The Tribune

By BRENT STUBBS

Senior Sports Reporter

bstubbs@tribunemedia.net

NOT many Bahamian athletes get to enjoy being champions from the other side of the field of play when they make the transition to coaching. But national triple jump record holder Leevan ‘Superman’ Sands is one of those rare individuals.

In just his first year as an assistant coach, Sands got a chance to celebrate with the Florida Seminoles as they won the Atlantic Coast Conference ACC Outdoor Track and Field Conference championship title over the weekend in Durham, North Carolina.

“It’s been a great eight months so far here. My athletes are doing great. I am proud of them, The team is doing very well,” said Sands after he joined in the celebrations over the weekend by hoisting their trophy.

“I am grateful for the opportunity from the head coach Bob Braman, who is an amazing head coach. I am learning a lot. It’s just an amazing feeling to come out on top and be the best in the conference. I feel good. I feel great.”

Although he starred for Auburn University Tigers during his collegiate tenure, Sands said he always admired the legacy that the Seminoles achieved with the many Olympians who passed through the programme. He hopes that he can contribute to the continuation of their success.

“I’m just hoping my jumpers, who work hard, will continue to do well,” he said. “The hard work is definitely showing off right now. I think right now, we should be the number one or two jump squad in the country. So I’m excited about that.”

Before being an assistant at Florida, he served as an assistant track and field coach st the University of Northern Colorado for the past two years as he transitioned from a long and illustrious 13-year career as a professional athlete, highlighted by his bronze medal in the triple jump at the 2008 Olympic Games.

Sands, who has also been the CEO of Sands Pro Apparel for four years and co-owner of Sno Bix and Sand Pit Snacks, is a four-time Olympian and 12-time Bahamas national champion and holder of the Bahamian national outdoor triple jump record of 17.59m and indoor long jump of 8.10m.

The former outstanding basketball player with the Temple Christian Suns also won a silver medal at the 2015 Pan American Games and bronze medals from the 2002 Commonwealth Games, the 2003 World Championships, and the 2015 North American, Central, American and Caribbean Championships.

Sands, who graduated from Auburn University in 2005 with a degree in adult education, was the 2003 NCAA long jump champion and the NCAA triple jump champion in 2004. In 2004, Sands was named the SEC Scholar Athlete of the Year.

As a 40-year-old husband (wife Danielle) and father (children Leevan III, Lion and Legend), Sands is preparing for his official retirement from the sport so that he can concentrate fully on his new role as a coach.

He has certainly gotten off to a great start at the division one collegiate track and field level. Hopefully the success will continue as they head into Bloomington, Indiana for the NCAA East Preliminaries, scheduled for May 25-28 and in Eugene, Oregon for the NCAA Outdoor Championships, June 8-11th.

“I’m excited about being a part of such a great team of athletes and coaches,” Sands quipped. “It’s great to be a Seminole. So go Noles.”