16 THE FREEPORT NEWS Friday, September 7, 2018 SPORTS Director of Sports Munnings confident Sports Authority issues being resolved SPORTS SCOPE BY FRED STURRUP LESTER COX BRIDGING GAP REGARDING GM The National Sports Authority He did acknowledge howev- Munnings. aforementioned is indicative (NSA) has been an embattled er, that there are some areas he The NSA, established by the of the importance of the NSA entity for quite some time now. would like to see more progress Sports Authority Bill of 2010, is to the vibrancy of the national Under a previous manage- in. an essential government sport- sporting landscape. In all in- ment, concerns in great num- “I’d like to see more activi- ing arm. Some of the primary stances, the Minister of Sports bers were expressed by repre- ties getting accommodated by functions set out in the Act are: is to be advised and updated. sentatives of sporting bodies. the NSA. There should be more 1. To own, establish, devel- Unfortunately, the NSA has The disharmony surrounding marketing of the facilities. The op, improve, manage, maintain been floundering in recent the NSA also included, I have maintenance of facilities need and take full control of all gov- times. been told, conflicts with former to be ongoing and the NSA ernment sporting facilities. Director of Sports Munnings “I’d like to see more activities Minister of Youth, Sports and needs to stay on top of that,” 2. To foster, support or un- claims the NSA is on a more Culture Dr. Daniel Johnson. said Munnings. dertake in co-operation with the progressive course. There is getting accommodated by the More recently, infighting has As for the situation regarding Minister of Sports, provision much to do to prove its worth been intense and the NSA has a functioning general manager, for government sporting facil- and to justify the funding ear- NSA. There should be more mar- not been productive. the nation’s sports director ad- ities. marked annually in the national Well, Director of Sports Tim mitted that presently no one is 3. To encourage the pro- budget for the NSA, salaries, keting of the facilities. The main- Munnings, on Thursday, ex- actually performing in that ca- motion, development and co- stipends etc. pressed optimism that the is- pacity. ordination of sports and the Hopefully, Director Mun- tenance of facilities need to be sues that plagued the NSA will “A general manager has been achievement of excellence in nings’ confidence will pan out be resolved soon. identified. He is a Bahamian but competitive sport. positively for the NSA. ongoing and the NSA needs to “Everything will be his situation is still being sort- 4. To facilitate sports relat- (To respond to this column, stay on top of that,” smoothened out in time. The ed out. Presently, Mr. (Lester) ed activities for the promotion kindly contact Fred Sturrup at ~ TIM MUNNINGS management team is capable of Cox, who is a board member, of youth development. [email protected] or on National Director of Sports functioning,” said Munnings. is bridging the gap,” informed There is much more, but the WhatsApp at 727-6363). U.S. soccer eyes culture change, with new coach by year’s end front-runner and said he has no es. Bruce Arena, who replaced The new coach will be the first defender who made 44 appear- RONALD BLUM regrets Juan Carlos Osorio took Jurgen Klinsmann in November in USSF history to work primar- ances for the U.S. from 1994- AP Sports Writer himself out of consideration by 2016, quit three days after the ily at the federation’s headquar- 2006, often alongside Stewart. agreeing this week to coach Par- defeat. USSF President Sunil ters in Chicago. All federation “We played together and we’ve EAST RUTHERFORD, N.J. aguay. Gulati decided not to run for a men’s and women’s coaches communicated with each other, (AP) — Earnie Stewart in- After reaching out to 15 to 20 fourth term, and Gulati confi- will be required to work out of but friends? That’s a little over- tends to change the culture of people in the American soccer dant Carlos Cordeiro was elect- Chicago, though an exception is board, I’d want to say,” Stewart the American national team by community to develop a profile, ed president in February. The being made for current women’s said. “We have a professional having the next coach and his Stewart knows what he wants. federation board established national team coach Jill Ellis, relationship and we played with staff work out of the U.S. Soc- “We are a country that are new GM positions for the men’s whose team has a World Cup each other.” cer Federation’s headquarters in aggressive in the right sense and women’s national teams. next year and an Olympics in Jay Berhalter, Gregg’s brother Chicago. of the word, that we’re a little While Gulati was the driving 2020. and the USSF chief commercial In his first public comments bit in your face,” Stewart said force in the hiring of Bob Brad- “The culture that I believe in and strategy officer, is not in- since starting the new job of Thursday. “There’s also a way ley in 2006, Klinsmann in 2011 is actually sitting face to face volved in the hiring process. men’s national team general that that could be implemented and Arena, Cordeiro and long- and talking about situations and Stewart said he has been con- manager on Aug. 1, Stewart said in a system, in a formation, by time Chief Executive Officer styles and principles and for- tacted by six or seven candi- the coach will be announced a coach.” Dan Flynn will not participate mations and strategies and get- dates, either directly or through by the end of the year, possibly Stewart spoke a day before in coach interviews and delegate ting the best out of each other,” EARNIE STEWART agents. It’s possible only one ahead of November exhibitions the Americans play an exhibi- the task to Stewart, USSF chief Stewart said. “It’s yin and yang, candidate will be interviewed. against England and Italy. tion against Brazil, their seventh sport development officer Nico and the best way is around the “I don’t think it’d be healthy “It’s somebody that has to have Stewart said ability to speak game under interim coach Dave Romeijn and chief soccer officer table every single day.” that somebody sits down at a ta- a we mentality, somebody who English was a requirement and Sarachan. Ryan Mooney. Arena, Klinsmann and Bradley ble ... and he says I want to live wants to work together,” he said. that knowledge of soccer in The USSF was upended with Stewart, a midfielder who all lived in Southern California on the beach and be there most “I think that’s important because the region, the U.S. and Major a 2-1 loss at Trinidad and To- made 101 appearances for the while coaching the Americans. of my time,” he said. in this day and age I don’t think League Soccer a preference. bago last October that ended U.S. from 1990-2004, will make Stewart doesn’t think the re- Stewart wouldn’t say whether one person can do a whole job, He denied that Columbus Crew the Americans’ streak of seven a recommendation to the USSF quirement will cause any candi- the 64-year-old Sarachan is a especially a country as big as coach Gregg Berhalter is a straight World Cup appearanc- board, which has final say. dates to withdraw. candidate. Berhalter, 45, was a this, as we are.” Allen, Nash, Kidd, Hill in lineup for basketball hall JIMMY GOLLEN land in the East finale. AP Sports Writer Even though Allen reached the Springfield, Massachusetts SPRINGFIELD, Mass. (AP) shrine, thanks in part to his — The most prolific three- three-point shooting, he also point shooter in NBA history had a mid-range shot. And would like to make the case for fellow Class of 2018 member the mid-range jumper. Grant Hill says Allen wasn’t On the eve of his induc- afraid to drive past the defend- tion into the basketball Hall er to the basket. of Fame, Ray Allen says that Also to be enshrined on Fri- watching the conference finals day night are Steve Nash, Jason last year convinced him that Kidd, Maurice Cheeks, Tina teams are over-relying on the Thompson, coach Lefty Drie- long-range shot. The Houston sell, Charlie Scott, longtime Rockets missed 27 straight executive Rick Welts, NBA Basketball Hall of Fame inductee Ray Allen, right, smiles after he was presented his Hall of Fame jacket by Naismith Hall of Fame threes in Game 7 against Gold- executive Rod Thorn, Katie President and CEO John Doleva during a news conference at the Naismith Memorial Basketball Hall of Fame, Thursday, Sept. 6, en State last year, and the Bos- Smith, the late Ora Mae Wash- 2018, in Springfield, Mass. ton Celtics went 7 for 39 from ington and Croatian star Dino (AP PHOTO/JESSICA HILL) beyond the arc against Cleve- Radja..