SPORTS SECTION E
THURSDAY, SEPTEMBER 15, 2016
NFL PICKS
Week 2, Pages 2 & 3
Bahamas on a roll at Pan Am Bowling Championships By RENALDO DORSETT Sports Reporter rdorsett@tribunemedia.net
T
he men’s team was the first to hit the lanes for Team Bahamas at the Pan American Bowling Confederation (PABCON) Championships being hosted in Cali, Colombia. The Bahamas competed in men’s singles doubles and triples thus far at the Bolera Departmental Rodrigo Cobo in Cali, featuring the region’s top bowlers from 14 countries. The men’s team includes Sonith Lockhart, Richie Pyfrom, Byron McClain, Derrick Burrows, Kelsey Rolle and Ken Brathwaite. Pyfrom was the top singles finisher for the Bahamas at No.48
among the field of 98 waite at No. 96 with bowlers. an average of 167 He bowled a total (1002) and McClain of 1,207 through the at No.98 with an avsix rounds for an average of 154 (927). erage of 201.17, tied In doubles play, with Fransico ValenPyform and Rolle tine of Puerto Rico. led the way for Team Pyfrom’s tournaBahamas and finment high was a 222 ished at No.38 in the recorded in round field of 48 teams. three. They produced Rolle was ranked a total of 2,222 for No.54 with a total of an average of 185.17 1,184 and an average and produced a high of 197.33. His top score of 392 in round performance was an two. opening round of 234. SONITH LOCKHART McClain and Burrows finished at Brathwaite were No.76 with a total score of 1,104 ranked No.42 with an average of and average of 184. 181.58 (2179) which included a Lockhart was No.84 with an high score of 404 in round two. average of 179.50 (1083), BrathLockhart and Burrows scored
an average of 171 and total of 2,052 to finish at no.47. In triples play, Pyfrom, Burrows and Rolle finished 24th with an average of 180.83. McClain, Lockhart and Braithwaite rounded out the field at No.31 with an average of 166.89. The men’s segment of the tournament continues through September 17. The Bahamas women’s team includes Jonice Lockhart, Driskell Rolle, Janice Hoyte, Marina McClain, Camille Burnside and Kayla Nixon. Their competition takes place September 18-24. The 2016 PABCON Senior Championships has high stakes for the region’s top competitors. The top eight men’s teams and top eight women’s teams will
qualify for the combined 2017 World Championships in Kuwait. This will be determined by a combined total pinfall from the following categories in each division - top four singles scores, top two doubles scores, top trios set and pinfall in team competition. The top two countries will qualify for the World Games, which is held every fourth year and next will be contested in Wroclaw, Poland, in July 2017. This will be a combined pinfall total for the top two men and top two women for each country during the 24 games at the PABCON event. The United States, Venezuela and Colombia previously qualified for the 2017 World Games through the PABCON Champion of Champions event in Mexico last April.
Semi-final playoffs heat up
PLAY ACTION: The Bahamas Government Departmental Basketball Association continued its semi-final playoffs at the AF Adderley Gymnasium on Wednesday night. While the Airport Authority Avengers faced the Police Crimestoppers, the Bamboo Shack Cybots lead their series against the Bahamas Department of Correctional Challengers. After losing game one 101-94 to the Crimestoppers on Saturday night, the Avengers rebounded for a 98-90 victory in game two on Monday. The Cybots, winners of game one 84-76 on Saturday, took game two 95-91 on Monday. Photos by Tim Clarke/The Tribune
Youth Flag Football League debut in Winton Saturday By RENALDO DORSETT Sports Reporter rdorsett@tribunemedia.net THE profile of flag football continues to increase in the country and a new initiative will now focus on youth development. The Bahamas Flag Football League (BFFL) will debut its Bahamas Youth Flag Football League on September 17 at the Winton Rugby Field. The league is designated to be a co-ed league for boys and girls, aged six to 17 years. BFFL President Jayson Clarke said the league sought to capitalise on the popularity of the adult leagues throughout the country and offer new opportunities to aspiring players. “I think the biggest factor in
getting the youth league up and running was the fact that we saw the potential opportunities for the young kids. “While the adult league is going on there are scores of young kids playing at the field and then when we look at it, those opportunities for those kids who have the knowledge of football, it allows them to be better positioned for scholarships, education and possibly a professional career. “Looking at those things and using football as a tool to help them develop those skills and develop the discipline that comes with learning a sport we saw the need to capitalise on this opportunity,” he said. “The potential for a youth league is always great because parents are always looking to get
their kids involved in something. I do see this league taking off very quickly, even though we will try to manage its growth. Of course volunteers will always be a challenge but we do see a similar potential at the youth level and hope to see a similar success as we have had at the adult level,” he said. Opening day and registration takes place this Saturday at the Winton Rugby Centre from 2-4pm. The registration fee is $35. Interested persons can email the BFFL with interest at bahamasflagfootballleague@gmail. com and registration forms will be forwarded. The league will also serve as a feeder system for the BFFL and future national teams. “By nature of our own adult league we have already found sev-
eral volunteers who will assist us with coaching the kids. The system is set up in such a way that kids as young as six up to adults can play once this is started. “The youth league is bracketed in groups and that also can serve as a feeder league into our adult programme,” Clarke said. “The hope is always that teams will adopt teams within the youth league and let it also serve as a mentoring option for adults to mentor and coach the kids and build strong relationships amongst them. “The kids will not only get the counselling from their parents but from others who can play a significant role in their lives.” The Abaco Youth Football Association is currently the lone youth development league playing
flag football. The sport could also be on its way into the school system. The National Sports Secretariat, jointly headed by the Ministers of Education, Science and Technology and Youth, Sports and Culture, recently announced that they were broadening their base to include more National Sports Championships this year for High School Sports. The National Sports Secretariat, formed in 2015, will be hosting a series of National Championships for the third consecutive year. But according to Evon Wisdom, the Sports Unit Director for the Ministry of Education, they have extended the programme to several new sports – including flag football.