By Tenajh Sweeting
QUEEN’S College Comets will seek to dethrone their rivals St Augustine’s College Big Red Machine at the 2023 Bahamas Association of Independent Secondary Schools (BAISS) track and field championships.
The two athletic private schools have been long-time competitors with the Comets defeating the Big Red Machine in 2019 which was also their last time competing in the track and field meet due to the COVID-19 pandemic.
Despite the long hiatus, QC Comets head coach Edward Frazier has high expectations for the school’s track team.
“QC expectations always remain the same, we always come out to win championships that has always been our objective and as long as I am here as head coach our goal is always to come out, win and compete,” Frazier said.
Although they have been absent from track and field, the school has been able to repeat as BAISS swim champions and won the junior boys’ softball championship.
The secondary school will look to build on this momentum at this week’s three-day meet.
The Comets were met with some challenges preparing for the major event after their two-year absence.
“The process has been new, long and hard, it’s like starting all over and like starting a whole new relationship, you [are] trying to get to know these kids and it’s like a lot of new faces, a lot of new kids and trying to figure out what talents they have,” Frazier said.
Frazier remains positive despite the new setbacks this year because of the new faces and untapped potential he has to work with.
“One thing I am excited about we have a lot of new kids, and a lot of new talent and we also have talent here that we did not tap into which we are gonna do so moving forward and prepare them,” Frazier added. The Comets look forward to competing against all private secondary schools, including Lyford Cay in the 2023 track and field meet however, they are expecting a challenge from the Big Red Machine.
QC and SAC have exchanged victories in the recent BAISS track and field championships. The Comets were victorious for the first time in 2015 and won again in 2016. SAC was able to regain their title in 2017 and 2018. The Comets however was the last victor among the two teams in their last meetup at the 2019 BAISS track and field championships.
“We know that the Big Red Machine is gonna be ready and we expect them to be on their A game and its gonna always be a battle between QC and SAC,” Frazier said.
The head coach hopes that more schools will be able to compete with the rivals in this year’s event.
The two powerhouse schools will look to continue their rivalry at the BAISS Track and Field Championships at 9am on Wednesday.
The inter-school competition is scheduled for Wednesday through Friday when a winner will be crowned.
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