The Bahamas Baseball Federation election of officers is set for Saturday, November 7th, at the Foster Pestina Auditorium at Christ the King Church in Freeport, Grand Bahama beginning at 10:30am.
The Bahamas Baseball Federation election of officers is set for Saturday, November 7th, at the Foster Pestina Auditorium at Christ the King Church in Freeport, Grand Bahama beginning at 10:30am.
There will be nine executive positions members of the federation can challenge including president, four vice-presidents posts, secretary general, an assistant secretary general, treasurer and assistant treasurer.
On Thursday in an interview with The Bahama Journal, incumbent president Craig Kemp said, he was informed that there is
no one challenging him for the office of president, "but if someone feels that they would like to challenge me, its fine. I know that I am not the only one with ideas or that can lead, and if someone else is willing to step up to the plate I would accept that," said Kemp.
Those are the words echoed by a confident president heading into the elections. Kemp said if he is re-elected as president, his focus will be on Family Island development and a baseball facility in New Providence.
"I would like to see more baseball played in other islands of The Bahamas that are not now playing the sport, primarily major islands like Andros, Abaco and Eleuthera. We have had a lot of opportunities in the past where we have gone into these communities and have extended our willingness to assist whom ever wanted to start programmes," he explained.
"However, finding committed individuals in those communities seemed to be our biggest challenge; but really and truly I would like to see every child in The Bahamas having the same opportunity to play baseball if they so choose to do that," he said.
If challenged and victorious or unopposed, Kemp said in his second term 2009-2011, he would see to it that the senior players have a home to play.
"We have been developing a lot of young athletes that have been expose to high level baseball and when they return home, there is no where to play," said Kemp.
The Andre Rogers National Baseball Stadium and the Churchill Tenner Knowles Softball Stadiums were demolished in 2004 to make way for the new National Stadium.
Kemp said more recently, the federation has only been receiving verbal commitments from the Ministry of Youth, Sports and Culture headed by Minister Desmond Bannister.
"No action has been taking place and we would like to see more action taking place to secure a field for our elite baseball players," said Kemp.
Looking back at his two years in office as president, Kemp said he is extremely pleased with the work of his administration.
"We have accomplished quite a bit. I think our greatest accomplishment would be the amount of young men we were able to assist in getting off to high school and colleges in the United States of America each year."
"Also the amount of exposure we were able to give to players travelling to little league tournaments. We are also pleased with the level of play at our Junior National Championships which is now growing in interest and attracting more high school and college coaches from the USA," said Kemp.
