AD Harshaw Has Big Plans For College Of Bahamas Athletics

She said, "The goal is to attract and keep some of the premier student athletes at home and thus develop strong links to National Athletic Programmes. To achieve this end, the college has established an athletics department, and has hired a well known director to head it."

Chipman-Johnson said in addition to the review of academic programs and expansion, introducing a physical education component to the general education course outline and upgrading of physical facilities, the establishment of the Athletics Department is another "deliberate" move to enhance student life at COB.

Harshaw brings an extensive background and experience to COB. He has worked in professional sports with the Major League Oakland A’s and the National Collegiate Athletic Association (NCAA).

Most recently he was the Athletic Director at the University of California, Santa Cruz with direct responsibility for managing a budget ranging from $800,000 to $1 million."

Among his responsibilities were programme building and supervision, fund-raising and marketing of the sports program.

During his tenure, the University of California Harshaw was able to improve its athletics in Division III ranking from 230th in 2000 to 44th in 2005.

Harshaw said, in recent years the Bahamas has built tremendous momentum with success in sports, and what matters now is if the Bahamas can sustain that momentum.

He said, "I believe the Bahamas can sustain its success in the sports world in track and field, basketball, tennis and so on, and it is my job to bring COB to the forefront of this national movement. And I would like to encourage everyone in the islands to take part in the development of this new athletic program."

"One thing I would like to add," he said, "already it’s like Bradley Cooper, Director of Student Activities and Sean Bastian and I have developed a team and we are going to work closely together to create this programme here at the college."

Harshaw said he came across the advertisement for the opening at COB while searching the internet for internships for his students.

Asked why he chose to accept the job here in the Bahamas he said, "To be quite honest, I believe starting a programme from scratch can be quite exciting."

Continuing he said, "And the other thing I also realize is how much true potential there is on the island and me working with all this potential it can only benefit me. I know my skills may come in handy, and my contact with people I know may help the college get to where it wants to go, but doing something like this and working with the young Bahamians that I’ve met, is a reward for me."

Harshaw said in about two years he expects the college to be in a position to apply for membership to the NCAA and will in turn receive all of the benefits that an American college would get.

Additionally he said he would also seek to help form a Caribbean Athletic Conference.

Cooper who has been at the college for nearly three decades said it makes him "feel good" to finally have someone like Harshaw onboard to lead the way.

He said, "What’s happening now is that we are not only getting the facilities that we have been fighting for years in the college, but his presence also gives us that much more experience, and it will free up many of us in the athletic and activities department so that we can now do the work we need to do."

Copper said he believes the dream of the college gaining university status by 2007 and the athletic programme accepted in to the NCAA is achievable in two years.

Chipman-Johnson also noted that the college has acquired 100 acres of property on Gladstone road for the University of the Bahamas and additional sporting facilities.

She also noted that the college has the full support of the Ministry of Youth Sports and Culture and will seek to use some of their sporting facilities until the school has its own.