The Tribune

MAY the best team win. With the Youth National Baseball Championships rapidly approaching the competition is anticipated to be very stiff.

Junior Baseball League of Nassau (JBLN), the Grand Bahama Little League and Freedom Farm teams will square off against one another later this month for trophies and bragging rights.

Sunshine Holdings Limited (SHL) is a proud sponsor of all three leagues that make up the Nationals.

Dwayne Swaby, vice president of development at Sunshine Insurance, stressed that his company has a solid track record of helping the nation’s youth whether through Marathon Bahamas, its Elmira College scholarship competition, Junkanoo or baseball.

“To be able to be a part of such a positive initiative means so much to Sunshine Insurance. We believe that through the sport of baseball, Sunshine Insurance’s sponsorship is directly helping with the development of our young men. The game teaches them life lessons and helps to build character, integrity, commitment and discipline,” said Mr Swaby. “We are proud to be able to give back in this way.”

Steven Adderley, general manager of FOCOL, says his championship-winning teams are also getting ready for this month’s competition.

FOCOL has sponsored the Grand Bahama Little League for 20 years. “We will be entering All-Star teams in five age divisions during the National Baseball Championships here in Freeport.

“We are the defending champions in Coach Pitch (age 7 – 8), Minor League (age 9 – 10) and Junior League (age 13 – 15) and have won several championships since the tournament began in 2003,” said Mr Adderley, who also serves as president of the Grand Bahama Little League and treasurer of the Bahamas Baseball Federation.

In addition to the sponsorship of the local league in Grand Bahama, FOCOL supports the Bahamas Baseball Federation, which organises the event by sponsoring the High School division (age 16 – 18) of the tournament. “I know first-hand the important role the sport plays in our community. Over the years we have seen thousands of young people participate and move on to great success in the sport and as productive members of the community,” he said.

And President of Arawak Homes Limited, Franon Wilsonm said his company chose to sponsor Freedom Farm this year for a number of reasons – none of which had to do with baseball.

“Arawak was made aware of the fact that over 700 children participate in Freedom Farm starting from age four, playing baseball and girls’ softball. Notwithstanding the fact that many young men continue to be drafted into the Major League directly from Freedom Farm and both young men and women get scholarships to college directly from Freedom Farm, the goal is to help teach life lessons,” he said.

The National Baseball Championships are scheduled for June 23-26 in Freeport, Grand Bahama.