Wanda Bodden knows where she will spend part of her summer — on an island somewhere, realizing her vision.

“It’s buying into the vision God gave me and seeing the importance to sending kids from both Port Arthur and the Cayman Islands to each other’s culture,” she said.

Through the Cayman Sports Festival, youths from Port Arthur, Cayman Islands and other Caribbean territories will come together for six days in Georgetown, Grand Cayman, in late July and share in the culture of sport while many will get to see part of the world new to them. The festival, Bodden said, also strengthens “sister city” ties between Port Arthur and the Caymans, dating back to 1983.

Bodden, a Port Arthur native and pastor of Church of the Overflow in Groves, met with sports leaders from the Caymans last week to finalize plans for the festival, adding that youth boxing teams from Trinidad & Tobago and Bermuda plan to send teams. A boxing camp is set for July 17-19 with a tournament scheduled for July 20 at the Dalmain Ebanks Boxing Gym in Georgetown.

“I’m looking forward to the kids seeing something other than Port Arthur,” said Eddie Brown, the director of Lion Hearted Boxing Academy who will send 10 boxers. “I’m looking forward to them seeing clear and blue waters. I’m looking forward to seeing he kids seeing something besides day-to-day.

“It’s another form of education. They’re going to see a world bigger than Port Arthur. They’re going to see people live in different ways. They don’t always have to live in Port Arthur. They can travel and expand their minds.”

An 18-under basketball tournament is scheduled for July 18-20 at nearby John Gray High School and include athletes from Port Arthur and the three countries. Tournament games will be played under FIBA (International Basketball Federation) rules instead of U.S. high school or college rules, Bodden said.

“I’m very excited about being part of the organizing team for the festival,” Cayman Islands director of sports Collin Anglin said. “One because I know it’s going to be an incredible experience. They’re the primary reason we’re having this tournament. We know it’s going to be an awesome experience for the people of Port Arthur as well. It’ll be some great competition.”

Bodden said she will hold tryouts to form two teams from Port Arthur — one boys and one girls — for the festival. Four teams, one representing each country, will compete in the boys division, while the PA and Cayman teams will meet in a three-game series.

Lion Hearted Boxing Academy will hold a Texas vs. Louisiana tournament to raise funds for the trip to the Caymans on June 8.

Festival organizers plan to return the event to Port Arthur for 2020 and add track and field and soccer to the program.

“It is not confirmed, but that’s still definitely on the table as a possibility,” Anglin said.

•

I.C. Murrell: 721-2435. Twitter: @ICMurrellPANews

 

Related links:

Organizers: PA-to-Cayman sports festival a go for July