The Tribune

By BRENT STUBBS

Senior Sports Reporter

bstubbs@tribunemedia.net

DESPITE being one of three officers who had a vote of no confidence by the Bahamas Association of Athletic Associations, businessman Harrison Petty has been returned unopposed as president of the Bahamas Parents Association of Track and Field Athletes.

Petty, who founded the association in 1999, was elected to another five-year term with his entire board whom he worked with last year, including first vice president Bernard Newbold, second vice president Peter Pratt, general secretary Mabelene Miller, assistant general secretary Mona Pratt and treasurer Joyanne Petty.

And for the first time this year, the board has been increased by three with the appointment of directors - Mildred Adderley and Margo Miller from New Providence and Sherrell Storr from Grand Bahama.

“It’s a delight and a joy to be able to impact lives of athletes,” Petty said. “It’s a great feeling to be able to assist them in the way that we are doing.”

Petty said the association has a lot of challenges that they have to deal with, but he’s up to the task of leading the organisation once again.

“‘We have added some directors whom we feel will help us out tremendously,” Petty said.

“There’s too much work for the small group of us, so we have had to add some more people to our body.”

While the association has been able to assist more than 200 athletes since its inception, Petty said they are trying to get another 20-plus off this year between August and January to division one, II, NAIA and junior colleges.

“We have to locate schools for them,” he said. “Some will go up in August and some will go up in January. Of course, there are a lot of kids who are completing community colleges and they want to transfer to other schools, so Bernard Newbold, who is in charge of recruitment, will be making sure that students are able to transfer from two-year to four-year colleges and universities.”

Additionally, Petty said this year they are looking at initiating a grade point average (GPA) tracking system where the local track clubs will be required to submit the report cards of their athletes and they will get to keep abreast of what they are doing in school.

“This way we can sensitise the parent and provide the best exposure for them to get into college,” he said. “In that way, we can look at what the athletes are doing and by the time the child gets ready to graduate from high school, we can best assist them in getting into college.”

As they’ve done in the past, Petty said the association will continue to celebrate the athletes as they achieve their milestones.