The Tribune

By BRENT STUBBS

Senior Sports Reporter

bstubbs@tribunemedia.net

COACH Dexter Bodie was lauded for having the vision to take time out to honour his athletes in the Road Runners Track Club with an awards banquet every year for the past 13 years.

On Saturday night at the Wyndham Resort & Crystal Palace, the Road Runners staged this year’s banquet under the theme: “Aspiration: Only as far as I can see, I can go. Only as much as I dream, I can be,” under the patronage of Harrison and Joy Petty.

Among those in attendance were Senator Desmond Bannister, Bahamas Association of Athletic Associations executives - president Mike Sands, first vice president Iram Lewis, secretary general Carl Oliver, assistant secretary May Miller and treasurer Philippa Arnett-Willie – Philip Smith of The d’Albenas Agency Limited and Archie Nairn.

The Dominique Higgins Award for the highest academic and athletic achievers of the year went to Jenero Knowles, Malcolm Williams and Richea Haygood. Those awards were presented by Higgins’ father.

The awards were held in honour of Higgins, who was the first outstanding student-athlete to have passed through the club and into the collegiate ranks.

In his address, Petty commended Bodie and the coaches and parents of the Road Runners for being the only club affiliated with the BAAA that can boost of putting on a banquet every year for the past 13 years where they take the time out to recognise the achievements of their athletes.

He said that’s one of the reasons why he has made a commitment to support the club in whatever way he can.

Bannister, in his remarks, asked the jammed pack ballroom to look at the achievement of Petty, who in his message in the booklet, noted that his steps from a gardener, janitor, bus boy and carpenter helper to a successful businessman and proprietor of the Colony Club, has indeed been ordered by “The Lord.”

If those athletes can take a page out of Petty’s life story, Bannister said he doesn’t see why they too can’t be successful in everything that they do.

And Sands said what he likes about what the Road Runners do at their banquet is that they take the time out to highlight both the academic and athletic achievements of the athletes.

He said he hopes that the athletes will take advantage of the many scholarships that are made available every year for them to attend colleges and universities to further their education in the US.

The most outstanding athletes for the year were

Jaimee Knowles - under-7 girls, Alixicia Williams - under-9 girls, Otto KLaing and Malcolm Williams - under 9 boys, Rowlia Joseph - under-11 girls, Kendrick Major - under-11 boys, Shakara Whymms - under-13 girls, Cardero Whymms, Benny Damus and Michael Adderley - under-13 boys, Esther Cartwright - under-15 girls, Perry Adderley - under-15 boys, Cazsna Dames and Felicity Dorsett - under-17 girls – and Demitri Forbes - under-17 boys, Edvania Missick and Sara Mackey - open female, Maverick Bowleg - open male and Krysten Black - college female.

Felicity Dorsett, a 15-year-old eighth grader at Temple Christian, said she felt very good about achieving the award - again.

“I was very proud to win it again this year,” she said. “This was better than all of the other years because I tried harder to be successful. I want to compete in the Carifta trials.”

James Francis, who collected the boys under-9 most outstanding athlete award, said he was pleased with his performance this year.

“It was good. It was amazing,” said Francis, an eight-year-old fourth frader at St Francis/Joseph. “I hope to receive another award like that next year.”

Terressa Pierre, the under-13 girls most outstanding athlete, said the award was just what she expected.

“I feel very good about it. I was very thankful for what I got,” said Pierre, an 11-year-old seventh grader at Jordan Prince Williams. “I want to be the fastest runner next year.”

One of the parents, Arnold Wilson, said Bodie is doing a wonderful job with the athletes, taking them away to compete and having a banquet for them to celebrate their achievement.

“It’s a wonderful thing he is doing and I will continue to support him as long as my children are competing,” he said.

Reflecting on the past 13 years of hosting the banquet, Bodie said he was very pleased with the turnout because it showed that what they are doing is working.

“I’ve seen a big improvement in the academics of our athletes as they perform in school,” he said. “About 80 per cent of the athletes got a 3.0 or above grade point average this semester. Mainly this year, our focus is on homework and study. After every practice, we make sure that the athletes balance them because they can’t go anywhere without it.”

Bodie said he was even more grateful to Petty, who has given them the inspiration to stress the athletes’ educational pursuits with the launch of the Parents Association, which has been assisting student-athletes in their search for a good college education.