By Andrew Coakley

FN Sports Editor

ONE OF THE TEAMS – Above, players from Freeport Bible Church pose for this photo during half-time in their game against Community Holiness Church. Freeport Bible loss the game 38-26. These are two of the teams that are currently playing in the first event organised by the GB Church Sports Council. The Tournament will continue on Saturday at the Eight Mile Rock Gymnasium.

The idea is not new, but one that has died a slow death down through the years.

A sporting body within the Church environment is something that many presidents of various sporting Associations have talked about; and even a topic that had been brought up by President of the Grand Bahama Christian Council, when he first took office years ago.

Now, once again, the idea has popped up, like a Jack in the Box, once the right tune is played.

However, with the idea and the structure of the program being put in writing, it appears that this time, they've gone a step further than just talk.

On Friday past, an official press conference was called to announce the formation of the Grand Bahama Church Sports Council.

The slogan for the Council is "Christian Fellowship through sports." Director of the Council is Lindy Russell, Member of Parliament for Eight Mile Rock, who said that for the past few weeks youth leaders from the various churches in Grand Bahama had been meeting with a view to form the Sports Council in order to coordinate, facilitate and to promote Christian fellowship through the arena of sports.

"Sports, as we are aware, is a very powerful medium for good, especially when it is executed in a Christian environment where the emphasis is placed, not on individualism, but rather on team spirit, sportsmanship and fellowship," said Russell.

"In this kind of environment the focus is not on winning, only on participation."

Russell said that the objective of the GB Church Sports Council is to promote sporting activities within the various church denominations and generally throughout the church community in Grand Bahama.

According to Russell, the organizational structure of the Church Sports Council is comprised of a Director (who is Russell), who's responsibility will be to coordinate the activities of the council.

There will be three Assistant Directors who will assist in coordinating three Districts – East, West and Freeport.

The Executive Committee will also include a representative from each of the various church denominations.

"The GB Church Sports Council has identified five sporting disciplines that it will engage in," said Russell. "Namely, basketball, softball, volleyball, track and field and bowling.

"This will by no means rule out any other sport that any particular church may wish to recommend to the Sports Council for participation as special events."

To show just how serious they are about the formation of this Council, a sporting event has already been scheduled.

The Council planned a basketball tournament, which began on Saturday past at the Eight Mile Rock Gym.

The Tournament will also be held on Saturday, November 18 and Saturday, November 25, all beginning at 4 p.m.

The Basketball Tourna-ment was set to take place from October 26-28, but the date conflicted with another special event at the Eight Mile Rock gym and the Council agreed to postponed the tournament.

But then came the Vita Malt Basketball Classic and the Countdown to Glory Conference, which was held at the Eight Mile Rock gym, forced the Council to postpone the Tournament again.

The Tournament got underway on Saturday.

There was no registration fee for the Tournament, however, each church participating is expected to be identified by wearing uniform T-shirts displaying the name of their church and the name of their team.

"All churches on Grand Bahama are being invited to be a part of the Church Sports Council and to participate in any or all of the sporting events," said Russell.

"We look forward with great anticipation to the participation of all our churches in the Grand Bahama Sports Council's sporting activities that will promote Christian fellowship, team spirit and harmony.

"That will serve as a testimony to the community of Grand Bahama for the glory of God."

Churches who have already registered with the GB Church Sports Council include Mt. Zion Baptist Church, Freeport Bible Church, St. Stephen's Anglican Church, St. Judes' Anglican Church, St. David Methodist Church, Comm-unity Holiness Church, Freeport Gospel Chapel, More Than Conquerors Ministry, Church of God of Prophecy, St. John's Baptist Church and Christ the King Anglican Church.

"We're not an organization that will have to sanction anything, we just exist to promote fellowship through sports," said Russell.

Following are the results from Saturday's games at the Eight Mile Rock gym;

Game One

Freeport Bible Church - 26

Community Holiness - 38

Game Two

Church of God Coral Road - 29

Mt. Zion Baptist Church - 27

Game Three

Freeport Bible - 28

Community Holiness - 39