The Tribune

By NICO SCAVELLA

Tribune Staff Reporter

nscavella@tribunemedia.net

AN Andros resident is hosting a free weekly basketball tournament in hopes of developing the youth in his community and fostering better relations between the island’s four main districts.

Cyril Miller, a Royal Bahamas Defence Force (RBDF) officer who also owns his own construction company, hosts a free basketball tournament at the Mangrove Cay High School Park for not only youth between the ages of 8 and 18, but also for adults in the immediate and wider Andros community, typically between the ages of 21-35.

Mr Miller also said he arranges a “revival service” at a local church in order to further develop the “spiritual” lives of the youth and others in the community.

The tournaments, which feature competition in three divisions: junior, senior, and “community”, are held each Sunday from 3pm until, according to Mr Miller, who said the jamboree typically sees participation from persons from North Andros, Central Andros, Mangrove Cay and South Andros.

Mr Miller, who said he funds the tournament himself, said he has received the assistance of two local coaches in running the local jamboree. The tournament is a by-product of his “Flourish Again” programme, he said.

“I want to really aim for the youth so that we can build leadership characteristics, integrity, and, of course, we want to build the relationships between the different islands, so that they can get familiar and know each other,” Mr Miller told The Tribune.

“The young people in the tournament, it was awesome,” he said of the turnout thus far. “We had at least 300 youngsters out there on the park.”