School sports off the table for the rest of 2021

For the second year in a row, due to the advent of COVID-19, the school year will start with no after-school sports being played in The Bahamas.

As it stands now, the government school sector has started virtually as mandated by the Ministry of Education, and a number of private schools are doing the same. Additionally, the latest Emergency Powers (COVID-19) Orders prevent sporting activities and sports gatherings from taking place at this time, as the deadly coronavirus is still prevalent in the country, not to mention the arrival of the delta variant as revealed this week.

Schools opened virtually in the government school sector, and in a number of private schools, on Monday.

Following a meeting on Wednesday, Varel Davis, who is now the former president of the Government Secondary Schools Sports Association (GSSSA), as all seats were vacated, confirmed that after-school sports is on hold, at least for the remainder of the year. It’s not even up for discussion in the private schools sector.

Davis, who is once again running for GSSSA president, when the elections are held in two weeks’ time, said they are hopeful that the student-athletes are able to maintain fitness during this period of stagnancy and are able to monitor their own development up until the time when after-school programs resume.

High school seniors would be mostly affected, possibly missing out on scholarship opportunities.

“We were hoping that we would be able to start this term with sports on the agenda having not engaged in any sport last year,” said Davis. “We do understand that health and safety for all is very important. We are optimistic that hopefully next term, we would be able to engage in after-school sports.”

Just like in the spring of 2021, Davis said, if re-elected, she intends to spearhead the release of documents detailing a safe return to after-school sports programs.

“The plan is to get back on the field of play as soon as possible,” she said. “Once we get approval, we will begin with our outdoor sports like softball, baseball, track and field and soccer with protocols in place. All of this depends on if the virus is under control and we are able to get back to face-to-face learning.

“We are hopeful and praying things will get better for our kids’ sake. It’s been very tough for some of the athletes, especially those ones who were trying to get scholarships. We’re just hoping that we could get sports started,” she added.

As mentioned, all of the executive seats of the GSSSA became vacant at their Annual General Meeting (AGM) on Wednesday. The election of officers will be held after the country’s general election next week. Davis is seeking a fourth two-year term in office.

“I would like to thank my family, the principals association, my executive team, the members, and my coworkers at C.H. Reeves Physical Education Department for their assistance and support over the years,” she said. “This position is not an easy one but through God’s grace and mercy, I was able to accomplish a lot. We will continue to pray that things will get better, so we could open up schools face-to-face and we could get back to what we love to do as coaches, which is to coach. We miss it and the students miss it as well.”

The government school sector usually starts the school year with volleyball while the private schools start with softball. Sports has been on hold in the high school sector ever since the pandemic reached The Bahamas in March of 2020. High school athletes were literally pulled off the track during the Bahamas National High School Track and Field Championships at the Thomas A. Robinson National Stadium, and the meet was cancelled, as the first case of COVID-19 was confirmed in The Bahamas. The remainder of 2020 was lost as well as the entire 2020-2021 season, which ultimately affected physical development, social interaction and the competitive spirit of young athletes.

With no end in sight for the coronavirus pandemic, it is unknown if the stoppage of sports would carry over into 2022.

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