The Tribune

THE New Providence Public Primary Schools Sports Association is gearing up for another exciting season, according to president Latoya Bain.

Bain noted that although they won’t begin competition until October, the physical education teachers will spend the next month preparing their teams for the competition.

“We plan to have an outstanding school year again this year,” Bain said. “We have a few new coaches coming in from the University of the Bahamas at Albury Sayles and Columbus Primary. “They didn’t have coaches or physical education teachers there last year, but they do now. So we are looking at increasing the teams participating in our events, which should increase the level of competition.” 

Charlene Symonette will be coaching at Thelma Gibson, Roealind Benjamin will be at Columbus Primary and Delihia Strap at Albury Sayles. Shaquille Williams will be going to Andros.

“We are excited about the new additions to the system,” Bain said. “We feel with them added to those already in the system, we will have an exciting and competitive season.”

The season is due to start from October 7-11 at the Roscoe Davies Developmental Center where the Bahamas Football Association will host the Dawn Knowles Soccer Tournament.

The tournament is being held in honour of Knowles, a long-time former director of sports for the primary schools in the Ministry of Education.

In preparation for the tournament, the physical education teachers participated in their annual coaches’ clinic last month that was organised by the BFA.

Following softball, the association will host its second cross country championships, but the date and venue has not yet been finalised, followed by softball for girls and baseball for boys joint tournament from November 25-29 at the Baillou Hills Sporting Complex.

After taking a break for Christmas, basketball will kick off the new year in 2025 from January 27-31 in the Kendal Isaacs Gymnasium, followed by volleyball, also at the Kendal Isaacs Gymnasium from March 17-21.

Golf will also be staged at the Bahamas Golf Federation’s Driving Range and Nine-Hole Golf Course at the Baillou Hills Sports Complex before the year is concluded with the track and field competition at the Thomas A. Robinson Track and Field Stadium from April 23-25.

Bain said they have also been invited to join the newly formed Bahamas Handbook Association headed by president Wellington Miller but they too have not set any dates for any competition as yet.