Everyone knows there is always something happening in Grand Bay.
This past weekend all of the action was at the Grand Bay Youth Centre for the 2nd annual 4-on-4 Hoop Jam. Six teams from Grand Bay and environs participated and after four hours of tough competition, only one team came out on top.
The teams played a single elimination tournament and two wins lead to the finals. The championship game was between the Young Schemerz and Team Converse. The game was played well past sunset. Team Converse didn’t need any light to beat out the Young Schemerz though and they won by a narrow 4 points.
The members of Team Converse, including Larry Boney, Worrine Birmingham, Dwight Baron, and Marvin Jolly, walked away with a trophy and $50 cash prize. Second and third place teams also took away trophies and $40 and $30 cash prizes, respectively.
“This is the first of many events like this that will take place this year,” said Sharmane Mark-Dickson, the Youth Officer for the Southeast district, who organized the event.
“Everyone had a great time and wanted to know when the next tournament would be. I expect the next competition to be even bigger,” she added.
In all, over 200 people showed up to the event and with the music blasting and the fans cheering, it was as much a party as it was a tournament.
Among the competitors was an all girls team from the Pierre Charles Secondary School, who named themselves the Unstoppable Girls. They certainly lived up to their name in the first half and remained tied to their much older male competitors, Team Converse, for the majority of the game. The Converse boys managed to get the win despite the amazing number of three-pointers the Unstoppable Girls put in.
Organizers and spectators are extremely optimistic about the future of Grand Bay athletics after the success of the 4-on-4 Hoop Jam and with Abraham Brown stepping in as the new Sports Officer for the South, things are looking up.
Walson Pacquette, a teacher at Pierre Charles Secondary School and President of the Grand Bay Youth Centre Club, said he was especially proud of the young women who showed no fear and also stated, “When I was in school, Grand Bay was a powerhouse in almost every sport. It’s time we get back to that.”
Great job guys on an assignment well executed! Don’t worry too much about the size
for now, a seed has been planted and knowing Grand Bay community the soil is rich
around there so your seed will grow.
Coach Wally keep teaming up with positive people and like Shammane and folks in the
Diaspora, and things will continue growing around in the community. Remember, “It’s
better to be prepared for an opportunity and don’t have one, than to have an opportunity
and not be prepared for it”. Well job well done and keep improving the sports culture.
Coach…
Shame on us people,something positive happens in grandbay and only eight comments so far.When it’s violence it’s 500 comments.SHAME SHAME SHAME!!!
GOOD JOB GUYS EVEN I DIDNT GET THE TIME TO COME SEE YOU ALL AT B-BALL.
I SEE MY DJ/BASKETBALL PLAYER DOING A MICHEAL JORDAN STYLE THERE I SEE YOU DJ MJ DO YOUR THING. THATS THE KIND OF POSITIVE ENERGY WE HAVE IN GRANDBAY THAT WE NEED TO TO UPHOLD AND MAKE OUR COMMUNITY THE BEST IT CAN BE CAUSE IT CAN BE ALOT BETTER. WE GRANDBARIANS ARE GOOD AND BLESSED PEOPLE.
I HOPE TO SEE ALOT MORE EVENTS LIKE THAT IN GRANDBAY
well you can not blame grandbay for being good
next year … try and get more teams involved …other comunities
and put up more money for dem prizes… that would definately attract more players
Good job guys.Nice positive vibz from sout city.We once champion all sports in d/a ,we need to get back on track let grandbay name be florished in news not related to violence.GO SOUT CITY!!!!!
This is positive vibes. Great job Sharmane and the Youth Department (I dislike the term Youth Division). Much respect to Team Converse, The Unstoppable Girls and coach Walson.
To improve 4-on 4 Hoop Jam; let’s start a fund-raising drive by selling bakes, lemonade and wings for carnival and other festivities. Do not spend too much to avoid waste and leftovers. A raffle with modest prizes can also be organized. The funds can be used to increase the prize for the champions and to organize a female competition. Unstoppable Girls are champions in my book. Ask local businesses and folks in the diaspora,like Waseen Dominic, for sponsorship.
why do we have to put grand bay name for grand bay is a good community is just that some people like to much trouble and is not grand bay that bad ok so leave us alone
It’s all positive so far…….Is that a DUHH moment you having?
Good Luck guys…keep up the good work Shermain…thanks for keeping our young people of the streets…the same will be done for your children…..God Bless Cuz. (Larry i want a Kubuli on that).