The Tribune

By BRENT STUBBS

Chief Sports Editor

bstubbs@tribunemedia.net

THE Bahamas Golf Federation's Junior Division will be returning nine players from last year's second place squad as they seek to capture the 48th Annual Caribbean Junior Golf Championships title this year.

The championship is scheduled for June 28 to July 3 at the Playa Dorada Golf Club in Puerto Plata, Dominican Republic. 

Gina Gonzalez-Rolle, in announcing the team on Saturday at the Ocean Golf Club on Paradise Island, said it features some of the country’s brightest young golfing talents, who have worked tirelessly to earn the opportunity to compete against the best junior golfers from across the Caribbean.

The Bahamas will be competing against nine other countries and will be coached by Keno Turnquest, assisted by Frederick Taylor with the following players:

Boys 18 & under - Aidan Gorospe, Kerrington Rolle and Luke Grimes.

Girls 18 & under - Maddison Carroll and Chemari Pratt.

Boys 15 & under - Na’kai Wilson, Rashawn Hanna and William Mahelis.

Girls 15 & under - Haley Hall and Anissa Robinson.

Boys 13 & under - Archie Michelmore and Connor Stevenson.

Girls 13 & under - Zion Poitier and Zaire Poitier.

The team will depart Nassau on June 28 and return on July 3, hopefully delivering a strong performance and bringing home a first-place finish for The Bahamas, according to Gonzalez-Rolle.

"We feel very strong about the team. We feel they will do very well," Gonzalez-Rolle said. "They should be familiar with the course. It's not as hilly as it was in Jamaica, so we feel they will do very well."

Turnquest said they have put in a lot of work and the team has prepared both physically and mentally and have grown a lot over the last few weeks, having gone through their pressure tests.

"During our practices, we put them in real situations, made them uncomfortable, gave them the tools to see how they would react under pressure," he said. 

"We've done that to the best of our abilities and the players have responded very well. We have made sure they have responded and they have done that."

Once they believe in themselves and put in the extra work on their own, they should be able to perform very well, even though they could have used more time to prepare the team.

Grimes, the national high school champion from Queen's College, will be making his debut, but he's confident that his contribution to the team will be felt.

"I put in a lot of work to make the team and the work doesn't stop as I contribute to the team this year to help us win," he said.

He added that he's excited about the makeup of Team Bahamas.

"I look ahead and I see a lot of great golfers, a lot of golfers who are willing to put in the work and make sure we bring the trophy home this year," he said.

Wilson said he's particularly pleased to be on the team as a Grand Bahamian. But he noted that returning from last year, he expects to play better and contribute more to the success of Team Bahamas.

"Last year wasn't a really good year for me because I didn't have much time to practice," he pointed out. "But this year it should be good."

Wilson said he knows some of the players who played on the team last year so he's comfortable.

To the newcomers, he advised them to just play their best.

"The competition is going to be tough out there," he insisted. "The courses, sometimes, will be difficult, but just go out there and do your best."

As one of the females on the team, Robinson said she feels she worked hard enough to earn her spot and she's looking forward to contributing to the success of Team Bahamas.

"I feel like we have some really good players and we should take the trophy home this year," said Robinson, who is also returning from last year.

"I feel like I didn't play well last year, but the first year, I played and won in the 13U division, so I just need to worry about my game and not worry about the competition."

Zaire Poitier, an alternate for last year's team, said she's delighted that she will get a chance to be a member of Team Bahamas this year.

"I'm just excited to play on the team this year and I just hope to do my best," she summed up.