The Tribune

By INIGO 'NAUGHTY' ZENICAZELAYA

COLLEGE Football Bowl Month is underway. And once again our very own - the fifth annual Makers Wanted Bahamas Bowl - is part of an outstanding lineup on ESPN.

Boasting some of the network’s best and brightest stars calling the game, SportsCenter anchor and college football commentator Steve Levy, 1991 Heisman Trophy winner and Super Bowl XXXI MVP Desmond Howard along with sideline reporter Laura Rutledge are expected to call the 2018 Makers Wanted Bahamas Bowl.

To make this year’s event even better, on Wednesday December 19, the Youth Football Clinic sponsored by KFC Nassau, will take place from 3:30 to 5pm at the rugby fields next to the old Thomas A Robinson Stadium.

The clinic is free and open to boys and girls ages 7-13, and it is held in cooperation between the Makers Wanted Bahamas Bowl and USA Football.

Registration will take place from 2:30-3:30 p.m., and the clinic will follow from 3:30 to 5pm.

Each registered participant will receive a 2018 Makers Wanted Bahamas Bowl t-shirt and tickets to the 2018 game on Friday, December 21.

Each participant must also submit a completed event waiver prior to participation.

Conference USA Football coaches, along with student-athletes and staff from the FIU and Toledo football teams, in addition to representatives of the Commonwealth American Football League (CAFL), will run the clinic, teaching football fundamentals and safety techniques.

Again I applaud KFC Nassau, Makers Wanted and the Ministry of Education for putting this event on. As well as the coaches and student athletes from both programmes, Toledo and FIU.

It’s a great introduction for our youth to youth football.

As well as giving the Ministry of Education an up close look at the popularity and the potential of the sport in the Bahamas, with a possible view of making it a part of the curriculum in government schools.

The Bahamas Ministry of Education will provide bus transportation for the Youth Football Clinic at 2pm to the National Stadium and return after the event from the following locations.

From Prince Charles Shopping Center in the east, and the South Beach Shopping Center, in the west.

Another reason to attend the free clinic is to get a glimpse up close and personal with two potential future NFL players.

According to Chris Trapasso, of CBS Sports, two potential 2019 NFL Draft selections at WR will be on display in this year’s Makers Wanted Bahamas Bowl, and working the free clinic.

From TOLEDO -

Cody Thompson, WR

After receiving a medical redshirt last season, Thompson returned to Toledo and displayed his ability as a chain-mover while scoring 10 touchdowns after proving to be a deep threat early in his career at Toledo.

At 6-2 and 205 pounds, Thompson has good size for a boundary downfield option. Teams will be intrigued by his 64-grab, 1,269-yard season in 2016 before his knee injury.

From FIU -

C.J. Worton, WR

After three years in Gainesville with minimal playing time, Worton transferred to Florida International and was a demon in the open field for Butch Davis’ Panthers this season.

At 6-0 and around 190 pounds, Worton has impressive open-field wiggle and can beat press coverage at the line. He averaged 17.2 yards per grab on 36 receptions in 2018 with six touchdowns. While Worton will likely stay for another season, he is draft-eligible now. Until next week, I’m off to retrieve my Dallas Cowboys and University of Miami Hurricane memorabilia, FIU head coach Butch Davis is gonna have to give me several autographs.

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