The Tribune

By BRENT STUBBS

Senior Sports Reporter

bstubbs@tribunemedia.net

With the emphasis on the return of face-to-face instruction in schools, Government Secondary Schools Sports Association president Varel Davis said they will put safety first as they follow all protocols with regards to after-school sporting activities.

Davis confirmed that after a series of meetings, it was confirmed that if there is any sport that the GSSSA would engage in this year, it would be track and field.

Hopefully, she said they can host the meet at the end of February.

“We’re just hoping and praying that things will open up for the kids, especially those kids who are in grade 12 and are looking at obtaining scholarships to go to college,” Davis said.

“We don’t know if the other sports will take place due to COID-19 and the health officials protocols for contact sports so we hope to get them to do something. Not being able to do anything would be a loss for them and in the long run could hurt their chances of getting their scholarships.”

Once the students return to school and they are given the go-ahead from the Ministry of Education and the Ministry of Health, Davis said they will begin their after-school practices for track and field.

“We will have to follow the guidelines from the Ministry of Health on how we can start our after-school practices,” Davis said.

“All of the coaches are eager to get their practices started.

“We have sent in a proposal to see how best we can actually open up with practice with the protocols in place.

“So once we get that, we will get started for our track and field season in February.”

With the majority of schools using their inter-house track and field meet to select their teams, Davis said the physical education teachers and coaches may have to resort to their practice sessions without sufficient time to organise their individual meets.

“If we have to go with this then we will only participate in the GSSSA Track and Field Championships,” Davis said.

“Nothing is normal due to COVID-19, we just have to adjust to what is going on in the country until we get back to normal,” added Davis.

“The idea is we just want our kids to be able to participate in atleast one major sporting activity instead of just not being able to participate at all.”

With the North American, Central American and Caribbean (NACAC) indicating that the CARIFTA Games, which was postponed last year, will more than likely return this year in Bermuda, Davis said they want to ensure that their athletes are also prepared for the Bahamas Association of Athletic Associations’ Nationals and final CARIFTA trials.

Already, the BAAA has hosted their Odd Distance Track and Field Meet on Saturday, December 19 at the Thomas A Robinson National Stadium and the first meet for 2021 is expected to be staged Saturday as the T-Bird Flyers Track Classic is all set to take place.