The Tribune

By BRENT STUBBS

bstubbs@tribunemedia.net

LAST week, I had the opportunity to travel with a Bahamas Olympic Committee delegation to North Andros to view the state of the Carl Oliver Track in Nicholls Town.

The track will be getting a much needed Mondo surface, which when completed will provide an economic boost to the island that is just about 10-15 minutes away from New Providence by plane.

Based on what I'm hearing, when completed the facility will be open to hosting a number of international teams who will be looking for warmer climates in which they can take their training camps.

Michael Tovan, the representative for Mondo, has assured the student population of Huntley Christie High School, where the facility is located, that they will continue to keep the Bahamas in line as the sporting destination in the region.

While it was good news and from the reception of the students when the delegation arrived for the special assembly, it raises questions about what's happening with the facility that is being built in Moore's Island, Abaco.

Out of the home of coach Anthony Williams, Abaco was able to help groom the latest international track star in Steven Gardiner, who won a silver medal in the men's 400 metres at the IAAF World Championships in England in August.

Work has begun but is yet to be completed on the facility, which is expected to provide another avenue for the athletes to train outside of New Providence.

Hopefully, it will coincide with the reconstruction of the Carl Oliver Track, although it's not a full private project.

But can you imagine what could be achieved with all of their facilities up and running?

So we're also taking note of the new national baseball stadium. Work has been stalled and it's looking like a white elephant sitting in the Queen Elizabeth Sports Centre. I'm sure every baseball player in the country, whether at the junior or the elite level, is waiting with enthusiasm on the completion of the stadium.

The facility, like the Carl Oliver Track when completed, could open the door for so many tremendous opportunities for the Bahamas to be further exposed as a sporting destination in the region.

Coaching for

National Team

From all indications, the Bahamas Basketball Federation will have an uphill battle as they begin the trek towards qualifying for the World Cup and subsequently the 2020 Olympic Games.

The federation, during a press conference on Wednesday, indicated that they intend to have all of the top players around the world make a commitment to come home and represent the country.

According to Mario Bowleg, the first vice president, it's important for the players to understand that with the new home-and-away format of games initiated this year by FIBA, this is the best chance for the Bahamas to advance.

Bowleg, by the way, will serve as the head coach. Kevin 'KJ' Johnson, Wayde Watson and Norris Bain will be assisting Bowleg.This is undoubtedly a good collection of local coaches assembled, but with the core of players expected home, will this be enough?

This is a massive undertaking with the team scheduled to travel to Canada for the first round of the qualification on November 24 at the Scotiabank Centre in Halifax.

The Bahamas won't get to host Canada until Saturday, February 25 at the Kendal Isaacs Gymnasium. But their first home game in Group D will be played on Monday, November 27 against the Dominican Republic.

With so many players out there, it's going to be a mammoth task for the coaching staff to be able to put the best team on the floor. While these four coaches have a personal affiliation with just about all of the players, because they either coached them and were on the other side of the court when they played, I think it would have been good to utilise the services of a more experienced international coach.

But considering that there is a more hefty price that the federation has to face in securing the necessary funding, not only to accommodate the players in practice and at the games, but also in hosting their segment of games, that may not be a priority.

I think, as the tournament progresses and to get to the next level, it might just have to become a reality.

All of the teams in the tournament are taking advantage of the external coaching.

I'm not knocking the quartet because I've seen them all in action and they have performed remarkably well, but we're talking about adding a full blend of professional players.

Condolences

News is slowly coming in, but let me offer my condolences to the family of the late Ossie 'the Wizard' Sweeting, who passed away on Friday.

Sweeting was another prominent pitcher in the country who performed exceptionally well in the New Providence Softball Association as well as the New Providence Oldtimers Softball Association.

He was considered a "quiet storm,' who will be remembered for his performance on the field and his demeanour off the field.

May his soul rest in peace.