The Tribune

By BRENT STUBBS

Senior Sports Reporter

bstubbs@tribunemedia.net

WHAT was supposed to be a visit to the island to help in their celebrations turned out to be a rewarding experience for both sprint coach Andrew Tynes and jumps coach James Rolle as they imparted their knowledge to a number of student-athletes from Andros over the weekend.

Tynes, a former Olympic sprinter turned coach of the Swift Athletics Track Club and Rolle, the coach of Leap of Faith, went to Central Andros to celebrate with the Furious Athletics Track Club for their performances in the meet the week before in Miramar, Florida.

Patricia Rolle, the head coach for the club, said the two different segments conducted by Tynes and Rolle were very informative.

“I know they caught on very quickly with the different strategies that they didn’t know,” Rolle said.

“I thought it would have been difficult for them, but to my surprise, they were doing it. We had some problems with the jumping pit, but we got to clean it up and got it ready for coach Rolle to use. It went very well.”

Tynes said he noticed during the meet that some of the athletes were unaware of how to set up their starting blocks and utilise them during the start of their races. So once he got on the island, the opportunity presented itself and he took advantage of it.

“When we got started, it just caught a fire. I was surprised to see all of the kids who came out to participate,” Tynes said. “Then I heard that James Rolle was coming over to do something in the north, so I decided to do the blocks in Central Andros and go over to North Andros and do the same thing.”

What impressed Tynes the most was how eager the athletes were to learning more about track and field, or just sports in general.

So he was happy to step in and to help them out.

“There are a lot of raw talent on the islands,” Tynes said.

“In just one session, these kids learned how to use the blocks. It was just so amazing.”

Rolle said he went over there to give his best because he knows there is a lot of talent there as evident by what he saw.

“The Family Islands are very talented, they work hard and they are very focused on what they have to do,” Rolle said.

“I think they should have events set up like this where the coaches can go to the Family Islands and assist in the programmes there. “I got to work with the kids from early in the morning until after 3pm. There wasn’t that much talking. They meant business. They came out to learn what was being taught.”

Felicia Cartwright said the clinic highlighted a lot of the technical things that they take for granted when they teach their students.

“They really brought into light the basic fundamental skills to enhance the overall performances of the athletes,” said Cartwright, who has been a physical education teacher in Central Andros for the past five years, working between Fresh Creek Primary, Bowen Sound Primary and Behring Point Primary.

During the clinic, Cartwright said Tynes went through a full warm up with the basic exercises and stretches before he introduced them to the starting blocks and learning how to sprint on the first day on Friday. On Saturday, they got in a session from jumping coach James Rolle.

“There’s a lot of pure talent here and the kids are willing to put in the work,” said Cartwright, one of the top former women’s national team basketball players.

“Coach James didn’t get to do anything with the high jump because we didn’t have any bed. “But he really broke down the long jump. He broke down the full nine years. The kids thoroughly enjoyed it.”

A number of athletes expressed their delight in being a part of the sessions.

“It was very interesting,” said Renard McPhee, a 17-year-old 11th grader. “I learned a lot.”

The sprinter said he hopes to put into practice some of the things he was taught when he comes to Nassau for the final CARIFTA trials April 1-2 for the exposure. But he hopes to make the team going to Jamaica over the Easter holiday weekend. “I just want to be able to improve my times,” he said.

Rayanna Bain, a 16-year-old sprinter as well, was just as thrilled about the experience. “The clinic was good. I learned how to use the starting blocks,” she said. “So it was good for me to get the experience with the blocks here before I come to the CARIFTA trials.”

Bain said her goal is to qualify for the team and make her parents, her coach Felicia Cartwright and the island proud of her achievement.

“I just want to go and do my best,” she stated.

And Angell Darville, a 15-year-old 11th grader, said the clinic was good.

“It was exciting. I learned about using the starting block.

“I was really happy to do that because in track and field, you have to learn certain stuff to be better,” she said.

Also expected to be here for the CARIFTA trials, Darville said her goal is to make everyone who has faith in her very proud of her accomplishment.

Next weekend, Tynes said he is working on taking a larger delegation to Inagua.

They intend to put on a series of clinics for the student-athletes over there in an effort to help rejuvenate their interest in the sport.

Rolle said he’s eager to pack his bag and head off again to lend his support.