
"Putting the legends team together was a little more challenging. We had to go back in time and look up some of the veterans and dig up the statistics, but that's one of the main reasons for doing this, so we can have those numbers and honor them for their efforts and all that they have done for the CAFL in the past."
Nominees and members of the Fast Track Jets team that won the league championship in January, Jamal Butler and Philmon Rolle, said that the awards banquet is a step in the right direction in helping the league return to prominence once again.
"I feel honored to be nominated for the Most Valuable Player (MVP) award, and we want people to come out and see what it's like to be a part of the CAFL," said Butler. "We look to try and attract some younger personnel, so we will reach into different communities to see if we can get some of those young gentlemen to come out and pay some football. That's what we are all about, building up the country and hopefully we can get some of the younger kids off to school."
Rolle said: "It's a pleasure to be a nominee, and we are looking forward to everyone coming out to the Crab House to support the league. We look forward to some of the younger players coming out and we hope that we can continue to develop the sport in The Bahamas."
Both Rolle and Butler played vital roles in the Jets 38-32 win over the Orry J. Sands Pros in the 2015 Boil Fish Bowl at D.W. Davis Field. Some of the legends who will be honored on Sunday are Andy Key, Kelton Humes, Tony Treco, Bill Albury, Courtney Strachan, Vince Symonette and Phil Grant.
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