By BRENT STUBBS

Chief Sports Editor

bstubbs@tribunemedia.net

It was the college of “choice” for Road Runners women’s 400 metre hurdles specialist Ta-mia Taylor as she decided to compete for the Warriors track and field team at Indiana Institute of Technology (Indiana Tech).

The 17-year-old, who will graduate from St John’s College next week, said that Indiana Tech was her first choice because she liked the athletic and academic programme offered in Fort Wayne, Indiana.

Yesterday before a packed office of her family, friends and team-mates at the original Thomas A. Robinson Track and Field Stadium, Taylor officially signed her letter of intent as she prepares to enrol in school in August.

“This moment is unreal. I would like to thank God and everyone who has supported me so far in this journey because it wasn’t easy,” said Taylor. “It was very rough, so I would just like to thank everyone for supporting me in this journey.”

To the cheers of her team-mates from the Road Runners and St John’s College, Taylor said it’s a wonderful feeling to share the moment with them because they were there with her along the way. 

Taylor, who intends to study graphic design, said she’s looking forward to showing off her talent and expanding it more as she looks forward to being a good student-athlete and one day making it to the Olympic Games.

Her mother, Kissie Rolle-Wilson, said they saw the potential in her from an early age and they decided to push her. She said when they came out to the track, her husband Angelo Wilson reunited with coach Dexter Bodie of the Road Runners and the rest was history.

“We pushed her every time, especially me,” said Rolle-Wilson. “She knows that she is good, but I don’t think she realises how good she is. That is my take.

“Hopefully from this experience going off to college, she will take what her local coaches told her, she will take that to Indiana and she will go beyond Indiana. That is our hope.”

Trying to hold back the tears, Rolle-Wilson said they found another father-figure in coach Bodie, who took care of her and all of the athletes in the Road Runners. 

She noted that every time her daughter goes off to compete, she has to bring back some custard cream cookies for coach Bodie.

Bodie, who has served as her coach for the past 10 years, said he’s extremely proud of her achievement. He’s excited to see what the future holds for her. 

“I just want to thank coach Black, coach Missick and coach Lockhart for putting in the time with her,” he said. “I’m quite sure she will do well. She will achieve all of her goals when she gets over there. I’m happy for her in the choice she has made.

“I know she will do her parents well, she’s going to do her country well and she’s going to represent the school well, so I’m looking to see her representing the Bahamas in World Championships and Olympics. She was a very good athlete from start to finish. You couldn’t ask for anything else.”

Junann Lewis, principal at St John’s College, said Taylor was one of the representatives for the Giants, just as she did in representing the country and the Road Runners.

“As her school family, we are very proud of her. We are proud that she was able to choose the school she wanted to go to,” Lewis said. “I’m so glad that she said she’s going to be a student-athlete because coach Bodie, you prepared her for the athlete part and we prepared her for the student part. 

“So we are a family and we are sending her out there as a village. So we will continue to pray for her and for her family that she does well. We’re looking forward to some great things from Ta-mia Taylor.”

Road Runners’ team captain Trent Ford said Taylor was like a sister to him and he’s going to miss tormenting her in practice.

“I’m proud of her. She’s come far. I hope she continues to improve,” said Ford, who noted that Taylor has been an inspiration to him and the rest of their team-mates.

The male sprinter, who also made the CARIFTA team with Taylor, noted that as he gets set to graduate from St Augustine’s College, he hopes to follow in her footsteps by going off to college as well.