The Tribune

By BRENT STUBBS

Senior Sports Reporter

bstubbs@tribunemedia.net

TED Miller, receiving the overwhelming support from the delegates, was returned to the helm as president of the Bahamas Softball Federation for another three years.

During the federation’s annual general meeting and election of officers on Saturday at the Ministry of Youth, Sports and Culture, Miller went in unopposed and will be joined by returning first vice president Senator Jennifer Isaacs-Dotson.

Henry Dean, who will take the New Providence Softball Association through their election process this weekend as the outgoing president, was elected as the second vice president. Grand Bahama Softball Association president Helena Curry is now the third vice president, Eleuthera Softball Association’s executive Paula Johnson is fourth vice president and Thora Sweeting, one of the immediate past directors, is now the fifth vice president.

Jeffrey ‘Beef’ Hendfield is back as the treasurer and will be assisted by Johnny Butler, also from the Eleuthera Softball Association. Arthur Johnson is the secretary general and he will be assisted by Eriker Albury of the Abaco Softball Association.

Very shortly, Miller said they will announce the names of the directors who will be appointed.

“I’m very happy that they have given me another chance to do some things to move softball along in the country,” Miller said. “I guess they saw something or heard some things that gave them the confidence for us to move softball further. So I feel it’s another opportunity and chance for me to take advantage of.”

While there are a few changes on the board, Miller said the officers have an idea of what needs to be done, so they should be reinventing the wheels.

“I expect that we double down on our work and our efforts to bring softball out of the doldrums,” Miller stated. “Everybody who was there in the last term and are back that we have another chance to make a difference in softball and I need them to put in the hard work and dedication. That is going to be the order of the day.

“Anybody who falls off from their responsibilities, they could look to get left by the wayside and be replaced by somebody who is willing to help to grow softball in the country. That was my announcement after accepting the win.

“I wasn’t opposed, so I think I have the mandate from the delegates to ensure that everybody puts their feet to the wheel and let’s drive this federation forward.”

As they now venture forward, Miller said there are some events on their agenda, but their immediate goal is to get the 3-4 Family Island associations that are not plying softball right back to get their programme back up and functioning, while they also concentrate on their junior development programme so that the sport continues to grow bigger and better in the country.

Issacs-Dotson said she expects this year for their executive team to advance the sport of softball nationally.

“We must get a youth softball programme started as we have to build our federation,” she said. “We would like to communicate more with the associations and provide them with coaching and skills development clinics and workshops.

“We will be holding the BSF High School Softball Championships and other local tournaments and Chief Umpire Thomas Sears will ensure that we get more International Softball Federation certified umpires by putting on clinics for the local umpires.”

So far this year, the men’s national softball team, managed by Perry Seymour and coached by Richard ‘the Lion-Heart’ Johnson and from Abaco, have already qualified for the Central American and Caribbean Games and will be heading to Colombia in July.

There is a nucleus of a team that is in place, but Miller said the coaching staff may make one or two adjustments by the time they are ready to travel.

Miller said he’s also looking at the possibility of getting their senior ladies national team to be able to make a trip overseas to compete as well. And with the ECAST organisation, headed by Burkett Dorsett, planning to host a junior tournament, Miller said they will be working on getting Team Bahamas ready for that.