The Tribune

By BRENT STUBBS

Senior Sports Reporter

bstubbs@tribunemedia.net

AFTER hosting a successful basketball championship series at the Kendal Isaacs Gymnasium last week, the Government Secondary Schools Sports Association (GSSSA) will switch its focus of attention to their track and field championships this week at the Thomas A Robinson Track and Field Stadium.

The gun fires to start the championships, divided into two segments, today at 9am and continue tomorrow for the seven participating schools, who will be out to dethrone the CH Reeves Raptors as the perennial junior high champions. The schools competing are the DW Davis Pitbulls, LW Young Golden Eagles, SC McPherson Sharks, TA Thompson Scorpions, AF Adderley Fighting Tigers, HO Nash Lions and Anatol Rodgers Timberwolves.

The official opening ceremonies for the championships will take place on Wednesday at 9 am.

On Thursday and Friday, seven schools will also be vying to dethrone the CV Bethel Stingrays as the senior high champions. The other schools are the CR Walker Knights, CI Gibson Rattlers, Doris Johnson Mystic Marlins, RM Bailey Pacers, Anatol Rodgers Timberwolves, CC Sweeting Cobras and the Government High Magics.

GSSSA president Varel Davis said they are looking forward to some keen competition over the next four days.

“We are expecting the full support of all of the junior and senior high schools,” Davis said. “Most schools are prepared for this event, so hopefully we will see who will come out on top this year. It’s going to be an exciting competition for the juniors over the first two days and then we expect the seniors to be just as competitive.”

Coming on the heels of the basketball championships last week, Davis said they are delighted to see how the students came out and she is anticipating that momentum to carry over to the track and field championships.

Vitamalt, Mortimer’s Kitchen and Darral’s Daiquiri are among the list of sponsors for this week’s championships, which will offer a number of giveaways to the spectactors.

Admission for the public is $5 and the VIP stand is $10 on each day.

“We just want to invite the public to come out and support the championships,” Davis said. “We are working in conjunction with the Ministry of Education, so we expect to make this the most exciting championships ever. It should be good, especially in the senior division.”

While CH Reeves will be out to complete their 10th year as holders of the junior title, CV Bethel will be without coach Rupert Gardiner as they try to hold on to their title they won from CR Walker. Gardiner is now employed at the Ministry of Youth, Sports and Culture.

Davis said the joint partnership with the GSSSA and the Ministry has worked well so far and she and her executive team are looking forward to keeping a cordial relationship intact as they improve the level of competition for the schools and the athletes who compete for them.