The Tribune

By BRENT STUBBS

Senior Sports Reporter

bstubbs@tribunemedia.net

Just as quickly as we pulled down the curtain, leaving behind all of the bizarre occurrences of successes and failures as well as triumphs and defeats in 2013, we open the door to 2014 with its blank sheet of expectations.

Happy new year.

But before we can divulge right into it, let’s just reflect on what a year it has been over the past 12 months.

International

Accomplishments

Normally, the focus of attention for the Bahamas has been on our performances at an international meet, but last year was a rather unique one in that Waltiea Rolle stood tall at the head of the class with her historic drafting into the Women’s National Basketball Association.

While many believed that if Natasha Miller was still in her prime when the WNBA got started in 1996, she would have been the trendsetter for the Bahamas in the premier women’s league on the planet. But that distinction now belongs to Rolle.

Fresh out of the University of North Carolina where she bounced back after having a baby to post a great career-ending senior year for the Tar Heels as she was listed as one of the nation’s top shot blockers and a member of the ACC All-Defensive Team for the third time, Rolle was thrust into the spotlight when she was picked No. 36 overall in the WNBA draft in June by the Minnesota Lynx.

When the roll was called, Rolle opted to remain at the alma mater of fellow Bahamian NBA two-time champion Rick Fox to complete her degree and then venture into the European League where she has been gaining some valuable exposure with the DS Karlin in the Czech Republic.

In June when the Lynx get set to open defence of their title, the six-foot, six-inch centre will be a welcome addition, especially in the pivotal position in the middle.

Rolle’s feat must have been contagious because the baseball world got a little jealous and caught the bug with a number of collegiate players inking their names to professional contracts, while others followed suit by acquiring full collegiate athletic scholarships.

Bimini second generation player Jervis ‘Champ’ Stuart made the biggest grand slam when he was drafted in the 6th round of the MLB Draft - the highest ever by a Bahamian in baseball history - by the New York Mets in June.

The 5-11, 175-pound centre fielder from Brevard College in North Carolina via Bimini followed in the footsteps of his father, Jervis ‘Double O’ Stuart, who also played pro ball with the Baltimore Orioles.

His signing paved the way for another Biminite and his cousin, Dario Saunders.

Saunders, 22, became the latest to join the elite list of players after he signed a minor league contract with the Cincinnati Reds in December. Saunders became the first player in the Reds organisation since Ed Armbrister played back in the 1970s.

One confusion

after another

There’s nothing like election time in the Bahamas and I’m not talking about voting for the colour red, gold or green in the political arena, but whenever one of our major sporting bodies goes to the polls, you can expect a lot of fireworks.

The Bahamas Association of Athletic Associations elected a new slate of officers in November, 2012, but who would have thought that for a whole year, there was so much bickering and backbiting that the membership that put them in office eventually had enough and issued a vote of no confidence in the entire executive board.

Had it not been for an intervention by the Minister of Youth, Sports and Culture Dr Daniel Johnson, the insistence that they come back together by the International Amateur Athletic Federation and the warning by newly appointed athletes’ representative veteran ‘Golden Girl’ Debbie Ferguson-McKenzie, the BAAA may have still been split down the middle.

However, just in the nick of time, the executives decided to bury the hatchet and resolved their dispute. But the problem had such an impact that the annual Year-End Awards Banquet had to be postponed. Still intact is the season opening Odd Distance Track Meet on Saturday to kick off 2014, which is expected to be highlighted by the hosting of the inaugural IAAF World Relays in May.

Performances on the

honours list

The medal-winning streak came to an end for the Bahamas at the World Championships in Moscow, Russia in August where the best performance was turned in by Donald Thomas in the men’s high jump with his sixth place finish in the final.

Ryan Ingraham had the breakout performance for the Bahamas when he soared to a tied 10th place in the final with two other competitors.

One year after stunning the world by snatching the gold from the United States in the men’s 4 x 400 metre relay at the Olympic Games in London, England in 2012, a revamped team with only Chris ‘Fireman’ Brown in the line-up, bowed out in the semifinal, just as the veteran quartermiler did in the 400m.

‘Golden Girl’ Debbie Ferguson-McKenzie posted the comeback performance of the meet on anchor of a younger team in the women’s 4 x 100m, but it was all in vain after the Bahamas got disqualified and missed out on a trip to the final.

The Bahamas Bodybuilding and Fitness Federation also had a good showing at the Central American and Caribbean Bodybuilding & Fitness Championships in Santo Domingo, Dominican Republic.

Despite dropping to fourth overall, the Bahamas watched as Dominique Wilkinson strutted her physique to win the body fitness short class and the overall title to earn her International Federation Bodybuilding pro card.

She became the sixth Bahamian to accomplish that goal, joining Charles Kemp, Joel Stubbs, Natasha Brown, James Darling and Gena Mackey, who all secured their pro cards in the past as overall champions.

The Bahamas women’s team of Simone Pratt, Kerrie Cartwright, Danielle Thompson and player/captain Larikah Russell elevated the Bahamas from the women’s Fed Cup Americans Zone II play in Santa Tecla, El Salvador to promotion to Zone One this year in Lambare, Paraguay, February 5-8.

What’s so ironic is the fact that the women are now taking their game to another level, but the men continue to struggle in Davis Cup, trying to find that winning combo since the departure of Roger Smith and Mark Knowles.

Led by heir replacement Devin Mullings, along with Marvin Rolle, Kevin Major, Jamal Adderley and captained by John Farrington, the team remained in Zone III after failing to advance to Zone II during their tie in La Paz, Bolivia where they finished even at third with Costa Rica.

Here at home, the Bahamas Football Association made another gigantic step when they hosted the CONCACAF (Confederation of North, Central American and Caribbean Association Football) FIFA Beach Soccer World Cup Qualifier. While the team didn’t qualify, the region was entertained in the first of its kind facility that got high marks from all on hand.

Coached by Roberto Ceciliano, the Bahamas’ team, led by Nesly Jean, Leslewy St Fleur, Ehren Hanna and captain Garvin Christie, got nipped by one goal in the shootout penalty by Guatemala that denied a shot at making the semifinal. The United States won the title over Mexico but Costa Rica and El Salvador all know the Bahamas could be a force to reckon with in the future.

Juniors highlighted

In christening the new TAR Stadium, the BAAA hosted the Carifta Games with Shaunae Miller completing her junior career by winning the under-20 200/400 double and anchoring the 4 x 100 relay team to gold to secure the prestigious Austin Sealy Award for the most outstanding athlete.

Some of the other notable performances were turned in by LaQuan Nairn in the under-20 boys long and high jumps, Devinn Charlton and Carmeisha Cox in the 100 and Stephen ‘Dirty’ Newbold, who was granted permission to run in the men’s 400 and 4 x 400 relay after a firearm charge at college in the US.

Fresh off his silver medal performance at the Carifta Games in the 800m, new junior national record holder (1:50.81) Andre Colebrooke returned from the 17th Pan American Junior Athletics Championships in Medellin, Colombia with the only medal as he added the bronze to his international collection.

The Bahamas Swimming Federation was not to be left out, thanks to the efforts of Joanna Evans and Dustin Tynes as the 30-medal total finished fifth place at the 28th Carifta Swimming Championships in Kingston, Jamaica.

Those who left their mark

Although our society has reflected another record year of more than 100 persons who were murdered in 2013, the sporting community was not immune to its share as young basketball player Shaquelle ‘Kellie’ Demeritte was a victim in the shooting massacre that took place in Fox Hill a week ago.

The sporting community also bid farewell to some outstanding men from golf, sailing, basketball, softball, volleyball and track and field.

Among those we bid farewell to were ‘King’ Eric Gibson, Cecil Rose, Leon ‘Lee’ Rahming, Anthony ‘Tony’ Roach, Kent Francis and Grand Bahamians Basil Neymour and Errol Bodie. There were others and those who were not mentioned, we apologise.

Condolences are extended to all families affected as we give God thanks for the memories that they all left with us as they either participated or officiated as an athlete or administrator in their respective discipline. Sports will certainly not be the same without their physical presence. May their souls rest in peace.

Welcome to 2014

The curtain has already been raised and the expectations are looming for the new year.

This Saturday, the BAAA is hoping to assure their athletes that they are prepared for the challenge that lays ahead by bringing them all together to participate in the annual Odd Distance Track Classic at the original Thomas A Robinson Track and Field Stadium.

It would be good to see all of the executives in their places, ensuring the public and its corporate partners that the issues that rocked the association during 2013 is over and done with. The BAAA’s start is going to be critical with the hosting of the IAAF World Championships right in sight.

Will the new TAR

Stadium be ready?

That is the million dollar question that has to be answered with the surface on the track having to be lifted and replaced to meet the proper requirements to host such a major international event, in addition to the infrastructures that have to be put in place for the athletes, media and the officials, as more than a quarter of the world-governing body membership will be here to soak up the sun, sand and sea.

Dispute to be resolved

The Government Secondary Schools Sports Association (GSSSA) closed out the old year with a split in its membership as one half backed the Bahamas Union of Teachers not to continue with their after-school activities during a work-to-rule and the other half adhering to the directive from the Minister of Education, Science and Technology and the Principals Association to resume play because they are being paid to do so.

When schools reopen next week, it’s going to be interesting to see how this issue will be played out as one can understand why the Bahamas Association of Independent Secondary Schools (BAISS) is not budging on any reconciliation of the two sporting bodies. Having written all of that, let’s look forward to another banner year.

To all our readers, happy new year and God’s blessings in 2014.