School pride is at an all-time high at Temple Christian High School following their historic third-place finish at the Bahamas Association of Independent Secondary Schools (BAISS) Track and Field Championships. The achievement is a remarkable one that reflects positively on the school and its athletics program.

According to Perry R. Cunningham, the high school's principal, finishing third in the BAISS championships is no small feat, and is something that should be celebrated and recognized by the entire school community.

"This accomplishment is a testament to the hard work and dedication of the student-athletes, coaches, and staff who have worked tirelessly to prepare and compete at the highest level," said Cunningham. "Our high school's achievement sets a new standard of excellence for future athletic teams to strive for. It demonstrates that with hard work, dedication, and commitment, anything is possible. The school community is proud of the student-athletes, coaches, and staff who have brought honor to the institution."

Reflecting on the journey to this point, he said, "The team faced several challenges leading up to the BAISS Track and Field Championships, including COVID-19, injuries, lack of equipment and staff, limited financial support, and balancing academic work with athletic training. However, they were able to overcome those obstacles through hard work, dedication, and the support of their coaches, parents, staff, and community."

Looking to the future, the principal said, "To maintain and build on this success, the school's athletics program has several goals, including identifying new talent, improving facilities, implementing a physical conditioning program, inviting accomplished athletes to motivate student-athletes, implementing a mentorship program, participating in more competitions, increasing athletic scholarship awards, and gaining more parental support."

Coach Kenya Culmer is the head of physical education and head of the track and field program at Temple Christian. She has been with the school for six years and has a background in track and field as a former athlete. She attended Temple Christian Elementary and was introduced to high jump by Coach Nekeno Demeritte.

After high school, Culmer was awarded a full track scholarship at Southern Illinois University (SIU), where she earned a Bachelor of Arts in Business Management. In 2012, Culmer made history as the first Bahamian woman to jump over six feet, becoming the national high jump record holder. She originally came to Temple Christian to help out on a short-term basis, but six years later, she is still with the school, making a significant impact on its athletics program.

Coach Culmer credits the team's success to a rigorous six-month training program that focused on endurance, strength, and technical aspects of each event.

"Our students and coaches sacrificed much time into the preparation for the BAISS competition," she said. "We took the time to test each athlete and identify their strengths, which allowed us to put them into events where they could excel. The athletes themselves deserve much of the credit for their consistency and dedication, leaving everything on the track and in the field in each event. The athletes handled the pressure exceptionally well, with not one expressing fear of competing against larger, more dominant schools. We taught them how to be confident and most importantly to believe that they can do all things through Christ who strengthens them."

Coach Culmer leads a team alongside coaches Marvin Darville and Kevin Armbrister. An experienced coach, Armbrister was instrumental in the development of C.H. Reeves' track and field program for over 20 years. C.H. Reeves was dominant in the Government Secondary Schools Sports Association (GSSSA) Junior Track and Field Championships.

Darville has been the head coach of the SunBlazers Track and Field Club for 19 years, specializing in the sprints and hurdling events. Culmer credited Darville's experience in this area as a strong factor for the Suns' success in the hurdles events at the BAISS championships.

"As a team, we were able to achieve this success through strong collaboration between the coaches and athletes. In addition, we were fortunate to have the support of dedicated parents and volunteer coaches, all of whom worked together to make this achievement possible. As we always say, 'teamwork makes the dream work'."

Principal Cunningham added, "By recognizing and celebrating these achievements, we can inspire and motivate future generations of athletes to strive for greatness and continue to build a strong athletics program at Temple Christian High School. This historic achievement shows that with the right resources, support, and guidance, even a relatively small student population can achieve great things. It is a reminder that hard work, dedication, and teamwork are the keys to success, and that anything is possible when we set our minds to it.

"This achievement is a testament to our school's commitment to excellence and the development of well-rounded students. This accomplishment is not only a victory for the athletics program, but for the entire school community, and it should serve as inspiration for all students to strive for greatness in all aspects of their lives."

Now that they have cracked the top three, the Suns are looking to continue to improve and achieve even better results in the future.

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