By BRENT STUBBS

Chief Sports Editor

bstubbs@tribunemedia.net

RISING young stars Andre Forbes and Leah Cartwright have now placed themselves in a class of their own as Bahamian rowers at Windsor Academy. 

The duo, who both got started in the sport by chance, are heading off to Stetson University in DeLand, Florida and Adrian College in Manitou Beach, Michigan respectively on athletic scholarships.

They are listed as the first Bahamian student-athletes to achieve the feat, something that head coach Rob Gibson said could not have been accomplished without their tremendous work ethic and enthusiasm for the sport. “I think it’s groundbreaking. As far as I know, they are the first two Bahamians to receive scholarships in rowing to big US schools,” Gibson said. “There’s been other rowers from the Bahamas that have rowed in North America, but I don’t think they were Bahamian born. These are two Bahamians who hold Bahamian passports and so by all accounts, they are rowing trailblazers in this country.”

Four years ago, Gibson, a Canadian Olympic rower, came to the Bahamas to help grow the sport of rowing in the Bahamas. He got started at the Nassau Rowing Club, but eventually opened the rowing program at Albany and subsequently established the first high school program at Windsor and in the region.

Forbes, who started at Queen’s College up to grade four before he transferred to Meridian School for two years, said when he enrolled at Windsor, it changed his whole perspective on rowing. 

“It was my mom, who suggested that I stop playing soccer, which I was playing my entire life up to that point because I kind of lost interest in the sport,” said Forbes, of the influence from his parents, Dinna ssnd Owen Forbes.

“When my mom suggested rowing and at the time, I said it wouldn’t hurt to try it. So I went to practice on the lake and I felt completely in love with the sport. I felt this was something I definitely would like to do.”

At 18 years old, Forbes will now get to pursue a college degree, his major undecided, as he leaves his 14-year-old brother Alex to continue the pathway through soccer. 

“I feel really accomplished. Three years ago when I first started, it was crazy. I was going into an unfamiliar sport. I didn’t know what I was getting myself into,” Forbes said. 

“Practices were tough, definitely. At some point, I just wanted to quit, but it was that voice in the back of my head that said keep pushing and good things will come out of it and good things will come out of it.”

With the mentorship from coach Gibson, Forbes said he was able to surpass all of his expectations for the sport. 

“The relationship with coach Rob has been perfect. Coach Rob is the best,” Forbes pointed out. “He pushes me in practice to be a better person on the water and also outside with my personality as well.”

When asked why he selected Stetson over all of the other choices on his list, Forbes said it was the community atmosphere, similar to what he experienced at Windsor.

“I visited the college for a summer programme and I was impressed with the boat house and all of the equipment,” he said. “ I kind of fell in love with that. And the community and the people, I fell in love with that. 

“They were so welcoming and we were just happy for me to be there. The road is definitely going to be tough, one hundred percent. It’s going to be a lot tougher than what it is now, but I’m prepared to take it on.”

Stetson University Haters men’s rowing team, coached by Jamie Frncis and assisted by Anthony Chacon and Andrew Rouse, is a divisione one school that is a member of the Metro Atlantic Athletic Conference (MAAC). 

Cartwright, on the other hand, joins Adrian College Bulldogs women’s team, led by head casch Andrew Wimmer and his assistant Franco Van Oordt. They compete in the Michigan Intercollegiate Athletic Association (MIAA) and are also part of the NCAA Division III program.

Prior to enrolling at Windsor Academy, she attended Queen’s College from K2 to grade 11. It was in grade ten that she started rowing with the Nassau Rowing Club. 

“I would see Windsor practicing on the water. They had a great team and great coaching, so I decided that I would like to be a part of that team where I could just build relationships with other athletes and also further my education,” she recalled.

“I got in contact with coach Rob. and I was super excited to start Windsor school in February of grade 11. I finished off my junior and senior years here at Windsor.”

During her short span with the team, Cartwright said she bonded well with her teammates as they traveled and competed together and to win some medals.

The 17-year-old said she finally found the “Leah type of sport” after she played softball and soccer and was an accomplished dancer in anything type of dance you can imagine, including broadway, jazz, tap, 

“They just wasn’t the Leah type of sport and so my mom found rowing for me on a facebook ad and she asked if I wanted to try it,” Cartwright said.

“I was sure. She paid for the classes every Saturday and I just did it every day. There have been no regrets at all ever since. The only regret is I wished I had started a little earlier.”

She noted that Gibson turned out to be the most “amazing” coach she has ever worked with in any of the other sporting disciplines that she was a part of. 

“He really took the time to find in me the athlete that I am today and being with the team,” she said. “ Andre pushes me in practices, as do my other teammates. It was like a family environment that pushed us. It was great overall.”

Now that she’s achieved the athletic scholarship, Cartqright said she hopes to make the most of her experience.  

“It was definitely hard because I did get accepted into other colleges,  but I think after viewing Adrian College in Michigan, it really opened up my eyes to what college rowing is all about,” Cartqwright stressed. 

“I got to spend a lot of time with the team. I got to get personable with the rowing coach. I think they made the process of picking the school so much easier. It was exactly like home. It’s a small team, closely knitted and the coach is great.”

She expressed her gratitude to Gibson for the mentorship he provided.

“ I will be sad whenI leave him, but the coaches over there made the experience well worth the trip. The decision was pretty easy,” she pointed out. 

“I just hope to become a better athlete and just grow as a young lady and get ready for adult life.” 

The eldest daughter of Sherrell and Chris Cartwrught, will leave at home a younger sister in Lauren, 15, who also rows with the Nassau Rowing Club.

“I’m definitely a bit nervous. The road is not going to be easy, leaving home, leaving my team, leaving my comfort zone,” Cartwright proclaimed. “It’s going to be pretty challenging, but I think with the relationships that I have developed, I think I can definitely get through it. 

“I’m pretty excited and happy about it because I also thought I would just be rowing for fun. I wasn’t sure how I would pay for college, but rowing gave me that opportunity, personally and emotionally and in every aspect and I would do it all over again. It’s just been great.”

Cartwright will 

Although he will miss them both, Gibson said he;s confident that with the transformation they have made in the short space of time competing in the sport, they will definitely excel at the collegiate level.