Team Jamaica Bickle founder and CEO Irwine Clare.
‘Our Athletes, Our Ambassadors.’ Those are the words that govern the actions of one of the leading organizations in sports, Team Jamaica Bickle.
For the past three decades, TJB, a not-for-profit corporation based in New York State, has been providing support services for Caribbean athletes, particularly Jamaicans, who compete at the annual Penn Relays Carnival, which is held at the University of Pennsylvania, (UPENN) in Philadelphia, PA.
Their services also extend to a delegation of approximately six hundred & fifty (650) students and coaches from Jamaica, Trinidad and Tobago, St. Vincent & The Grenadines Guyana and Grenada.
“We have always said that whatever we do, it’s for our athlete’s welfare,” TJB founder and CEO Irwine G. Clare Snr. told SportsMax.tv.
“When all is said and done, all the fandangles, all the bells and whistles, all the verbal commentary and the niceties, at the end of the day, it’s about the welfare of the athletes because in essence, in our business, it takes cash to care. It means that, at the end of the day, we have to ensure that we have the resources and all the necessities in place to satisfy our athletes’ requirements. That’s the business we’re in,” he added.
Over the years TJB has welcomed and extended its services to delegations of students and coaches from the United States Virgin Islands (USVI), Bahamas, Barbados and most recently Belize.
Team Jamaica Bickle provides the following: Meals and other refreshments, physical therapy, chiropractic, mentorship and medical services, ground transportation, daily hotel to stadium shuttle, airport transfers for arrival & departure, subsidized hotel rate and subsidized airfare.
Additionally, the Team Jamaica Bickle “Defibrillator to Schools Program,” was initiated in 2014 after the loss of St. Jago High School athlete, Cavahn McKenzie at a cross-country meet in Tobago.
This caused the organization to consider the lack of emergency resources in Jamaican schools. That year, an Automated External Defibrillator (AED) unit was donated to St. Jago High School at the Penn Relays.
A Medical Pavilion in his honor was erected in the TJB Village where athletes could get medical and dental information and be trained in CPR. It continues to be a feature today.
In 2016 another athlete, Dominic James of St. Georges’ College, tragically lost his life during a Manning Cup game. This unfortunate event spurred TJB to ramp up the CPR training & AED donations to better prepare schools for emergencies.
The program has received the support of the Ministry of Education, Government Agencies, The Inter-Secondary School Sports Association (ISSA), Corporate Jamaica and the Diaspora.
Since 2014 the organization has donated over 130 AED units to schools, trained over 250 staff and influenced the donation of several others to various institutions. The goal is to outfit each high school across the Island with a unit.
“We have seen where our efforts have inspired other Diaspora organizations contribute AEDs to several schools and medical institutions,” said Clare.
“We are encouraged and remain committed to the goal of outfitting all High Schools,” he added.
In 1999, Team Jamaica Bickle became the first Jamaican organization to be a participating sponsor at the Penn Relays.
As a result, the Jamaican flag became the first foreign flag to be flown at the Penn Relays, a distinction unmatched. Over the years, TJB has received numerous proclamations and awards from several local and national entities.
As it relates to growth of the organization, Clare said it comes down to continuing to be able to meet the needs of athletes as they evolve.
“Our athletes over the years have brought a sense of tenacity, professionalism and discipline to their craft, making them better. We too have to adopt that principle,” he said
“When we speak of growth, it is growth from the standpoint of efficiencies and finding ways to leverage what we have so that we can remain relevant to the causes of the athletes because the athletes are not stagnant. If you want to win you have to step up your game, it’s the same thing with us,” he added.
Bradley Jacks is a budding journalist and an avid sports fan. His love of research and sports has led him to SportsMax.tv, a place where those passions work hand in hand to allow him to produce content.
Honouring Hubert Lawrence: Jamaica Observer’s Paul Reid accepts Jesse Abramson Award on behalf of late colleague
In a poignant moment during Saturday’s final day of 128th edition of the Penn Relays, veteran sports journalist Paul Reid accepted the prestigious Jesse Abramson Award on behalf of his late friend, brother, and colleague, Hubert Lawrence. The ceremony, tinged with both celebration and remembrance, highlighted Lawrence's unparalleled contributions to track and field journalism and his lasting impact on the sport.
"It's an absolute honour to receive the Jesse Abramson Award for excellence in track and field journalism on behalf of Hubert Lawrence," expressed Reid, who was the first Jamaican sports journalist to receive the award in 2010.
"This award was long overdue given Hubert's outstanding body of work, particularly at the Penn Relays, which he covered for over 25 years. Hubert would have cherished this moment, especially witnessing Excelsior's historic win after nearly 60 years."
Excelsior High School won the Championship of America High School Boys 4x100m in a time of 40.45. It was the first time they were winning the event since they last claimed victory in 1967.
Reid's emotional words encapsulated the deep bond shared with Lawrence, who passed away suddenly on February 23, 2024. The Penn Relays marked a poignant occasion for both friends, whose coverage of the event spanned more than three decades. "He (Lawrence) would have pulled up a long list of statistics and facts," Reid remarked in reference to Excelsior historic win. "It was surreal standing there on the infield during the ceremony as I had missed my award in 2010 because I had no idea that I was being awarded and was busy working at the time. Hubert leaves a massive legacy and he is missed every day, especially at track and field meets."
The decision to honour Lawrence posthumously was prompted by Irwin Clare of Team Jamaica Bickle, a longstanding supporter of Jamaican and Caribbean athletes at the Penn Relays.
"With his untimely passing, we felt this was an extremely appropriate time to honour someone who had such a profound impact on track and field in Jamaica and at the Penn Relays," remarked Aaron Robison, the meet director of the Penn Relays. "Hubert was universally respected and admired, not only by athletes and coaches but also by the entire media fraternity. His integrity and dignity in reporting earned him admiration from all quarters of the sport."
Lawrence's legacy transcended journalism, resonating deeply with athletes and coaches who held him in high regard for his professionalism and genuine passion for track and field.
The posthumous recognition underscores the enduring influence of his work and the profound loss felt by the athletics community. As Reid stood on the infield, accepting the award, the void left by Lawrence's absence was palpable, a testament to the indelible mark he made in the world of sports journalism.
In honouring Hubert Lawrence with the Jesse Abramson Award, the Penn Relays celebrated not only a remarkable journalist but also a cherished friend and colleague whose legacy continues to inspire and resonate within the track and field community.
KC wins third straight Championship of America 4x400m title at Penn Relays; JC wins 4x800m
Kingston College made it three Championship of America 4x400m titles in a row with a comfortable win in the event on the third and final day of the 128th Penn Relays at Franklin Field in Philadelphia on Saturday.
Their quartet of Antonio Forbes, Amal Glasgow, Roshawn Lee and Marcinho Rose combined to run 3:11.86 to win ahead of Excelsior (3:12.94) and Bullis School (3:13.10).
Elsewhere, Jamaica College won their second Championship of America 4x800m relay in three years.
Their team of Nellie Amberton, Samuel Creary, Rasheed Pryce and Kemarrio Bygrave produced a time of 7:42.37 to win ahead of St. John’s College (7:44.66) and Central Bucks West (7:45.99).
Excelsior leads Jamaican 1-2-3 in Championship of America High School Boys 4x100m at Penn Relays
Excelsior High emerged victorious in the Championship of America High School Boys 4x100m on the third and final day at the 128th Penn Relays at Franklin Field in Philadelphia on Saturday.
Their quartet of Ryeem Walker, Damor Miller, Malike Nugent and Lennon Green combined to run 40.45 to secure the school’s first win in the event since 1967.
Kingston College (Daniel Clarke, Yourie Lawrence-Clarke, Nyrone Wade, Marcinho Rose) were second in 40.53 and Herbert Morrison (Ky-Mani Hemmings, Tavaine Stewart, Chance Segree, De Andre Daley) completed a Jamaican 1-2-3 with 40.56 in third.
SportsMax is the Caribbean sports channel of choice, committed to providing sporting content of the highest quality to the Caribbean, delivered by a team of highly innovative, passionate and qualified professionals.
(876) 619-7629
digitalmedia@sportsmax.tv
