The Tribune

By TENAJH SWEETING

Tribune Sports Reporter

tsweeting@tribunemedia.net

The St Augustine’s College (SAC) Big Red Machine continues to be a force to be reckoned within the Bahamas Association of Independent Secondary Schools (BAISS) sports and this season they are looking to continue their legacy.

The secondary high school accomplished many successes in the previous season, hoisting championship trophies in softball (junior girls), the cross country championships, the high school nationals, flag football, and at the BAISS track and field championships.

The Big Red Machine has dominated in sports for countless years and expectations remain the same for the new sporting season.

Jason Edwards, SAC head coach, said the school is expecting another great sporting year.

“For the Big Red Machine we expect the upcoming season to be another great one. We are going to do what we always do, work hard, stay committed, and try to motivate these kids and have them overcome certain things,” Edwards said.

With practices already underway for the various sporting disciplines including softball and track and field, the head coach believes that training will get hard but motivation and discipline are key for athletes.

For the 2023 graduate year, SAC saw up to 12 of their student athletes transition to the collegiate level to continue their studies in the USA. Some of the top Class of 2023 graduates included Amari Pratt, Johnathon Fowler, Tumani Skinner, Ezthia Maycock, Clinton Laguerre, Alexis Brown Jr, Jadyn Demeritte and D’Angelo Collie.

According to Edwards, the secondary school’s ultimate goal is to develop students and create collegiate level student athletes.

“We want to create collegiate student athletes, when you come to SAC our goal is to get you to the next level and we believe winning is a byproduct of that,” he said.

He added that the coaches focus on the individual athletes because the goal is not simply to win but to ensure that athletes try and get better everyday.

Despite losing some top senior athletes, Edwards is confident in the school’s quest to win their fourth consecutive BAISS track and field title.

“This happens every year and is nothing new, kids leave kids come . . . we expect it to be a good one and expect it to be a competitive meet against the other opponents,” the head coach said.

The coach added that the school is focused on the development of their students rather than recruitment, which helps them to maintain sporting success.

The BAISS sporting season will commence with softball on September 18. Softball will be followed by the cross country championships in October, and the swimming and basketball disciplines begin in November.