The 4th Annual DTSP (Development of Technique, Speed and Power) Wolfpack Track Classic is set to get underway tomorrow morning at the Thomas A. Robinson National Stadium. The meet is set to start at 9 a.m.
Head Coach and President of the DTSP Wolfpack Track and Field Club, Larry Clarke, is excited about what’s to come this weekend.
“Despite the COVID-19 environment, our sponsors were able to help us pull this meet off,” Clarke stated. “It is all about the 242 and affording the athletes an opportunity to qualify for CARIFTA and more importantly to get times to get into universities.”
The title sponsor for the meet is Oaktree Medical Center. ‘Golden Girl’ Eldece Clarke has donated a trophy for the mixed relay, and veteran coach Ronald Cartwright is the honoree.
Fortunately for the club, they were able to host their meet last year before the COVID-19 pandemic hit The Bahamas. The first meet was held back in 2018, and the club is six-years-old.
To ensure COVID-19 protocols and guidelines are followed, about 100 volunteers will facilitate the running of the meet. There will also be about 38 officials working the meet.
Clarke said that putting on a meet of this magnitude has been difficult.
“If you know the history of Wolfpack, I am governed by an executive board. Once we were able to share the vision with the parents and coaches, we went out and started to solicit sponsors with all hands on deck. It was challenging at first and with God’s grace and mercy, we hung in there. In a few hours the meet will get underway and then it is hunting season,” Clarke stated.
The meet is a closed one meaning no spectators are allowed in the stands. However, it will be live streamed on the club’s Facebook page, Wolfpack Trackclub. It will also be live streamed on Gary Miller’s Vimeo page.
Assistant coach for the Wolfpack, Derrick Brown, said that he wants to see his athletes perform to the best of their ability.
“From meet to meet we like to see them getting better and progressing throughout the season. Each meet is a step in that direction. We expect the kids to go out there and do their best. That is all we ask of them to do – give us their best performance,” he said.
At Wolfpack, Brown said they look at building the athletes spiritually and also assist in building character. He said the Wolfpack athletes are ready to perform. One of those athletes is Jeremiah Adderley who runs the under-17 boys 100 meters (m) and the 200m. At the Bahamas Association of Athletic Associations (BAAA) Easter Classic, he finished second in the 100m with a wind-aided time of 10.65 seconds.
“I am hoping to drop my times a little more and if the winds are not too much, hopefully qualify for the 200m,” Adderley said.
The Nassau Christian Academy (NCA) grade 10 student has qualified for the 100m for CARIFTA at the ‘B’ standard, and is hopeful of reaching the ‘A’ standard and also qualifying for the 200m. He said he will look to put a show this weekend.
Running the under-20 boys 100 and 200m races for the Wolfpack will be Elkan Johnson and Lamont Moss.
“I am hoping to get personal records and have a good meet. The season has been going good with practices and staying consistent with my workouts,” Moss said.
The freshman at the University of The Bahamas (UB) said he wants to qualify for CARIFTA but his bigger goal is to go off to university.
Johnson, who goes to St. John’s College, said going up against his clubmates like Moss, and other athletes, is a challenge that he is looking forward to.
“The competitiveness is very tough but it is fun. This is the sport where you work hard and you just have fun with it,” Johnson stated.
During the height of the pandemic last year, Clarke said it was difficult to train athletes as it was tough to find green spaces that would not be crowded. He commended his coaching staff in keeping the team motivated.
Other than Oaktree Medical, the meet is sponsored by National Health Insurance (NHI), Thompson Trading Co., Caribbean Bottling Co. and Aetos Holdings Ltd. Those sponsors along with private citizens have made the meet possible, said Clarke.
The post Wolfpack fourth annual classic set for Saturday appeared first on The Nassau Guardian.
source https://thenassauguardian.com/wolfpack-fourth-annual-classic-set-for-saturday/
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