The Tribune

By RENALDO DORSETT

Sports Reporter

rdorsett@tribunemedia.net

ONE of the first national teams to be named for an upcoming busy summer for Bahamian track and field at the international level, the Bahamas Union of Teachers set forth a mandate for its team to make event history.

The BUT, in conjunction with the BAAAs named a 40-member team yesterday scheduled to represent the Bahamas at the 16th Caribbean Union of Teachers Track and Field Championships, July 15-16 in Tortola, British Virgin Islands.

Following last week’s trials, the team was officially ratified this week, with competition just over a month away.

John Musgrove, Secretary General of the BUT, said his organisation is excited about the prospects of this team.

“The executive team has selected this team along with the assistance of the BAAAs for these games. In our opinion the trials have been fair and the teams have been selected after much discourse. It is our hope and prayer that this team will be the team that brings back the first victory for the Bahamas at this meet,” he said, “There were several athletes that won events but were not selected but the number of team members was capped at 40 and we have confidence in the selection committee that the best team was put forth to represent the Bahamas.”

The championships was a result of the CUT’s recognition of the need to provide the young athletes aged 8-15 years with some regional competition. There was also recognition by the CUT that sports has a significant role to play in the regional integration process.

The CUT’s biennial championships was first organised in Barbados in 1986.

Co-head coach Luther Rolle said they are excited about the prospects for the team this summer. He noted that there are a number of competitors who participated in the championships before and there are others who are making their debut.

According to its website www.cutgames.org the games are a series of events, expected to bring together approximately 700 of the best athletes between the ages of 8-15, along with coaches, from 23 countries in the region, in the spirit of Caribbean unity and friendly competition.

The mission statement of the CUT suggests it is an organisation devoted to unity and co-operation between both the youth and teachers of the Caribbean. The CUT Games are held with the intent of promoting this message A bring together athletes coaches in the spirit of friendly competition.

BAAAs President, Rosamude Carey, said the event is vital for the development of the sport in the region because of its role in showcasing the skillset of youth athletes at an elite level.

“The BAAAs is pleased to have been able to render technical assistance to the BUT for the CUT games. This is not a BAAAs event, it is a BUT event and the BUT has sole rights to the event so I would like to thank the BUT for allowing us to be apart of this venture,” she said, “This augers well for the federation because with Age Group CAC no longer being an event we are pleased that the CUT Games gives our youth athletes a competition where they can showcase their gifts and talents. Having watched the trials and having been apart of the process we have no doubt that this team is the best team to represent the country and the BUT and will no doubt fulfill the mandate of bringing back the championship from Tortola.”