The Tribune

By RENALDO DORSETT

Sports Reporter

rdorsett@tribunemedia.net

THE much delayed launch of the National Sports Academy has a new target date.

Minister of Youth, Sports and Culture Dr Daniel Johnson said the new venture is now all set for The College of the Bahamas this September.

Speaking at a press conference to announce the upcoming National High School Track and Field Championships and again in the House of Assembly as members of parliament participated in the mid-year budget debate, Dr Johnson outlined his ministry’s preparation over the course of the last few months.

“We have several people who have been working on our National Sports Academy. They have just come back from the Usain Bolt camp in Jamaica and have been looking at several best practices in the Caribbean and around the world.

“This group includes Director of Sports Tim Munnings, Rupert Gardiner, Kim Rolle from the University/College of the Bahamas team and they will be ready for the first installation of the NSA this September Fall 2016. COB will have the first edition of the NSA and it will blow you away,” he said.

“This will be a way to get our athletes to stay home and train. We push out about $1 million for our athletes abroad and we can put that into our athletes training here at home.”

He added in the House of Assembly: “The gap we have after high school is also an academic issue. The first NSA location will be at COB because many students will be taking college prep courses and other things to further their education as they train.”

Dr Johnson said the “master plan” of the ministry will see the expansion shift from COB to the Family Islands.

The country has been awarded the honour as hosts of the 2017 Commonwealth Youth Games and Dr Johnson said it is an opportunity to force the improvement of infrastructure in the family islands to coincide with the NSA programme.

“We have identified the spaces on five islands that we will develop - Grand Bahama, Eleuthera, Abaco, and Exuma. The master plan is in place, the land has been secured,” he said.

“The Bahamas Youth Games is coming next summer.  These islands will have similar facilities, equipment coaching and finally management.

“The Bahamas Youth Games will be an opportunity for us to test our abilities as hosts and give our athletes an opportunity to compete at a high level and qualify for those teams. We know that even with this present economy this ministry is moving along making things happen.”

Since he has come into office as minister in May 2012, the National Sports Academy has often been a talking point for Dr Johnson and an integral part of his platform.

In May 2013, Prime Minister Perry Christie announced that his administration “will begin the process to invest some $10 million in the construction” of multi-purpose sporting facilities in the family islands similar to those in New Providence and Grand Bahama, giving young athletes in those islands more opportunities to develop in competitive sports.

The formation of the National Sports Academies have also been at the focal point of each budget debate following the success of the “Golden Knights” at the London 2012 Olympic Games.