The Tribune

By BRENT STUBBS

Senior Sports Reporter

bstubbs@tribunemedia.net

CC Sweeting Secondary High School is all set to kick off its 50th anniversary celebrations with its tribute to coaches Julie Wilson and Mario Bowleg on Saturday.

At a press conference yesterday, Principal Joan Gray revealed that the 2019 Julie Wilson Fun Run/Walk and the 2019 Mario Bowleg All-Star Basketball Championships is just one way to recognise their two sporting icons.

“As you would know, CC Sweeting has really made a mark for itself in the sports world as being a powerhouse in athletics,” Gray said. “As such, coach Mario Bowleg and Mrs Julie Wilson have been members of our staff, who have contributed significantly to the development of sports here in Cobra Country.”

Gray hailed Bowleg as a contributor of his time, energy and financial resources to assist their senior boys basketball team, which have captured many titles.

So after he decided to officially retire, they thought it would be a good way to celebrate his contributions to the school as they show their appreciation to the impact he has had at CC Sweeting.

Wilson, a veteran educator for more than 30 years, will officially retire in August and so Gray said they also wanted to show her their gratitude and appreciation for her contribution as the head of their Athletic Department.

Julie Wilson Fun Run/Walk

The event will begin at 6 am. The registration will begin at 5:30 am. The fee is $20, which includes a t-shirt and water.

The route will leave CC Sweeting campus to Farrington Road, onto the six-legged round-a-bout to the highway leading to Saunders Beach and reverse back to CC Sweeting.

Prizes will be presented to the various winners in the age groups of 18-and-under, 19-35, 36-59 and 60-plus.

“Please come out and put in your steps, come out and have a great time and at the end of the end of the walk-a-ton, we will have our grand occasion celebrating Mario Bowleg,” said Chuck Smith, the chairperson of the fun run/walk race.

Smith said they expect that a lot of persons whom Wilson would have mentored during her 30-plus years in the Bahamas will come out and participate in the event.

In addition to coaching at CC Sweeting, Wilson also coached at SC McPherson, so Smith said they are hoping that persons whom she taught there would also come out and participate.

The Bahamas Association of Certified Officials (BACO) will officiate the event. The Bahamas Association of Athletic Associations (BAAA) will also be involved in the organizing of the event as they join in the celebrations for Wilson, a former executive and coach.

Mario Bowleg All-Star Basketball Championship

Clare Adderley, CC Sweeting’s Senior Mistress and Administrative Supervisor for Events, said they are excited to put on the basketball event, which coincides with the passion and commitment of Bowleg.

There will be a three-point shootout and slam dunk competition for various age group categories for students in both the public and private schools as well as the open division.

“We want to invite players of coach Bowleg to come out and display their skills and show coach that you have not forgotten the game,” Adderley said. “All you sports fanatics, we want to see you on Saturday.”

Registration starts at 4 pm and the competition will begin at 5 pm.

At 6 pm, Adderley said they will host a celebrity game between the senior officials from the Department of Education at the Ministry of Education, Science and Technology and teachers and administrators within the public schools.

“The ministry’s team is saying they are going to win this, but we shall wait and see,” Adderley proclaimed.

The feature of the night will be the senior boys All-Star Game.

Three players each from the CC Sweeting Cobras, CR Walker Knights, CI Gibson Rattlers and Doris Johnson Mystic Marlins will make up the North Division, coached by Doris Johnson’s Dec Bowleg.

They will play against the Southern Division, made up of players from the Anatol Rodgers Timberwolves, CV Bethel Stingrays, Government High Magics and RM Bailey Pacers, who will be coached by Harcourt McQuay.

Adderley said both Bowles and McCoy have won the Government Secondary Schools Sports Association’s championship titles as well as other titles, so it will be interested to see how they will battle it out.

“We will see which district has the strongest basketball team,” she said. “We are very privileged to host this event in honor of coach Mario Bowleg. So if you are a former player of coach Mario Bowleg or just a former student of CC Sweeting to come out and support the school and support the event.”

Students with identifications will be charged $3 and the general public will be charged $7.

Gratitude of Appreciation

In his show of gratitude, Bowleg said he’s very appreciative of the support that he got from the principal, staff and students of CC Sweeting in his execution of his responsibilities over the past 11 years.

“Anytime persons can honor you while you are alive, based on the work you would have done in this community and country at large, you can be appreciative of that,” Bowleg said.

“It just goes to show that hard work pays off and I am definitely appreciative of what CC Sweeting is doing for me at this time in my life,” he said.

Bowleg said he’s looking forward to the game because the coaches feel as thought the northern division has the better players, but the southern division could pull off the upset.

“I’m also appreciative that the coaches of the various schools, along with their players, are willing to come out and show their support for me,” he stated. “That’s a big plus that I can be appreciative of.”