The Tribune

By BRENT STUBBS

Senior Sports Reporter

bstubbs@tribunemedia.net

WHILE the spotlight was on the athletes for their achievement over the year, the Roadrunners Track Club shared the show with their assistant coach Mildred Adderley.

Adderley, who also serves as the secretary of the club, was honoured on Saturday night for her service and dedication over the years. The awards banquet in the Crown Ballroom of the Atlantis resort was held in honour of herself and her husband, Perry.

It was the 16th annual Awards and Presentation Banquet of the Roadrunners Track Club. It was held under the theme: ‘Humility Releases Our Full Potential.”

“It’s very humbling. I wasn’t expecting it. So when I was told about it, I was surprised,” said Adderley after she was showered with gifts from the executives, parents and athletes of the club.

“Everything I do was just out of love for the kids and the passion for the sport. So I appreciated it very well.”

On hand to help her celebrate were her parents, Sidney and Fernita Deveaux, her sister Sharon, her mother-in-law and two of her three sons. Her oldest son, Perry Adderley Jr, was not in attendance. He’s currently in Kansas where he is studying at Coffeyville Community College.

Adderley said she will continue to make a contribution to the club because she enjoys what she’s doing. And even though a lot of the spotlight was placed on her during the night, she reiterated that it was all about the athletes and their achievements during the course of the year.

The highlight for the awards presentation was the Dominique Higgins Award, presented to the most outstanding student-athlete based on their grade point average. Higgins was one of the top athletes out of the Roadrunners, who has gone on to excel at college.

This year, there were six recipients, five of whom earned a 4.0 GPA. Thy were Trent Ford, Esther Cartwright, twin brothers James and Jaimee Knowles and Jude Ramsey. The other was Leonardo Taylor, who got a 3.94.

In addition to awards presented to the athletes for their various athletic and academic achievements, athletes were also named the most outstanding athletes and athletes of the year.

The winners were as follows:

Most Outstanding Athletes:

Under 8

Sterniah Pratt (girls) and Malique Kelly (boys)

Under 10

Iesha Hanna (girls) and Edoney Russell (boys)

Under 12

Tonnica Stubbs (girls) and Kyl Bain and Daniel Ermluis (boys)

Under-14

Nicole Smith, Amari Mackey and Vandera Knowles (girls) and Kunal Bain, Cephas Whylly and Samuel Darling (boys).

Under 16

Precious Rolle (girls) and Jahmal Brown and Tamiko Taylor (boys)

Under 18

Abiah Missick and Adolton Leadon (boys)

Athletes of the Year:

Under-8 - Jaimee Knowles (girls) and Evin Ferguson (boys)

Under-10 - Chelsea Chea (girls) and Trent Ford (boys)

Under-12 - Alyssa Ferguson (girls) and Malcolm Williams and Bernard Kemp (boys)

Under-14 - Rowlia Joseph and Shandiria Daxon (girls) and Anton Pratt and Avery Adderley (boys)

Under-16 - Paige Gilbert (girls) and Michael Adderley (boys)

Under-18 - Esther Cartwright (girls) and Perry Adderley and Hartley Sands (boys)

Under-20 - Nathaniel Rolle (boys)

Club president and head coach Dexter Bodie said after 16 years of hosting the awards banquet, he is even more encouraged to recognise the athletes for their accomplishments.

“The club has grown and without the sponsors who have assisted us, it would not be possible. So we give God thanks for what has transpired within the club,” he said. “It’s still a family oriented club that focuses on academics.”

As for the honour for Adderley, Bodie said she has worked extremely hard and has been an inspiration to him, the athletes and the parents, some of whom make up the executive board and share in the coaching chores.

“We love her because she is a hard worker and she is dedicated,” he said. “She loves what she does.”