The Eleutheran - Eleuthera News, Sport and much more from Eleuthera: Eleuthera Gym  in 09  could open Scholarship opportunities

Eleuthera Gym  in 09  could open Scholarship opportunities
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admin on 04 January, 2009 
 
About four months ago the minister of Youth, Sports and Culture, Desmond
Bannister and his delegation traveled to Eleuthera  in an effort to locate a
site to build an indoor gymnasium.
The minister recently disclosed that the community recommended that an ideal
location to build the gym is near the Twin City Park, Palmetto Point. He noted
that this would be the most likely place, however, other sites  throughout
Eleuthera are still being considered.
Bannister said that the exact location could not be announced as yet but the
Ministry of Works is expected  to have all of the designs and surveys completed
before July 2009 with construction set to commence soon thereafter.
He further stated, "We are waiting for information from the Ministry of Works.
They are researching that area (Twin City Park) and when we get that information
we will move ahead. It will take them a while to get that information. They have
to consider certain things, such as the likelihood of flooding because when a
hurricane passed through there some time ago that was a problem".
"The ministry has, within its budget, the funds to build indoor gymnasiums on
three Family Islands and we would like to see one built in Eleuthera. We came to
this decision based on the hidden talent that is found in Eleuthera and the
success of the athletes from Eleuthera," added Bannister.
Opportunities are now out there for Eleutheran student athletes who aspire to
play the sport of their choice on a collegiate scholarship. The College Of the
Bahamas recently announced that an athletic scholarship program is  now in place
and that Family Island students would be given as equal an opportunity as the
New Providence based high school students.
The minister noted that the indoor gym would facilitate in the nurturing of
Eleutheran high school student athletes so that they can become top candidates
for COB scholarships.
"For far too long our Family Islands have not received what New Providence and
Grand Bahama have gotten. It is time the Family Islands get the same facilities.
The gym would give Eleutherans better opportunity to excel. Bimini recently got
their indoor gym. We feel as if an indoor gym would also assist with the
basketball and other programs down there. We have a standard design for the gym
which would include a basketball court, concession areas, changing rooms and
meeting rooms. The plan from the Ministry of Works has not been approved by
cabinet so I can not talk about it in full detail," underlined Bannister.
Sean Bastian, Assistant Athletic Director at COB will assist with scouting
talent throughout The Bahamas. "Before anything, academics must be stressed
because student athletes are exactly that...students then athletes," stressed 
Bastian. "In order to be eligible for a scholarship a student must have
maintained a grade point average of 2.0 in senior high school and must maintain
that while at COB to keep their scholarship. I am excited to know that this new
initiative would give Bahamian high school athletes an option to stay home and
experience that same type of experience that they would at a U.S. college."
By: The Eleutheran - Sports Writer