The Tribune

By BRENT STUBBS

Senior Sports Reporter

bstubbs@tribunemedia.net

SPORTS World is coming to the Bahamas and president Devon McDonald can’t wait.

The sporting body, which includes former National Football League players like McDonald of the Indianapolis Colts, will be bringing its message of hope to the Bahamas October 6-12 when they visit a number of schools in New Providence and Grand Bahama to provide a “Go Positive Tour” as they outline the consequences of the choices that the students make.

On Thursday, McDonald spent the day meeting with the principals from the Ministry of Tourism - Sports Tourism Unit, the Ministry of Youth, Sports and Culture, the Ministry of Education - Sports Department, the Bahama Island Baptist Association, Youth Alive Ministries, Commune Sports Bahamas and the Sports Fellowship Institute.

Among those who shared in a press conference were Timothy Munnings, the director of sports in the Ministry of Sports,

Darren Turnquest, the director of youth in the Ministry of Youth, Ross Smith, deputy director of education in the Ministry of Education, Eldece Clarke, assistant director of sports in the Ministry of Tourism, Dwight Armbrister, the religious director in the Ministry of Tourism and Tyrone Sawyer, the director of sports in the Ministry of Tourism.

Members of the local organisation, headed by Jacqueline Bain, also took McDonald to Grand Bahama where they met with the Ministry of Education and sporting personalities to pave the way for the trip in October that will include a series of rallies for the schools, a skills football and softball camp and a family oriented rally.

McDonald, who was a linebacker for three seasons with the Colts and one with Arizona Cardinals after winning a collegiate championship title with Notre Dame, said he was impressed with what transpired and he’s even more enthusiastic about the initial appearance of Sports World in October.

“It was unbelievable. It went above and beyond what I had anticipated,” McDonald said. “A lot of people attended and shared how they feel about what we are trying to do, so I was very pleased with what we are looking forward to doing here in October. It’s going to be unbelievable.”

The native from Kingston, Jamaica, who resides in Indianapolis with his family, will be hosting the tour for the first time outside of the United States. He’s looking forward to bringing in at least four former NFL players who will be assisting him in sharing their personal experiences.

“We’re trusting and believing that God has ordained every step of the way,” he said. “This is definitely an assignment from God, so you can expect a hard energy and a power packed event as we share the word in a positive way to the youngsters that show up.”

For the past two years, Bain said she was in consultation with a number of persons to get the programme in the Bahamas. Now it’s here.

“Whatever we worked towards, we have achieved it,” she said. “I think we have exceeded our expectations, particularly this morning. I expected a good crowd, but I didn’t expect all of the representatives that we got. So I was very pleased and I’m really looking forward to a great time in October because the ground work has been done by the local committee and all of our partners.”

Pastor Dave “Da Ruff Neck” Burrows of Youth Alive Ministries and Bahamas Faith Ministries said he too was pleased with the reception on both islands, especially in Grand Bahama.

“They encouraged us with what they want us to do,” he said. “They want to get the schools as far as Eight Mile Rock involved and not just those in Freeport. So we will be looking at how best we can accommodate them because we want to make sure that we reach as many children as we can.”

Come October, Burrows said he is confident that Sports World will be sharing the same type of message that the local personalities have presented from time to time.

But he said he expects it to be reinforced and received because it’s coming from people who they have not heard from before.

“Hearing from these former NFL players will help to boost their confidence and provide them with a message of hope that they too can achieve anything that they set their minds to do,” Burrows said.

Minister Sharmaine Adderley, president of Commune Sports Bahamas, said they are just as excited about the launch.

“It tells us that the call of God and the mission and the purpose that He has for the work that He has given us to use sports as a mechanism or a means to reach out to persons in our community, it tells us that we are on the right track,” she said. “We are delighted to have this effort come to the country and to see the reception that it is receiving with the government ministries coming together. We are really excited because not only will the government ministries come together, but we will also see the churches come together and make this a reality.

“It’s unprecedented. We saw Grand Bahama and New Providence and all of the resources from people who are on the side of positive, start to gather together. I think all of the negative vices in this country better look out because a positive change is coming to our country.”