CORPUS CHRISTI, Texas — The Islanders, a youth baseball team from Nassau, the Bahamas, traveled to South Texas to compete in a tournament — and ended up practicing on one of the most fitting fields imaginable.
Corpus Christi's Justin McComb, who served as a coach pitcher for the visiting team, arranged for the Islanders to practice at Texas A&M University-Corpus Christi's Islander Baseball Field.
"When they told me that their name was the Islanders, I thought, well, that's pretty cool. We got a big field that has your name on it," McComb said.
For the young players from Nassau, the capital of the Bahamas, the trip carries meaning beyond the game itself. Left and center fielder Drayden wore a necklace representing his home country, explaining the significance of each color.
"The aquamarine on here is for the waters. The black right here is for the people in the Bahamas, and this chain is for the man above," Drayden said.
Parents Sade Evans and Chevonne Kelly said the experience is opening new doors for the players.
"It opens more of an experience for them. It gives them the ability to know that there's baseball beyond the shores of the Bahamas, and there's more competition," Evans and Kelly said.
Coach Trae Sweeting, a former Georgia State player, said the sport is growing back home.
"Bahamas baseball is on the rise, and you guys are gonna see a lot more of us," Sweeting said.
Some players are already setting their sights on the highest level of the sport. Mizhai Roberts shared his ambitions without hesitation.
"I'm gonna make it for and remember me when I played baseball in MLB," Roberts said.
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