The Tribune

By BRENT STUBBS

Senior Sports Reporter

bstubbs@tribunemedia.net

With classroom sessions back in rotation since November, schools in Grand Bahama are now bracing for the return of their sporting activities.

Grand Bahama sporting guru and high school executive Ozzie ‘the Insider’ Simmons said they are only waiting on the approval from the Ministry of Health to resume their activities.

“We know that we will be able to do track and field because the BAAA (Bahamas Association of Athletic Associations) clubs have been able to do track meets,” Simmons said. “But we wrote to the Ministry of Health because we want to do volleyball before we do track. We will play without fans and we will cut the rosters from 12 to nine players so that they can spread out.”

Simmons serves as the president of the Grand Bahama Primary Schools Sports Athletic Association and is responsible for the scheduling of all games in the Grand Bahama Secondary Schools Athletic Association.

As for the track meet, Simmons said they are proposing to host a meet separate for the juniors and the seniors so that they can accommodate a smaller crowd of participation.

“We are following the safety protocols with persons wearing their masks, sanitising and spacing out,” Simmons said.

“Plus, we have the protocol officers to ensure that we carry out the safety measures.”

If they get permission, Simmons said the GBSSAA would like to stage its volleyball competition around February 19 with a jamboree rather than a regular season.

The track meet is being planned for around March 12-14.

Derek Wells, a physical education teacher at St George’s High School, serves as the interim president of the GBSSAA after Kenton Rolle, the duly elected president, was transferred to LN Coakley High in Exuma.

Rolle, who served as president for the past 12 years, is expected to be honoured when the GBSSAA stages the Kenton Rolle Day February 19 at the Sir Jack Hayward High Gymnasium when they hope to play the volleyball tournament.

Simmons said the GBSSAA is also looking at the possibility of playing golf in the school this year.

He said the association is working closely with the Bahamas Golf Federation and the Ministry of Education to make it happen.

The GBPSAA and the GBSSAA also released the winners of the Sandra Edgecombe/Cecil Thompson Sports Schools of the Year competition for the past two years.

2019 WINNERS

Primary Schools

Big schools - Walter

Parker Pacers

Small schools - SBA Stingers

High Schools

Junior high - Tabernacle

Baptist Falcons

Senior high - Tabernacle

Baptist Falcons

2020 WINNERS

Primary Schools

No champions decided due

to the lack of competition

as a result of COVID-19

High schools

Junior high - Tabernacle

Baptist Falcons

Senior division - St

George’s Jaguars