The Tribune

By BRENT STUBBS

Senior Sports Reporter

bstubbs@tribunemedia.net

FOLLOWING the final trials held over the weekend at the Thomas A. Robinson National Stadium, the Bahamas Associations of Athletic Association named a 54-member team  to represent the Bahamas at the 2022 Carifta Games.

With the games returning after a two-year hiatus, BAAA's president Drumeco Archer said they have selected a team on Sunday that will be very competitive in Kingston, Jamaica over the Easter holiday weekend, April 15-18.

The team will comprise of 14 under-17 girls and boys, seven under-20 girls and 19 under-20 boys, but Archer said there have been some more talented athletes that they had to leave behind because of the rules they set in only carrying those athletes who have qualified.

"We are very optimistic about the team," said Archer after spending the past 24 hours selecting and ratifying the team with the BAAA's executives and coaches. "There are some people we are leaving behind who have a lot of opportunities to do well.

"But of course, we stuck to a standard, even after reducing the standards. What we have done is we wanted to ensure that we will have a team that can compete with the rest of the region and be able to bring back some medals."

Named to the team are the following:

Under-17 girls - Shatayla Dorsett, Kianna Henchell, Nya Wright, Erin Barr, Koi Adderley, Jamiah Nabbie, Zoe Adderley, Terell McCoy, Annae Mackey, Cailyn Johnson, Daniel Nixon, Kamera Strachan, Dior-Rae Scott and Lanashia Lubin.

Under-17 boys - Andrew Brown, Turmani Skinner, Ishmael Rolle, Philip Gray, Zion Miller, Berkley Munnings, Raywind Winder, Quinton Rolle, Jalani Morrison, Jonathon Rodgers, Jason Woodside, D'Angelo Collie, Robert Stuart and Nathaniel McHardy.

Under-20 girls - Paige Archer, Javonya Valcourt, Shaunece Miller, Sabriya Farquharson, Calea Jackson, Bernisha Knowles and Vanessa Sawyer.

Under-20 boys - Antoine Andrews, Zachary Evans, Carlos Brown, Zion Campbell, Shamar Smith, Lynden Johnson, Keano Ferguson, Curtis Mitchell, Stephen Farquharson, Jethro Baptiste, Mateo Smith, Brandon Hutchinson, Keyshawn Strachan, Nathaniel Zervos, Kenny Moxey Jr, Taejun Spence. Shamir Bain, Michael Styles and Brandon Vanderpool.

"The women in the sport has always been on the decline in that age group and that is the same situation throughout the region," said Archer of the limited number of under-20 girls. 

"I think that a greater emphasis needs to be placed in that category, but we have a new class of under-20 emerging next year and I believe they will be able to produce good numbers, more so than we have this year."

While they wait for the plan to unfold next year, Archer said they will be relying on the under-20 boys division to be the cream of the crop for the Bahamas.

"The under 20 boys will probably be the flag bearers of the team," Archer projected. "We just want them to stay healthy because there's no reason why we should not be able to show our presence at these upcoming games."

Sophia Higgs will serve as the team manager, assisted by Bahamas Association of Certified Officials president Courtney Wallace. The head coach will be Luther Rolle, assisted by Dereck Wells, Andrew Tynes, Nekeno Demeritte, Patricia Rolle, Jamison Pratt and Laquell Harris.

The chaperones are Dianne Farquharson, Krista Black, Mikhilo Strachan and Garfield Morrison. Dr Kent Bazard will be the team doctor, while Kelly Kramp will be the physio and Jonathan Higgs the massage therapist.

With the team now ratified, Archer said the BAAA will be working closely with the management team to ensure that the athletes are all fit and ready to go to Jamaica and compete.

"We want to make sure that all of our athletes get the best medical care and to ensure that the Family Island athletes are here in time to integrate with the team and have a simulation exercise," he said.

"We have spoken about it, but we believe the greatest order of preparation is going to be the mental aspect. We know that going into the Jamaican stadium could be mentally tough on a novice, so we want to make sure that they are all prepared mentally to compete."

The team, which received some financial assistance from FTX Digital Markets, will be leaving on Thursday, April 14 and will return home on April 19 with government and BAAA officials on their chartered flight.

Another charter flight carrying parents and spectators is expected to leave on Friday and return on Tuesday.