The Tribune

By BRENT STUBBS

Senior Sports Reporter

bstubbs@tribunemedia.net

FOR her achievement in making every junior national team as the top high school sprinter in the country this year, as well as the Olympic Games, Lacarthea Cooper was awarded the Red- Line Athletics’ Athlete of the Year honours.

The club, now in its fourth year of existence, staged its third Stallion Awards and Christmas Party on Saturday on board the Blackbeard’s Revenge where more than 30 of their athletes were recognised for their performances on the track and in the classroom.

Club founding president and head coach Tito Moss said the awards presentation was just their way as the coaches and the management team, to show their gratitude to their student-athletes for a job well done.

“I am really pleased with the performances we had as a club this year,” he said. “It was very difficult to determine some of the winners because we had so many outstanding athletes, particularly in the under-20 boys, with Joshua Miller, Otto Laing and Shimar Bain.

“It was the same thing in the under-17 boys with Clinton Laguere and Johnathon Fowler. I’m just honoured to see that we had so many kids who performed so well, not just on the track, but academically.”

The highlight of the night was the Athlete of the Year. In winning the award, Cooper joined Megan Moss, now in her junior year at the University of Kentucky, who was the first recipient in 2020 and last year’s winner Shimar Bain.

“Out of those three, two of them are Olympians. That’s how tough it is to win this award in Red-Line Athletics,” Moss said. “So I’m really pleased with the performance of this year’s winner, Lacarthea. She is in grade 12 and has already received more than 13 offers, so we’re just trying to find the right place for her to go next year.”

Cooper, who had to turn down the trip to Tokyo, Japan, for the Olympics after she came up with a case of COVID-19 on the eve of her travel, said while she was happy when her name was called as the winner, she was a bit surprised.

“I didn’t expect to get it because of how the season ended up for me not going to the Olympics, but I’m happy that I got it,” Cooper said. “This season was so great. I think this was God’s plan. Without him, I couldn’t do it.

“I had a very difficult season at the end, but I’m looking forward to qualifying for every national team. I want to make my parents and coaches very proud. I know I have some things to work on, but I won’t say it right now.”

Cooper said she was just happy that the coaches hosted another awards presentation to honour her and her team-mates for their stellar performances this year and she is hoping that they can carry that trend into 2022.

More than 70 awards were handed out during the course of the night.

The Red-Line Athletics recipients were as follows:

Most outstanding male athletes on the track: Jayden Allen - under-9; Jonathan Morris - under-11; Eagan Neely - under-13; Tyler Frazier - under-15 with Jaden Clarke as honorable mention; Clinton Laguerre - under-17 and Johnathon Fowler as honorable mention and Joshua Miller - under-20 boys with Shimar Bain as honourable mention.

Most outstanding female athletes on the track: Syrmiah Crawley - under-13; Maddison Moss - under-15 with Kennedy Hanna as honorable mention; Nya Wright - under-17 with Ezthia Maycock as honourable mention and Lacarthea Cooper - under-20 with Apryl Adderley and Shanai Sweeting as honourable mentions.

As the most outstanding senior boy, Joshua Miller said in addition to battling a hamstring and knee injury, he also grieved the loss of his mother, Denise, on April 11 and the coaches helped him to get through it.

“I just hope this coming season will be way better,” he said. “But I was surprised when I heard my name called for the awards that I got. My opponents ran fast early, so I was generally surprised that I came through at the end.”

Miller, an 18-year-old 12th grader at St Augustine’s College, said his goal is to secure a division one athletic scholarship and continue his performances as a representative for the Bahamas on the international stage.

Special awards: Tyler Frazier - newcomer of the year; Eagan Neely - most improved athlete; coaches awards - Eagan Neely and Clinton Laguerre; Coach Mike Armbrister Leadership Award - Joshua Miller and Tyler Frazier - Scholar of the Year; Madison Major -

newcomer of the year; Meghan Moss - Collegiate Athlete of the Year; D’Arjha Davis - Female Scholar of the Year; Otto Laing, Shimar Bain, Brandon Hutchinson, Megan Moss and Lacarthea Cooper - National Team Member Awards and Lacarthea Cooper - Athlete of the Year.

Now in his third year in the club, Eagan Neely said he was pleased with the awards he got, but the St Augustine’s College rising star said there’s still more work for him to do.

“I just need to improve on my form and increase my steps,” said Neely, who has run lifetime bests of 12.33 in the 100 metres, 25.17 in the 200m and 59 in the 400m.

“I’m looking forward to running much faster next year.”

Scholars Awards - Justin Butler; MaKyaha Johnson, Eagan Neely, Leonardo Johnson, Ezthia Maycock, Shanai Sweeting, D’Arijha Davis, Otto Laing, Kimola Gibson, Jonathon Fowler, Sara Williams, Jayden Allen and Tyler Fowler.

Special parents awards: Shanique Russell, Vernice Forbes, Melissa Major, Mark Major, Yvette Clarke, Dr Melciannia Moxey and Parent of the Year - Thallise Maycock.

As the proud mother of Ezthia Maycock, a 15-year old 11th grader at St Augustine’s College, who is a middle distance runner, Maycock said she came to tears when her name was called. “I wasn’t expecting it. It was just very heart-touching for me because coach Moss and his wife have been very supportive from day one when my daughter joined this club,” she said. “From when she joined, I never had a level of regret. They bring a level of professionalism that is second to none. They take the children’s interest to heart. They recognise them in athletics and academics. They always tell them that they need both of them to excel in college, which is the ultimate goal.”

Maycock assured people out there that if they are looking for a club for their children to excel, the Red- Line Athletics is the club to join. The parents, she noted, are all very supportive of everything that the club does and that is why they continue to flourish.

Dedicated Service Awards - Rev. Franklyn Clarke, coach Lashan Patton and Rickey Miller.

Based on what he saw this past year, Moss said as their numbers continue to grow with more than 70 athletes registered, he anticipates that their performances will also improve.

Red-Line Athletics is now looking forward to hosting their annual Track Classic January 28-29 at the Thomas A Robinson Stadium.

“We are excited. The kids have put in the work and they are all ready to go,” Moss said.