By BRENT STUBBS

Chief Sports Editor

bstubbs@tribunemedia.net

HAVING produced some of the top throwers in the country over the past decade, Blue Chip Athletics Throwers Club has set the stage for grooming the next core of competitors for the future.

With coach Corrington Maycock out of town, the club still hosted a very successful one-day clinic at Queen’s College for competitors in the disciplines of the javelin, shot put, discus and hammer.

Said Cameron Butler, a 17-year-old student of CR Walker: “I was invited by a friend to participate,” said Butler, who likes to compete in the shot put and discus. “I was glad that I came because I learned so much about the sport.”

Tatianna Branciccio, a 15-year-old 10th grader at Queen’s College, said the clinic was very nice.

“I tried some of these events in our physical education classes, so it was good to get a feel for it again,” she pointed out. 

“I really like the javelin and the discus. I threw the javelin very far and I was very comfortable with the discus.”

Taysha Stubbs, the CARIFTA under-20 girls’ gold medallist, was one of the senior athletes who joined the Blue Chip coaching staff with the clinic.

“I think there’s a lot of talent out there, so I was just glad to be able to come out and help,” said Stubbs, who is heading to the University of Nebraska on an athletic scholarship with team-mate Dior-Rae Scott.

“I really love the throws and I believe it is something that should be recognized a little more in this country ,especially the amount of hard work that we put in.”

She credited Mwycock and the rest of the Blue Chips coaching staff for getting her to where she is right now and indicated that she is confident that the throwers remaining at home will be in good hands.

Acacia Astwood, who along with LaQuell Harris, spearheaded the operation of the camp in the absence of Maycock. 

The 2017 CARIFTA bronze medal discus thrower from Queen’s College, who benefitted from a college scholarship at the University of Nevada, Las Vegas, said the clinic was very produt=ctive.

“I definitely from this batch of kids, we have to focus on their explosiveness because as throwers, you need to have a lot of power,” said Astwood, who ended up competing in the hammer before she was done.

She noted that although Maycock was off the island, he phoned in just about every minute, trying to get a view of what was taking place.

“He was very pleased with everything and how much the kids turned out,” Astwood said. “We feel we can find the next Annae Mackey, Taysha Stubbs and Dior-Rae Scott, who won medals at this year’s CARIFTA Games.”

Harris, another former CARIFTA medalist, said they couldn’t ask for a better group of campers, all 25 in total, who came out and participated.

“I would have liked to see more boys get involved in the sport. Lstely, we have been having a lot more girls,” Harris said. “So this is a plea to get more guys out.”

For those who participated, Harris said they saw potential in the discus, shot put and javelin.

“We will see how the summer and the off-season will prevail for them,” she said.

And even though Maycock was not present, Harris said his constant calls made it felt as if he was right there in person.

“He trusts us to give our guardance,” she stated. “He was traveling from Uganda, but while he was in London, he was online introducing himself to the campers. So it was a good experience all around.”