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The Ministry of Youth, Sports and Culture officially launched its national sports month on Monday, detailing the activities that are planned for November. Once again, the National Sports Hall of Fame will take center stage, and this year, 14 are set to be inducted. The inductees are: Foster Dorsett and Norbert Elliott for athletics; Arnold Bain, Steven ‘Bulla’ Pinder (posthumously) and Fr. Marcian Peters (posthumously) for basketball; Ernie Barr and Alvin Sargent for boxing; Sidney St. Clair and Kim Thompson for cycling; Don Cornish and Laverne Symonette for volleyball; Joseph ‘Joe Billy’ Rolle for horse racing; Rev. Dr. Phillip McPhee for sailing; and Rex Burnside for bodybuilding and powerlifting. Speaking on behalf of the Class of 2025, Cornish said it’s a privilege to be recognized in this way. The National Sports Hall of Fame Induction Ceremony is set for Thursday, November 20, at 7 p.m. at the Sandals Royal Bahamian Resort. “There would have been contributions which cover a range of areas in sports and from many decades of hard work,” said Cornish on Monday. “It speaks to generosity and talent, as well as sacrifices and commitment, to engage in a struggle to ensure the highest level of success in sports in the Commonwealth of The Bahamas. Ultimately, we’re not looking for a reward. We take this work as a commitment, and as an act of God working in and through us to make a difference in our lives and the lives of others. In the absence of compensation, many of us, having a chance, would do it all over again. This is a rewarding and necessary journey toward building our nation, and we are grateful that our names have been called, and we appreciate it.” Minister of Youth, Sports and Culture Mario Bowleg said that it’s the work of hall of famers that build a nation, and he congratulated the honorees on reaching this stage of national prominence. “The National Sports Hall of Fame serves as a lasting symbol of excellence and perseverance. It honors those who have not only excelled in competition, but also uplifted others through mentorship, leadership and service. They are our true champions, men and women, who have carried the Bahamian flag with pride on courts, tracks, fields and in rings, across the region and around the world,” said the minister. “These honorees are the very heart of our nation. They are people defined by discipline, perseverance and unity. We salute you. You have paved the way for others to compete and to dream, and for the understanding that through hard work, all things are possible. “As we honor the past, we also look to the future. Our mission remains clear, to create more opportunities for Bahamians, to promote wellness in every community, and to ensure that sports continues to build bridges across our islands. The spirit of sportsmanship is alive across the length and breadth of The Bahamas.” Starting off National Sports Month in November will be a health and wellness fair at the Mall at Marathon this Saturday — November 1. There will be free health screenings, fitness demonstrations, donation of sports equipment to schools, and sporting activities. Inclusive in the health screenings are 50 free mammograms and 50 free prostate cancer screenings, emphasizing that real strength begins with good health. The ministry is partnering with Baha Mar and the Ministry of Health and Wellness in the staging of the health and wellness fair. On November 2, there will be a church service at Bahamas Harvest Church at 9:30 a.m., signalling the beginning of the National Sports Month. The ministry will kick off a month-long exercise program on November 3, with aerobics exercises from 10 a.m. to 1 p.m. Monday to Friday at the Kendal G.L. Isaacs National Gymnasium, and free water aerobics and learn-to-swim classes at the South Beach Pools in that same time window. There will be a lifeguard graduation ceremony in Freeport, Grand Bahama, on November 4, and another one in Nassau on November 15. More than 50 students are set to graduate. The unveiling of six new portraits at Legends Walk at the entrance of the Thomas A. Robinson National Stadium, including one of Bahamian baseball star Jasrado ‘Jazz’ Chisholm Jr., is set for November 7, starting at 7 p.m. The National Sports Awards is set for November 8 at the Sandals Royal Bahamian Resort. November 10-15 is being pinned as education and literacy week, in which there will be a number of school visits and a college fair. The Class of 2025 into the National Sports Hall of Fame will be recognized in an official visit to the House of Assembly on November 19. The highlight of the month, the National Sports Hall of Fame Induction Ceremony, is set for Thursday, November 20, at 7 p.m. at the Sandals Royal Bahamian Resort. November 23 kicks off national boxing week, and that will include a church service at New Covenant Baptist Church on November 26, a display detailing past accomplishments in boxing at the Ivy L. Dumont Building, a community outreach event at the Persis Rodgers Home for the Aged from 10 a.m. to 1 p.m. on Thanksgiving Day, Thursday, November 27, and a luncheon at the Breezes Bahamas Resort in which they will honor 36 boxers of the past on Friday November 28. The celebrations will continue in Grand Bahama. The boxing community will head to Grand Bahama and have a church service at Mary Star of the Sea Catholic Church on November 30, there will be an opening of a boxing museum in Grand Bahama during the week, and also there will be a conclave, school visits, a boxing tournament and presentation of awards. Past Bahamian boxers from Freeport, Grand Bahama, Sherman ‘Tank’ Williams and Floyd Seymour, are just a couple of the legends who are expected to make an appearance during the week. “There are 30 days dedicated to movement, motivation and community, celebrating health, wellness and the people who make sports in The Bahamas helpful and meaningful,” said Kelsie Johnson, acting director of sports in the Ministry of Youth, Sports and Culture. “Let’s move together and make November a month to remember.” As mentioned, the month of activities will get underway with a health and wellness fair at the Mall at Marathon this Saturday.
