The Tribune

By BRENT STUBBS

Tribune Sports Reporter

bstubbs@tribunemedia.net

Coach Dexter Bodie was hailed for his pioneer leadership of the Roadrunners Track and Field Club. But former president of the Bahamas Association of Athletic Associations Desmond Bannister challenged the members to start looking for the next visionary leader.

Bannister, the Member of Parliament for Carmichael and the Ministry of Works, was giving the keynote remarks at the Roadrunners 20th Masquerade Ball, under the theme: “Road to Victory,” on Saturday night in the Crown Ballroom of the Atlantis resort on Paradise Island.

Among the list of dignitaries at the year-ending awards banquet for the club were Montez Williams, the under secretary in the Ministry of Youth, Sports and Culture, who represented Minister Lanisha Rolle, Bahamas Association of Athletic Associations’ president Drumeco Archer and sponsors Harrison Petty and his wife Joyann and David Higgins Sr, who represented his son, Domonique Higgins - one of the most outstanding athletes ever to come out of the club.

Bannister, in his remarks, honoured the memory of five deceased persons who all made valuable contributions to the public. They included club founder and initial president/coach Dianne Lynn Thompson, sponsor Basil Neymour, Sonia Missick and Bodie’s parents Rev Harold and Grenalda Bodie, whom he said all invested in the lives of young people.

“I admire my friend Dexter Bodie, I admire the work that he does with young people,” Bannister said. “I admire his dedication and his love.”

In the 20 years that the club has hosted the banquet, Bannister asked who is going to step up and make the difference that the deceased persons and Bodie have made for the club. He challenged both the parents and the athletes to look within themselves to find out what they are doing to make the club better for those who will follow them.

“Who is going to be the next Dexter Bodie with a vision to make a difference with a passion for children,” Bannister asked.

“That is what I want you to think about because Dexter Bodie isn’t going to be around forever. Who is going to take up the baton and be the next Dexter Bodie?

The highlight of the night was the awards presentation that was led by first vice president/secretary and assistant coach Mildred Adderley. A number of awards were presented to the deserving athletes for both their athletic and academic prowess.

Winning the highest honor, the Dominique Higgins award for the highest grade point average were Jordan Rolle with a 3.97 average and Cannan Davis with 3.93. Both Rolle and Davis are expected to receive track suits and a backpack from the BAAA, according to Archer, as their gift to the two outstanding student-athletes.

The Athletes of the Year awards were presented to the following:

On the girls’ side, the top performers were: U- 7 Cataleya Vargas, U-9 Chrisana Miller, U-11 Jasmine Thompson, U-15 Katranel Dean, U-17 F Rowlia Joseph and U-20 Vandera Knowles.

And the winners on the boys’ side were: U-7 Ronald Simon, U-9 Kyle Sears, U-11 Jaleele Laing, U-13 Darius Pratt, U-15 Temar Davis, U-17 Malcolm Williams, U-20 Anton Pratt and Open-Kevin Sears.

Both Joseph and Pratt were thrilled to have received the recognition.

“Over the past year, I felt I improved a lot as I got to make the national team and I think I represented the country an d my track club very well,” said Joseph, a 16-year-old student of CV Bethel Secondary School, who made this year’s Carifta team. “I know I’m going to continue to improve and do very well once I listen to my coaches and what they tell me.

“Next year, I’m looking forward to improving my times and make the national team again. I also want to get a chance to compete for a scholarship as that I can go on and compete for a college or university in the United States “

Joseph said the club has been very beneficial to her and she’s grateful for the fact that they were able to nature her into the well-rounded young lady that she is today.

Pratt, a 17-year-old 12th grader at Queen’s College, said he had an expected season.

“I dominated until I got injured,” he pointed out, but it was great. I’m looking forward to dropping my times so that some colleges could look at me,” he stated. “I think this club has helped to make me a better man, so I want to thank everyone who play a role in our development.”

Bodie said this year’s banquet is a special one because their athletes turned in some outstanding performances.

“The athletes were really pumped up. We had some very good performances in the Bahamas and we went to AAU in July in the United States and we had one our best performances ever,” he pointed out. “Our club was in the top 50 in every division out of about 300-plus clubs.

“Academically, we had 90 percent of athletes this year, who made 93 percent or above. So we want to encourage them because that is something the Roadrunners really focus on, academics. We had about six to eight students this year, who made a 3.9 or above, but we could only recognize the top two, who came closes to the 4.0.”

Bodie opted not to take all the credit for the athletes’ success, but he shared some of the spotlight with his assistants Mildred Adderley, Stephanie Stubbs, Edvania Missick, Sara Mackey, Krysten Black, Leandro Eden, Genneaquiah Forbes and Maverick Bowleg.

While Bowleg was unable to attend, he sent a video message congratulating the club and encouraging the athletes to continue to put their best foot forward.

All of the coaches were honored for their contribution and a number of parents were also singled out for the role they played in assisting the coaches.

Petty, the president of the Bahamas Parents Association of Track and Field Athletes, noted that he and his wife have attended all 20 Roadrunners banquet because he believe in what Bodie and his coaching staff are doing for the development of their athletes.

“What we like about the Roadrunners Club is how well organized and how focused they are on their athletes,” he stressed. “A great athlete is one thing, but the greatest athletes is what the Roadrunners focusses on.”

Petty also took the time to introduce Andrew Tynes, a former national team sprinter turned coach, who brought along three rising young collegiate athletes, Samson Colebrooke, now in his senior year at Purdue University; Karon Dean, a freshman at Barton County Community College and Mookie Rolle, a sophomore at Highland Community College, all of whom are now attending colleges in the United States and can serve as inspiration for the Roadrunners members to emulate in their pursuit of excellence.

Archer, in his address, thanked Bodie and the Roadrunners for allowing him to attend this year’s banquet and to speak on behalf of the BAAA. He said he was invited to attend another function hosted by the Bahamas Olympic Committee, but settled on being with the Roadrunners because of their commitment and dedication to the sport.

He recognized all of the student-athletes and saluted them, saying to the coaches and the parents that the night belonged to them.

Photos: Patrick Hanna/BIS