The Tribune

By RENALDO DORSETT

Sports Reporter

rdorsett@tribunemedia.net

WHEN Steven Gardiner stepped onto the track to join the ‘Golden Knights’ in the 4 x 400 metres at the IAAF/BTC World Relays, the casual viewer questioned his credentials to join the elite lineup, but his success is indicative of the growth of the most successful and remote track and field programmes in the Bahamas.

Gardiner, the junior national record holder in the 200m, was a member of the Moore’s Island, Abaco Track and Field Club led by head coach, Pastor Anthony Williams.

Civil Engineer and track and field coach, Nick Dean, heads a group that has established the Moore’s Island Student Athlete Programme (MISAP) to assist the growth and development of the club and it seeks to reach even more underserved youth.

Dean, who serves as chairman of MISAP, said the group looks to accomplish three main goals - athletic development, academic opportunity and community building - under the theme “building a better Bahamas through Athletics and Academics.”

Appearing on Island 102.9’s “The Morning Boil,” Dean detailed the origin of the relationship between his Integrated Building Services and Williams’ Moore’s Island Club.

“In about 2000, Pastor Williams moved back home to Moore’s Island and saw a need, with juvenile delinquency and teenage pregnancy on the rise, to figure out a way to get the kids into doing something positive. He used sports to get them used to structure and discipline. he and his wife built three additional rooms onto their home and welcomed 15 of the boys to live with him. He trains them in track, they go to the Moore’s Island All-Age school and they pass out of the programme,” he said. “My company was commissioned to design several sports complexes on the family islands, Moore’s Island was one of the ones we did a complex design for. So I went down there, Pastor Williams took us to the site, then he took us to his home and that’s when I actually realised that he had the programme as a part of his home and the extent he was running the programme self sufficiently in a limited space. I was shocked at the condition of the field. They have a tremendous track record and its actually not even a track they practice on. What it is is a softball field that was overgrown he trimmed the bush down and they run around that. It’s not an even surface. They have been successful in spite of where they train.”

Gardiner, the junior national record holder, at just 19-years-old has signed a professional sponsorship contract with Adidas and is one of three Bahamians represented by On Track Management, along with Shaunae Miller and Raymond Higgs.

His success is just another in the long line of triumphs for the club which include: 7th place of 800 teams at the 2013 Penn Relays, Sprint Medley Champions at the 2014 “One Lane, One School” event at the World Relays, two time national champions in the 4x100m, five of the past six 4x400m national championships, current record holders in both the 4x100m and 4x400m and current national high school 200m champion, Stephon Green.

Member of the club have represented the Bahamas at numerous CARIFTA Games, Jr CAC Games and Junior World Games.

Eight former athletes are now college graduates or currently on athletic scholarships through the programme.

“It is an economically depressed community. Not a lot of opportunities for growth, not many jobs so its a really difficult circumstance. A lot of the kids that were afforded scholarships for their track and field talent probably would not have gone on to school. Primarily the kids come from Moore’s Island and greater Abaco. He trains them in track and field and basically how to be men. It’s a holistic approach,” Dean said.

“After we saw the conditions I went back to my staff and said we cant sit back and allow this to continue. There’s no way we could allow something this magical to continue to happen without us contributing. A few business associates and myself, we formed a board and formed MISAP, which a structured and formalised and registered non-profit organisation to bring some form and provide a fundraising platform. We have two goals in mind - one is to build a proper dormitory so the boys will have the space and change the physical environment. The other thing is to setup and annual fund to allow the operation to carry on year after year. Right now Pastor Williams does the best that he can but is limited.”

MISAP has received endorsements from both the Ministries of Education and Youth, Sports and Culture.

“Thus far, we have donated a quarter of profits and some equipment to the programme. We built them a concrete platform to train on so instead of the makeshift gym. We also donated brand new strength and conditioning equipment. We have opened a bank account, we have put in our own money as board members, about $20,000, we have gotten the permeant and approved design for the dorms and have but a deposit down for a pre fabricated steel structurer to come in and erect the building so right now we are in the process of fundraising,” Dean said.

“We have also partnered with the MOE and MOYSC, we have written endorsements from both to contribute human and financial resources to the programme. We are also soliciting resources from private companies and individuals.”

The next step for the group is to construct a state of the art dormitory and establish  to remove the housing of the programme from the Williams’ home to a site that can accomodate more students.

They also seek to establish an annual fund used to handle the operational costs of the programme. The fund will cover essentials such as accommodations and food for the student athletes.

Keeping in line with the approach of developing student athletes, the educational aspect of MISAP is also placed at a premium.

“We are ensuring that the things that we do on the track are reenforced in the classroom. We have partnered with the MOE scholarship department and the Moore’s Island All Age School to make sure everyone takes the prerequisite exams to make sure that they remains good candidates for scholarships through tutoring and allowing them to meet the necessary academic standards,” Dean said.

“This is a Bahamian community building effort, it’s not just Moore’s Islanders. When those athletes go off and represent the country they represent all of us. When they go off to college, come back and get jobs, it benefits the nation.”

Interested persons wishing to contact MISAP for more information can visit their website at www.misapbahamas.com or Email info@mishapbahamas.com