The Tribune

By TENAJH SWEETING

Tribune Sports Reporter

tsweeting@tribunemedia.net

MINISTER of Youth, Sports and Culture Mario Bowleg is optimistic about the potential opportunities that exist for Bahamians in flag football after the sport was added to the 2028 Summer Olympic Games in Los Angeles.

The announcement came from the International Olympic Committee (IOC) earlier this month and now the aforementioned sport along with baseball, softball, lacrosse, squash and cricket will be played at the next multi-sport event.

It is the first time flag football has been selected to be included at the Olympics.

The Bahamas became the first Caribbean nation to join the National Football League (NFL) Flag this summer and, with the latest revelation by the IOC, Bowleg is excited about the future.

“I am excited to see that, the more sporting disciplines that they bring to the Olympics opens the door for greater opportunities for smaller nations like The Bahamas to be able to compete,” the minister said.

Since the announcement of NFL Flag Bahamas in June, the organisation has carried out a number of events and exercises before the eventual start of the season.

NFL Flag Bahamas has hosted a flag football clinic in July, a coaches and officials clinic in September, and an exhibition featuring the NFL Flag Miami Dolphins adult tournament team last weekend.

Bowleg is confident about the direction of flag football with the 2028 Summer Olympic Games in sight.

“It won’t be a surprise if at the next Olympics we have a team prepared and able to compete at that level. I am very confident, I have been in communication with guys like Kenny Mackey, Chris Prudhome, those who are trying to get flag football established here along with Jayson Clarke who was essential in the early development of flag football in the country over the past few years,” he said.

Jayson Clarke, programme director of the Bahamas Youth Flag Football League (BYFFL), has worked on teaching the basic fundamentals to kids between ages 6-17 in the youth league.

The minister believes that the skill set of the athletes will play a pivotal role in The Bahamas qualifying to compete in Los Angeles.

“When you are talking about flag football and you look at the ability and skill set of athletes now that we are getting ready to partner with NFL Flag in The Bahamas and want to continue taking flag football to the high school level we now have a development programme that would allow us to prepare ourselves to be able to qualify for the Olympics in very short order,” he said.

In most recent flag football action, The Bahamas won their first exhibition game 21-20 against the NFL Flag Miami Dolphins adult tournament team at the Roscow A L Davies soccer field over the weekend.

The 2028 Summer Olympic Games will begin July 14 and continue until July 30 in Los Angeles.