The Tribune

By BRENT STUBBS

Senior Sports Reporter

bstubbs@tribunemedia.net

ALTHOUGH he’s now a newly elected executive of the Bahamas Softball Federation, Henry Dean said he won’t be seeking another term in office as president of the New Providence Softball Association.

After sitting in the chair for the past two years, Dean said he won’t be seeking another term when the NPSA goes to the polls to select its new executive team 7pm Thursday in the office at the Banker’s Field in the Baillou Hills Sporting Complex.

As they prepare for the elections, Dean advised that only teams that played in the past season will be allowed to vote for the candidates of their choice, who must be present. For those persons who will not be able to attend, Dean said their proxies must be made in writing to the NPSA before the start of the meeting.

When asked why he opted not to return, the new second vice president of the BSF at the elections held on Saturday past said he’s done after putting in some measures to help govern the sport in New Providence.

“I think we did a wonderful job,” he stated. “We started to put some procedures and practices in order and we certainly gave an account of our finances and we left the association in a much better position financially than we met it. It does give the next administration some latitude, but they still have a far way to go.

“Managers, more so than the players, must decide on the future of softball. They have to come together for the common good.

“The sport is much bigger than one team or any individual and develop some level of wholesomeness and better understanding of rules and regulations as to where they want to go.”

It’s not certain who will be vying to take over from Dean, but he said he will be willing to lend any support that he can because he wants to see the sport continue to grow from where he left it as he moves on to the BSF.

“My expectations is that the federation will jump start a programme that will revitalise softball in the Family Islands and then create the competition between the islands as we did in the past with the nationals,” Dean said.

“And we hope to expose the national teams to more international competition and develop programmes that will help to enhance the abilities of our local players. If we can do that, we will be well on our way to pushing the sport further.”

Dean, a local businessman and former president of the Masters Softball League, took over from Godfrey ‘Gully’ Burnside, who had also stepped down and didn’t seek another term in office after serving for two consecutive terms.

Dean is now in his first sting as a BSF executive.