The Barracudas of the St. Croix Educational Complex were the fastest girls relay team at the prestigious 46th Poly Relays in San German, Puerto Rico recently. The boys team took second overall.
Their times were of championship caliber and will make them medal contenders at the Penn Relays in Pennsylvania, which has the best high school competition in the world.
The outstanding girls team consists of Evelise Gomez, Nathalie O'Neal, and Sherma Aurelian.
Members of the team will represent the Virgin Islands in the CARIFTA Games in Grenada over the Easter weekend followed by the trip to Penn. The boys are led by Ramon McIntosh, who will be a medal contender in Grenada.
The athletes have been working hard on and off the track to help raise funds to pay for travel to the Penn event. The $14,000 budget covers all their expenses. Over the years help has come from the V.I. government and private sponsors. It appears that government funding will not be available this year, so the athletes are seeking private source funding support.
The trip to Penn is extremely valuable because it is where the college and university coaches go to recruit talented athletes. The Virgin Islands has had much success in seeing its athletes recruited at this meet. Donations to the team for Penn is a worthwhile investment.
