The Tribune

By RENALDO DORSETT

Sports Reporter

rdorsett@tribunemedia.net

THE national team search for flag football finally reached the capital as scores of hopefuls came out to the College of the Bahamas hoping to earn a spot on the final roster.

The third stop on the tryout tour produced a number of promising results, despite early inclement results from the combine, according to Mel Ferguson, national team administrator.

“The talent was every bite as we had anticipated,” he said. “There were four best recorded tryout times, one coming from the men’s side and two from the women’s. Theran “Matrix” Evans ran a 4.54 in the 40-yard dash and Carlene Johnson ran a 5.19, both of which were national tryout records, Carlene Johnson, Dyaria Knowles and Jade Knowles all ran a 7.50 in the 20-yard shuttle which too was a national tryout record.”

At each tryout, players will undergo a series of combine tests including the 10-yard shuttle, 20-yard shuttle, three cone drill, the ‘W” drill, 40-yard dash, standing broad jump, vertical jump and finally throwing and receiving skills.

Tryouts took place in Exuma and Grand Bahama prior to New Providence. The schedule concludes on Friday (May 27) in Abaco. 

“The Selections Committee was very impressed with the competition as well as the enthusiasm displayed by the athletes attempting to make the first ever flag football national team,” Ferguson said.

The team roster will be named on May 25 and any additional players from the Abaco combine will be named on May 28.

The Bahamas will host the the International Federation of American Football (IFAF) World Championships September 7-12 in Grand Bahama.

This year marks the eighth edition of the IFAF World Championship, a bi-annual tournament for senior national teams in 5-on-5 flag football and has separate competitions for men and women.

Competing countries in this year’s event will include Austria, Canada, Denmark, France, Germany, Great Britain, Guatemala, Israel, Italy, Japan, Korea, Kuwait, Mexico, New Zealand, Panama and the USA. 

The two additional countries could be Brazil and Honduras, if they win the medal rounds of the Americas qualifying tournament.

There are 28 teams participating with a contingent of up to 20 persons per team. 

That would mean a approximately 560 athletes and coaches descending on Grand Bahama during the five-day tournament.