The Tribune

By BRENT STUBBS

Senior Sports Reporter

bstubbs@tribunemedia.net

MIRANDA Tucker had a promising track and field career as a thrower for the Big Red Machine. But in between her six years at St Augustine’s College, she has been hitting the golf ball as a member of the Bahamas Golf Federation’s junior national programme.

Although she went on to represent the Bahamas in the javelin at the CARIFTA Games here in 2018, the 18-year is excelling as a student/athlete on scholarship for the Chargers women’s golf team at the Dominican College in Orangeburg, New York.

In just her freshman year, the 2020 SAC graduate was honoured at her school’s 34th annual Leadership Awards where she received the Karl Walker Memorial Scholarship, which is given to the student who is involved in campus life and is outgoing.

The selection was based on an essay submission and students’ academic and extracurricular activities, and it afforded Tucker another $1,500 in scholarship funds, which she said will go towards her degree in business management.

“I feel honoured,” Tucker told The Tribune about her latest achievement. “It’s nice to know that my involvement in campus life didn’t go unnoticed. To be selected out of the entire freshman class made me proud, not just as a representation of my family, but of the Bahamas as well.”

For Tucker, she feels all of her hard work is paying off.

“I do things not for recognition, but to get the job done to the best of my ability,” she insisted. “As the only current Bahamian at this school, I know I don’t only represent myself, but my country in being here.”

And while she got to do what she enjoys the most, playing for the Chargers women’s golf team at Dominican College, Tucker said her freshman season was challenging at times, but it was also a learning experience for her.

“Overall, I blended well with the tram,” Tucker said. “Golf is an individual sport, but in college, it is a team effort.

“Coach Ian Coerbell (from the 242 Golf Academy) taught me that in my transitioning period of high school (in grades 10-12). I learned that everything that I do affects the well-being of the team. So, teamwork is critical.”

Although their season was marred by the coronavirus pandemic, which forced the cancellation of their fall season, Tucker said she was glad to get in some action in the spring.

“There is still work to be done, but I am overall pleased with my performance and progress,” she stated. “Being the first black girl on their female team gold team, I felt very welcomed and eager to make my mark.”

As a competitive athlete who doesn’t like to lose, Tucker said she felt right at home with the Chargers as it’s very competitive.

“They take the game very seriously, but still manage to have fun while doing so,” she pointed out. “After each tournament, we reflect on what to improve on and have team building exercises.

“Coach (Keith) Prokorp (Dominican College head coach) always made sure that the team was prepared for all tournaments in every way possible,” she said.

Now that the season is over, Tucker said she wants to concentrate on working on every aspect of her game because she realises that it’s all about managing her weaknesses and playing up to her strengths that will enable her to get better.

“I’m looking forward to playing in more tournaments starting in the fall,” said Tucker as she also started looking towards her sophomore year in August. “I also want to explore more golf courses in the northeastern region. They are so very different from those in the Caribbean.”

The 5-foot, 11-inch junior national team player got started in golf by accident 10 years ago. She claims that she misheard an advertisement and ended up at the golf course. Intrigued by what she saw, Tucker said she’s been playing ever since.

She was thrilled to learn in 2020 that as a part of the Bahamas Stars programme, her advisor Jurelle Nairn-Mullings had submitted her portfolio in a database and she was offered scholarships from at least 30-50 different schools.

She chose Dominican College, a division II school, which presented her with a package of almost $30,000 in academic and athletic scholarships combined, taking the huge financial burden off her parents, Renee and Frederic Tucker.

She misses throwing the javelin and shot put, having experienced the thrill of being coached by Dawn Johnson and Javaughn Saunders at SAC. But Tucker said she wouldn’t turn in her golfing exploits for anything in the world.