Trackside Magazine

PRESIDENT ARCHER’S MESSAGE

Everyday a star is born, but it either takes the discovery of a lucky star or the polishing and honing of a dull one that makes him or her shine brightly. Whether it is a shooting star, a falling star or even a starburst, we know for sure that at the 20th Star Performers Track and Field Classic we are sure to find that magical star! After countless editions of this track and field classic, the Star Trackers’ organization has been instrumental in setting the stage for the nurturing and discovery of new talent from across the Family Islands.

Determined to refine their craft of staging events at world class standard, the Star Trackers and Star Elite organization pride itself on being the bright star in the sky that has led the way in re-shaping how the sport of track and field is now delivered. Through the introduction of organized event announcing, slavishly adhering to the enforcement of meet scheduling, program booklets, Family Island travel incentives, co-ordination of accommodations and accreditations and aggressive sponsorship initiatives have all added dimensions to our sport which has made the experience more entertaining, more organized, and more exciting even for the stars of the show – the athletes. As we begin our march towards the final days of the CARIFTA Games, this edition of the Star Performer Track and Field Classic will serve as a test event for the “Big Show”- The CARIFTA Games in April. The Star Performers Track and Field Classic will serve as the first of two test events prior to the CARIFTA Games where for the first time the Local Organizing Committee will be introducing new competition technology that will advance the way we record distances at the Games. Fans would be pleased

to see the usage of Electronic Distance Measuring devices that will minimize the risk of inaccurate measurements, while ensuring faster returns of results, thereby minimizing the period between each performance. For this and many more reasons the entire Bahamas Association of Athletic Associations community are indeed elated to be a part of these game changing moments. The stage is now set, and the curtain has been lifted to showcase some of the best talent throughout all The Bahamas. After coming off a very successful series of meets (T-Bird Flyer, DTSP Wolf Pack and Redline Athletics) producing a treasure trove of Carifta qualifying performance, we anticipate that the constellation of stars will decorate the Bahamian sky of even more Carifta qualifiers! It is with this expectation of excellence that we believe will inspire more athletes throughout the Islands of The Bahamas to get ready for the fierce competition that will meet us in these upcoming CARIFTA Games on Bahamian soil. My charge to every athlete is that we have come too far to turn back now…HE will not see us fail! and with each passing day, the BAAA family is gearing up for one of the greatest battles of its life here on home soil. On this 50th edition of the CARIFTA Games, indeed, me must show ourselves approved in one of the greatest battles in the history of this sport.

I am confident that as we continue to prepare for three days of CARIFTA battle, we will sparkle with the brilliance of shining stars throughout this Bahamian archipelago and show the world why we may be small in size but the light from our Bahamian stars will light up the world!

PRESIDENT BAHAMAS ASSOCIATION OF ATHLETIC ASSOCIATIONS (BAAA)

Drumeco

D. L. Archer

VISION STATEMENT

“To provide optimum physical training and discipline while enhancing character, leadership, and wholesome living among our athletes, by a team of qualified, dedicated, passionate coaches, assisted by committed, caring parents working in tandem, striving to promote excellence in the sport of track & field within the Commonwealth of the Bahamas.”

MISSION STATEMENT

The Star Trackers Track & Field Club will distinguish itself as a leader in track & field in the Bahamas and will be recognized for its ardent parental involvement. Its trifold (athletes, coaches, parents) formula for success will be utilized to foster and promote high academic standards and athleticism while cultivating productive citizens in the young people it trains, mentors and influence both on and off the track.

FOREVER IN OUR HEARTS

NURSE ISABELLE MARITA JOHNSON-PRATT

Isabelle, Izzy, Aunt Izzy, Tom, Aunt Tom, Nurse, Nurse Pratt, Nurse Johnson-Pratt, Goddie A Life well lived in service to God, Family and Country

Isabelle Marita Johnson-Pratt daughter of Emily Deveaux and Oscar and Clothilda Johnson, twin to Rosabelle, spouse of Ancel mother of Laura, grandmother of Lauren, Devynne, Anthaya and great-grandmother of Noelle and Celeste, was born in Port Howe Cat Island, during the time of the Great Depression. At an early age in the care of her paternal grandmother, Victoria “Mon” Johnson with whom she and her twin, would spend their formative years, Isabelle relocated to the Pond, in New Providence. Later they would move to Mason’s Addition.

In the early to mid-twentieth century, opportunities to pursue professional endevours were limited for the average Bahamian, whose formal education ended at fourteen, which today would be at the level of the junior secondary

school. Paths that were available included teaching and nursing. Having a nurturing, caring personality and a deep concern for others, Izzy was determined to enter the Nursing Profession. Coming from a generation and a family for whom it was natural to put service above self she embraced the opportunity to practice her profession in settings considered as hardship areas but areas that allowed her to reach the underserved.

Firm in the belief that access to healthcare is the right of every citizen, she served the Long Island community for more than a decade at a time when the nurse was the only health professional in many of the out islands where infrastructure including electricity, water and roads that is considered normal today was unavailable. Having completed her sojourn in Long Island she returned to New Providence to serve a special needs group through her posting at the Sandilands Rehabilitation Centre. On her retirement from active nursing duties, Isabelle attached herself to the department of Social Services where she took on the role of weekend foster mother.

A caring concerned and loving wife to Ancel, the dapper Long Islander with whom she was joined in marriage on 28th July, 1958. A doting mother, grandmother and great-grandmother, with a great respect for education she made available every opportunity for her daughter and subsequently her granddaughters to attain a good education that would enable them to pursue their professional endeavours. Her pride in Laura’s accomplishments was to say the least effervescent equaled only by the joy she felt at Devynne’s successes at the 2020 Olympics and other international track and field meetings. Her son-in-law’s involvement in track and field was the conduit through which she saw the world. As a coach of many successful athletes, Dave and his family would travel to host cities wherever international events were being held. In this way, Nurse Pratt would visit such countries/cities as Australia, United States, Caribbean and China. She loved and cared for all the athletes of Star Trackers as if they were her own children and got much pleasure cheering for them at meets. We will forever cherish her memories and remain grateful for her unconditional love.

BAAA ATHLETICS CALENDAR 2023

SPORTS NUTRITION: KEY STRATEGIES FOR IMPROVING PERFORMANCE

Dr. Patti L Symonette, PhD, CNS, CEP

Athletes have special nutritional needs; hence the whole discipline of sports nutrition was born. So, what exactly is Sports Nutrition? Sports Nutrition is a specialty area of study and application within the field of nutrition, that focuses on providing the fuel for exercise (training and competition), facilitating the recovery and rebuilding process, optimizing athletic performance, while also promoting overall health and wellbeing. Simply put, sports nutrition refers to nutritional strategies that are developed and applied to aid athletic performance so that athletes can compete at their best and gain an advantage over their opponents.

Because all athletes are not the same, differences may exist in specific nutrient needs, creating the exciting challenge of creating individualized nutrition plans for different athletes within the same sport, as well as in different sports. The key to sports nutrition is personalization.

There are three basic principles that are important for every athlete:

1. Fuelling–which is providing the body with sufficient food of excellent quality to enhance stamina, strength, and mental clarity.

2. Hydration–staying hydrated by drinking enough of the right type of fluids is fundamental to optimal performance in sport, and in fact, in every aspect of your health and life. Preventing dehydration and fatigue, while optimizing muscle performance, requires proper hydration strategies that include how much and when athletes should hydrate.

3. Recovery – strategies used post exercise to help athletes return to a resting or recovered state and are designed to minimize or prevent injury. Proper recovery also helps athletes get faster and better results from their training, including more muscle growth, improved strength, and speed. In addition, proper recovery keeps athletes both physically and mentally balanced.

Recovery strategies include cold therapy, massage, hydration, stretching, active recovery, nervous system recovery such as meditation, adequate and deep sleep, and nutrition. Recovery is an essential part of training. For athletes to perform at their peak, it is important that they restore and repair their mind and body. Remember the Rs of sports recovery: REPLENISH, REST, RESTORE, RECOVER!

The basics of sports nutrition for all athletes include the following nutrition guidelines:

1. Know how to eat to fuel your training.

2. Understand your nutritional demands during training and competition.

3. Consume a balanced diet that includes all the food groups.

4. Consume healthy fats (such as olive oil, coconut oil, avocado, salmon, nuts, etc.) to promote exercise recovery.

5. Consume enough protein to help muscle recovery and repair, and to help boost fitness performance.

6. Monitoryourhydrationstatus.

7. Eatexcellentquality,nutrientdensecarbohydrates, and dark leafygreen vegetables to provide the body with energy and essential nutrients.

8. Understand your nutrient needs based on your age, gender, and training so that you can make sure you are getting all the nutrients you need.

9. The timing of meal siscritical. After training it is recommended that athletes eat within 30 – 60 minutes to sustain muscle mass and to help optimize recovery.

For young athletes who are training, growing, studying, and competing, it is important to understand that the focus of healthy eating is to help ensure that you stay healthy over the long term, and to avoid “hitting the wall” or “bonking.” Know your nutrition game plan. To maximize your success, it is important to apply these nutrition principles correctly, and practice them during training. Do not try anything new on race day. Usually, it is only through a system of trial and error during training that you can develop your own personalized sports nutrition plan.

It is always advisable to work with a certified nutritionist or registered dietitian with experience in sports nutrition to guide you.

Dr. Patti Symonette, PhD is a Certified Nutrition Specialist, with expertise in Sports Nutrition. She can be reached at The Wellness Center & Personal Training Studio on 326-3663.

“YOUR ONLY LIMIT IS YOU”

The Battle to CARIFTA is here! “Your Only Limit Is You” is the phrase coined by the host club, Star Trackers Track & Field Club, to embrace the partnership with the Local Organizing Committee (LOC) of this year’s CARIFTA Games.

The best of the best in The Bahamas will take center stage with hopes of meeting the qualifying marks for the 50th Edition of The CARIFTA Games scheduled to take place April 7th -10th at the Thomas A. Robinson National Stadium.

Twenty (20) athletes have qualified so far for the Games with the list expected to grow this weekend adding to the field that is expected to challenge Jamaica this year as the top country in the region in athletics.

CARIFTA qualifiers in the Under 17 Girls age group includes the likes of Shayann Demeritte, Darvinique Dean, Bayli Major, Yulianis Akompi, Grace Komolafe, Terrell McCoy, Taysha Stubbs and Kamera Strachan. Andrew Brown is the lone qualifier so far in the Under 17 Boys age group after reaching the CARIFTA qualifying mark in the 400M in a time of 49.41 seconds to go under the qualifying time of 49.42 seconds easily winning the finals at the Sonja Knowles Classic this past weekend. Qualifying in the Under 20 Girls group is Shatalya Dorsett, Cassie Thompson, Amari Pratt, Javonya Valcourt and Lacarthea Cooper on the track. Annae Mackey and Calea Jackson also made the qualifying marks in shot put and discus respectively. Amari is the lone qualifier for the host club, however they have several other athletes who are vying for spots on this year’s CARIFTA team.

Rounding out the qualifiers in the Under 20 Boys is Adam Musgrove, Mateo Smith, Kaden Cartwright and Brenden Vanderpool. The Battle To CARIFTA!

CARIFTA 2023 QUALIFYING STANDARDS

UNDER 17 GIRLS

UNDER 17 BOYS

UNDER 20 GIRLS

UNDER 20 BOYS

MEET RECORDS

SP RECORD - RECORDS

STAR PERFORMERS 20TH TRACK & FIELD CLASSIC

MEET RECORDS

SP RECORD - RECORDS

MEET RECORDS STAR PERFORMERS

SP RECORD - RECORDS

TRACK & FIELD CLASSIC

PARTICIPATING CLUBS

3PA Stallions

Air Assault

AKJ Panthers

Alliance Athletics Track Club

Andros Heats - Andros

Another Level Track Club

Bahamas Speed Dynamics

Beginners Track & Field Club

Blue Chip Athletics Throwers

BM Management

Core Athletics

DTSP Wolf Pack

Fast Forward Athletics

Fast Track Athletics – Grand Bahama

Freeport Pacers – Grand Bahama

GB Invictus Athletics – Grand Bahama

GB Heats Athletics – Grand Bahama

Golden Eagles Track Club – Grand Bahama

High Performance Athletics

Hurry Murray Athletics

Jumper’s Incorporated

SunBlazers Track Club

Swift Athletics

Team Roberts

Unattached Athletes

X-Treme Athletics Track Club

Kids’ Athletics Academy

S.P.A.C.E. Athletics

Leap of Faith

LOC Raw Talent

Moore’s Island Exterminators - Abaco

Ninety Degrees Sports Club

Panthers Track Club

Patrick Bethel High

Phoenix Track Club

PVS Sports

R.K. Athletics

Road Runners TC

Spartans

Speed Academy

Speed Begins Track Club – Grand Bahama

Speed Capacity Maximized Track

Speed Kids

Spirit of Excellence

Star Elite Athletics

Star Trackers T&F Club

Striders

T-Bird Flyers Track Club

Triple Threat Throws

Velocity Athletics

Redline Athletics

Glass and Stone Mosaic, Ceramic, Porcelain, Marble, Travertine, River Rock, Porcelain Wood Planks, Tumble Stone, Grout, Thin-Set, Bathroom Accessories, Tools, Sealers, Adhesives, Grout Cleaners, Tile Trims, Marble Window Sills, Thresholds.

TEL. : (242) 328 – 0777 / (242) 328 – 0778 : (242) 802 – 0477

P. O. Box N 7341 NASSAU, BAHAMAS

WE’RE EXCLUSIVE BUT NOT “EXPENSIVE”

Congratulations to the Star Trackers Track Club on its 20th STAR PERFORMERS Track Classic Meet. We wish you great success, and may God continue to bless you.

STAR TRACKERS COACHES & EXECUTIVE COMMITTEE

TREASURER/TEAM MANAGER

Laura Pratt-Charlton

PARENT REPRESENTATIVES

Sandra Rolle

Xaviera Roach

Michelle Mortimer

ATHLETES REPRESENTATIVES

Amari Pratt

Reanno Todd

MEDICAL TEAM

Dr. Cindy Dorsett – Family Physician

Dr. Kelly Kramp - Chiroprator

Cordero Bonamy – PhysioTherapist

Michelle Mortimer - Nurse

DAVID CHARLTON President/Head Coach

RUDOLPH FERGUSON Coach

MYRIAM STAPLETON Assistant Coach

CLAUDLYN CLARKE Assistant Coach WELLINGTON RICHARDS Assistant Coach

LUTHER ROLLE Assistant Coach

TREVOR MACKEY Assistant Coach

STAR TRACKERS

Kiana Taylor Leya Smith

Valintino Charlton Mark Farrington

Danica Simmons Deryn Rodgers

Marcia Hall Zion Carey

Godfrey Brown Tajhon Major

Alexia Mason Jayla Smith Riley Ferguson Micah Bain

Jayden Davis Tre Ferguson

STAR ELITE

Benjamin Sherman

Zaria Stapleton

Amari Pratt

Nia Richards

Reanno Todd

Katia Archer

Josiah Lockhart

Caleia Burke

Nijae McBride

ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS

GOLD PARTNERS

CARIFTA Games LOC

Albany

Fidelity

Focol

SILVER PARTNERS

Mr. & Mrs. James Campbell

BRONZE PARTNERS

Lowe’s Wholesale

NUA Insurance Agents & Brokers

CORPORATE PARTNERS

Nassau Agencies Ltd. (NAL)

Oaktree Medical Centre

Bahamas Orthodontic Center

Center for Specialized Dentistry

C-Pra Texaco

Curry’s Pharmacy

Doc’s Pharmacy

Family Pharmacy

Global Tiles

Hilltop Pharmacy

The People’s Pharmacy

The Prescription Parlour Pharmacy #2 – EMR

Glass & Accessory Warehouse Ltd.

Pharmco Health

Wallace Whitfield Family

Alpha Kappa Alpha Sorority, Incorporated

Alpha Phi Alpha Fraternity, Incorporated

Bahamas Association of Certified Officials (BACO)

Bahamas Athletics – Kermit Taylor

CARIFTA Games LOC

C.F.P.I. Timing

Classic Party Rental

SIDDA Communications

National Sports Authority (NSA)

Thompson Trading

The Announcers Group

Master Mixx – Lyndon Johnson

Royal Bahamas Police Force

St. Augustine’s College Student Volunteers

Drs. Cindy Dorsett and Keir Miller and The Medical Volunteers

Star Trackers Athletes, Coaches, Parents, Family and Friends

All the best Nijae We are here for you at the starting line. We will still be here when you finish. Our super star, We Love you!

Your Parents Nigel & Shelly

WISHING THE STAR TRACKERS

CLUB A SUCCESSFUL MEET

CONGRATS

The Bahamas Pharmaceutical Association congratulates the Athletes, Coaches and Parents of the Star Trackers Track and Field Club on a successful 20th Classic

Jamarl