The Tribune

By BRENT STUBBS

Chief Sports Editor

bstubbs@tribunemedia.net

THE year came to a close on Wednesday, but Tribune Sports couldn’t help but get the new year started by honouring those coaches who have worked tirelessly behind the scenes and rarely get the credit they so rightfully deserve.

In the selection for Coach of the Year, it came down to a close choice between swimming coach Travano McPhee, track and field coaches Rolando “Lonnie” Greene and Corrington Maycock as well as baseball coach Antoan Richardson. Consideration was given to the Golden State Warriors’ assistant coach Chris DeMarco of the National Basketball Association and Andy Moles, a coach with the Bahamas Cricket Association. But as neither are Bahamians, both were excluded, although they played pivotal roles in the success of the men’s national basketball team and the Bahamas national cricket team respectively.

While DeMarco coached the men’s to the final of the FIBA Olympic Qualifying Tournament, following short in the final of advancing to the games in Paris, France in July, Moles guided the men;s team to victory as they qualified for the International Cricket Council’s (ICC) Men’s T-20 World Cup Regional Americas Qualifier.

Credit, however, must be given to the Bahamian coaches, who worked tirelessly in getting our athletes to perform at their highest level of competition.

Leading the way was Greene, who served as the head coach at the University of Kentucky where he had the opportunity to work with Devynne Charlton.

Greene prepared Charlton for the trek to Glasgow, Scotland in March where she dominated the women’s 60 metres, winning the gold medal and setting the world record in the process.

On the heels of the indoor season, Greene also prepared Charlton for the Olympic Games where she made it back to the final of the women’s 100m hurdles, placing sixth for the second consecutive trip.

However, Greene also serves as the coach for American Masai Russell, a product of Kentucky. He was responsible for placing two women in the final.

McPhee, who headed the coaching staff for the CARIFTA Swim Championships here at home at the refurbished Betty KElly JKenning Swim Complex over the Easter holiday weekend.

McPhee and his staff that included Camron Bruney, David Del Cuato, Mancer Roberts Jr. and Allan Murray, captured the title for the sixth consecutive year.

It was the greatest accomplishment by any country in the competition and is starting to rival the start of Jamaica’s dominance in the CARIFTA track and field competition.

McPhee’s achievement didn’t stop there as he was selected to coach his first Olympic team in July-August in Paris, France where he worked with national record breaker Travano McPhee and collegian Rhanishka Gibbs.

Also making an appearance at the Olympics was Maycock, who  worked with javelin thrower Rhema Otabor in her Olympic debut  after coming off her first trip to the World Championships in 2023.

Mycock, who was serving as the president of the Bahamas Track and Field Coaches Association, was also a coach on the CARIFTA team that went to St George’s, Grenada where several field athletes, including throwers Tayshan Stubbs, Dior-Rae Scott and Amae Mackey all shined.

For Richrdson, it was a little different.

He already made history as the first Bahamian to coach in Major League Baseball, occupying first base for the San Francisco Giants from 2020-2023 after his playing days were over.

In November, 2023, he was acquired by the New York Mets to be their new first base coach and he did a stellar job, helping the team to reach the National League Eastern Division before they were eliminated by the Los Angeles Dodgers, who went on to win the World Series over Bahamian third baseman Jasrado ‘Jazz’ Chisholm and the New York Yankees.

It would have been a grand ending if Richardson and the Mets had booked their ticket to face Chisholm and the Yankees in the World Series.

It didn’t happen, but kudos for Richardson for his team’s gallant effort.