The Tribune

By BRENT STUBBS

Senior Sports Reporter

bstubbs@tribunemedia.net

FOR the next two years, Tyrone Knowles will occupy the chair as the new president of the Bahamas Bowling Federation.

During the annual general meeting and election of officers Sunday night at Mario’s Bowling and Family Entertainment Center, Knowles won the post over incumbent Sonith Lockhart.

A banker by profession, Knowles won the top post 68-46 over Lockhart. Knowles’ entire slate went in with him as well. They include the following:

Yule Hoyte, first vice president, 68-48 over Leonardo ‘Lee’ Davis; second vice president, Rashad McCardy, 75-39 over Byron McClain; treasurer, Dereck Burrows, 69-45 over Gregory Taylor; assistant treasurer, Cynthia Edgecombe, 68-46 over Ricardo Rolle; secretary, Paula Harts, 68-46 over Joanne Powell and assistant secretary, Edmund Deal, 64-50 over Fred Davis. Alfredo Burrows went in unopposed as the chaplain and Leon Graham got the assistant chaplain spot with a 66-47 decision over Xynea Johnson.

In his acceptance speech, Knowles said he was humbled to be elected to serve in this capacity.

“The feeling is not so much excited, but glad for the opportunity to serve in the leadership level and to help shape the future of bowling in the country and to take advantage of all of the opportunities out there as it relates to bowling and going through the whole process of developing the sport,” Knowles said.

With the mandate that the federation has to foster the growth and the development of the sport, Knowles said he and his executive team intend to make this a productive term in office.

“I think I have a strong team. This is a team that I have confidence in,” Knowles stated.

“It’s made up of individuals who are committed to working, individuals who are committed to forward thinking for the most part and individuals who have a mind to see bowling continue to grow.”

Knowles commended the outgoing team that was led by Lockhart and indicated that they have every intention to building on what has been left in place to take the sport even higher. Among the immediate goals and aspirations for his executives are to produce an analysis of the federation and to determine the strengths and weaknesses and to improve upon them.

“We also want to look at what are some of the threats against the sport of bowling and try to find a way to mitigate against those threats,” he said. “So that will take place within the first 30 days.

“We are also planning a one day strategic planning session with the new executive team, along with some other persons whom we will invite to join us to participate in that session to put more meat into the strategic plan.”

Within the next 60 days, Knowles said they will look at holding an emergency AGM where they will review the constitution to map the way forward from a policy standpoint.

And there are some long term plans that he hopes will be implemented before they head into the next election of officers. “We want to be able to find a way to forge a better partnership with the operators of the bowling alley and to look at ways that we can synergise our efforts and to continue to promote the sport,” he said.

“The website, forecasting, the planning, putting all of the events under the calendar is something that we want to work on as well. We want to coordinate better the federation and all of the bowling associations, including the City, Financial and Banker’s Leagues.

With a national youth programme already in place, Knowles said they want to look at how best they can further develop that, along with the Special Olympics and the Atlantis League.

“We want to look at how we can incorporate all of the leagues under one umbrella so that we can further increase the fan base for the sport and work with our regional and international bowling partners to increase the sport,” he added.