The 128th staging of the Penn Relays will be special.

Sixty years after Jamaican teams first competed at the prestigious relay carnival in Philadelphia, the black, green and gold will again take the spotlight at the 2024 staging from April 25-27 at Franklin Field in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania.

Team Jamaica Bickle, celebrating 30 years, will execute a Reggae Pop-Up vibe on the final day (April 27) and will for the first time, have a DJ, Road International and live performance from Christopher Martin, a former TBJ ambassador.

Martin who won the 2005 Digicel Rising Stars Contest and who has since gone up to establish himself as one of Jamaica's biggest acts over the last two decades will be the main act in a 20-minute set, never before experienced at the Penn Relays.

The award-winning Road International led by DJ Roy will provide the initial vibe for a massive anchor by Martin.

Irwine Clare Snr, head of Team Jamaica thanks the collaborative effort of VP Records, The University of Pennsylvania, the Consulate of New York, Hypa Active Sounds and Jamaican Dave Productions for making this trailblazing event a reality.

The three-day relay carnival will feature top high school, university and Olympic Development teams from the USA, Canada, Jamaica and the Caribbean.

On a night of celebration and recognition, Team Jamaica Bickle (TJB) marked its 30th anniversary with an award ceremony at the Jamaica Pegasus Hotel in Kingston on Monday. Founded in 1994 by Irwin Clare, TJB Inc. is a Queens-based philanthropic organization dedicated to providing hospitality services to Jamaican and Caribbean athletes at the prestigious Penn Relays Carnival held at Franklin Field Stadium, University of Pennsylvania.

The ceremony, attended by esteemed guests and honourees, including US Ambassador to Jamaica N. Nickolas Perry and Pro-Vice Chancellor of the University of Technology Ali McNab, paid tribute to individuals who have played pivotal roles in Jamaica's track and field success over the past three decades. Among those recognized were 2009 World Champion Brigitte Foster-Hylton, Olympic gold medalist Michael Frater, Earl Jarrett of Jamaica National, and renowned entertainer Tony Rebel.

Unfortunately, Frater was unavoidably unable to attend. Both he and Foster-Hylton were recognized for their invaluable contributions as athletes representing Jamaica at the Olympics and World Championships. Jarrett was awarded for his role in Jamaica National’s partnership with TBJ. Tony Rebel, meanwhile, has been a worthy ambassador the organization over the years.

However, the spotlight shone brightest on veteran track coach Glen Mills, who received a special award for his exemplary service spanning five decades in the sport.

Mills, renowned for coaching multiple world and Olympic champions including Usain Bolt, Yohan Blake, and Warren Weir, was honored with a proclamation from the United States House of Representatives, facilitated by New York congresswoman Yvette Clarke. Presenting the award, Irwin Clare expressed gratitude for Mills' profound impact on Jamaican athletics, both locally and globally.

"Tonight, Team Jamaica Bickle is honored to present a proclamation from the United States House of Representatives courtesy of Congresswoman Yvette D Clarke, for the work you have done not only here in Jamaica but across the world. Congratulations, Sir!" Clare exclaimed, acknowledging Mills' significant contributions to the sport.

In response, Mills expressed his surprise and gratitude for the prestigious recognition, emphasizing the honour it held for him. Reflecting on his enduring relationship with the Penn Relays, Mills highlighted his coaching tenure at Camperdown High School, where he achieved remarkable success.

“During my days at Camperdown, we were able to win something like 10 national titles in 15 years and we held a sprint record for 17 years, which is still a record, so I, too, enjoyed the delicious meals provided by Jamaica Bickle. The athletes were always in a hurry to get to the tent to before the food finished so it was always a good incentive to run fast so that they could get there quickly and so we had some really great times at Penn Relays.”

In closing, Mills commended Irwin Clare and Team Jamaica Bickle for their dedication over the past three decades, emphasizing the profound impact of their hospitality services on Jamaican athletes. He underscored the importance of TJB's mission in nurturing and supporting athletes, ensuring they perform at their best on the international stage.

"For you to recognize what they are doing, you have to be there to experience it; to see the Jamaican athletes how they gravitate towards that tent to get Jamaican meals," Mills remarked, acknowledging TJB's invaluable contribution to Jamaica's athletic success.

‘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.

Team Jamaica Bickle (TJB), known for their longstanding support of Jamaican athletes and their commitment to the welfare of young talents, will be making a significant contribution to the safety and well-being of students and athletes in Jamaica.

Through their "Defibrillators in Schools" initiative, TJB is set to present 35 Automated External Defibrillators (AED) to various schools and sports associations on Wednesday, October 18, 2023. The presentation will take place at the Alfred Sangster Auditorium, situated on the campus of the University of Technology (UTech).

The event will commence at 9:00 am and will not only involve the formal presentation of the AED units but will also include an in-person training session on how to use the AED and its importance. In addition, the participants will receive training in Cardiopulmonary Resuscitation (CPR) and be provided with a Sports First Aid Kit to enhance their readiness for emergencies.

The roots of the Team Jamaica Bickle "Defibrillator to Schools Program" can be traced back to 2014 when it was initiated after the tragic loss of St. Jago High School student, Cavahn McKenzie, at a cross-country meet in Tobago. This heartbreaking incident prompted TJB to take action, recognizing the urgent need for schools, especially at sporting events, to have access to emergency resources.

Since the launch of the program in 2014, TJB has donated over 100 AED units to schools and organizations while providing training to more than 400 staff and students. The training sessions are to be conducted by skilled nurses Delores McGregor, Sharon Thompson, and Winsome James, all of whom belong to the Diaspora Health Care Sector. They hold certifications in Basic Life Support (BLS) and are members of the New York-based Jamaican Nurses Association in the Northeast Diaspora.

Apart from schools, the initiative extends to various sporting associations, including Netball Jamaica, Jamaica Volleyball, and several tertiary institutions, such as UTech, GC Foster College of Sports and Recreation, Montego Bay Community College, and The Mico University College.

Irwine Clare, Sr., the Founder of Team Jamaica Bickle, expressed their commitment to the welfare and well-being of athletes as they strive to excel in their chosen disciplines.

This noble endeavor is made possible through the support of major sponsors, including the Second Round Foundation, represented by Jalen Brunson, an NBA Point Guard for the New York Knicks, and Adelina Bernard, an Olympic Sprinter who has represented Panama, Jamaica, and Venezuela. The Jamaica National (JN) Group has also played a significant role in enabling this critical initiative that aims to enhance safety and health awareness within the Jamaican sports community.

Team Jamaica Bickle (TJB) will host the third staging of their Labor of Love Fundraising Luncheon on Sunday, 16 April 2023, at the Crest Hollow Country Club, 8325 Jericho Turnpike, Woodbury, NY 11797.

Under the patronage of Jamaica’s Consul General to New York, the Honourable Alsion Wilson, O.D., Labor of Love will be a combination of “Celebrating Our Athletes, Our Ambassadors,” highlighting TJB’s community partnerships, saying thanks to Patricia Chin of VP Records for her Pioneering Role in Reggae Music and her steadfast support of TJB’s initiatives of Music and Sports.

The TJB Exemplary Leader in Athletics Award will be bestowed on Olympian Aleen Bailey. Bailey represented Jamaica at the 2004 Olympics in Athens Greece and 2008 Games in Beijing, China, where she was a member of Jamaica’s gold-medal winning 4x100m relay team.

Considered “The Reliable Warrior”, Bailey is known for always instilling a fighting spirit that resonated well with her team.

TJB has also revealed that for 2023 Team Jamaica Bickle (TJB) will not have its signature “TJB Tent”.

Doors open at 11:30 AM and the Cocktail Hour begins at 12:00 PM sharp followed by the Program, Lunch and Dancing to follow. A surprise Guest Artiste will entertain to thrill guests. Last year the Minister of Foreign Affairs and Foreign Trade, Hon. Kamina Johnson-Smith joined in the revelry and performance by Romain Virgo.

Their new home will be the Palestra, home of the University of Pennsylvania’s basketball teams. Located in the Carnival Village, the iconic and recently bestowed City Landmark Arena will host athletes and officials from Jamaica and the Caribbean.

Coming off a very successful return to the Penn Relays last year, one that included the officially honoured guest Prime Minister Andrew Holness, efforts are underway for TJB 29.

This year TJB will celebrate female student athletes as they take center stage on the Saturday at the Relays. They also welcome back in full support Caribbean Foods Delight, their partner who celebrates 45 years in business.

 As a 501(c)(3) not-for-profit organization founded in 1994, TJB provides a wide range of services in the development and care of the athletes and coaches at the Penn Relays through their Hospitality Initiative Program - providing meals, physical therapy, chiropractic care, mentorship, medical services, and ground transportation; as well as being forefront in negotiating subsidized hotel rates for the athletes and coaches.

Team Jamaica Bickle’s Founder and CEO Irwine Clare shares that “in excess of US$150,000 has to be raised” to assure our athletes, our ambassadors are treated well.

Team Jamaica Bickle (TJB) is preparing to welcome Jamaican athletes to the Penn Relays Carnival for 2022 as the easing of COVID-19 restrictions takes effect across the USA and the Caribbean. The 125th staging of the Penn Relays will take place at Franklin Field, University of Pennsylvania, April 28-30, 2022 after a two-year break because of the Covid-19 pandemic.

TJB was well into planning mode in 2020 when the COVID-19 pandemic halted most sporting activities worldwide, the Penn Relays is no exception. However, now that the Relays are set to resume, TJB’s Irwine Clare, Sr could not be more delighted.

“We know that our athletes have trained hard to showcase their prowess on the international stage and must be thrilled to be back on this revered stage for track and field, not only for bragging rights but most importantly to secure scholarships to colleges and universities overseas,” he said.

“We know many of them would have been disappointed over the two-year absence, even while scaled-down versions were held.”

Clare noted, however, that many student-athletes were still able to take advantage of scholarship opportunities during the hiatus as their body of work would have allowed colleges to make those decisions.

At the Penn Relays, most schools make use of the coordinated services and hugely discounted accommodation rates negotiated by TJB at the ‘team hotel’. The organization also helps with ground transportation, including daily shuttles to the stadium as well as physiotherapy services offered by a team led by Dr Thien Dang-Tan.

As is customary, with weeks to go, TJB has been busy planning a number of fundraising activities including a luncheon to be held Sunday, April 24, from 12 noon to 5 p.m., at the Crest Hollow Country Club in Woodbury, NY.

Noted Olympian and educator Vilma B. Charlton, OD, will be honoured with the Pioneer in Athletics & Exemplary Leader in Sport Award. Other honorees include Stephen Drummond, Esq.; Dawn Warren, Esq., David Warren, Esq., and JoAnne Squillace, Esq.

Team Jamaica Bickle, (TJB) has named Dr Kristal McGreggor to the Board of Directors of the organization.  She succeeds a long-standing member of TJB, Oswald Hancle, who passed away late last year.

A former student and athlete of the St. Andrew High School for Girls, where she was a member of the Track and Field team and captain of the Basketball team, Dr McGreggor’s attended the Bronx Community College where she won a full athletic scholarship to Hampton University where she obtained her Bachelor of Science in Marketing and Master of Science in Sports Administration.

Dr McGreggor has a passion for youth mentorship. She took her first steps in this arena while still in college, when she, along with friends, Tashanna Willcock and Claudia Calder formed Camp21, an organization dedicated to the mentorship of Jamaican student-athletes living in the United States.

She also served as Director of Operations and Assistant Throws Coach for the Track and Field program for three years before taking up her doctoral studies in Sport Management at the University of Michigan.

 “It is a great honour to serve as a member of the Board of Directors for Team Jamaica Bickle (TJB). I appreciate the confidence TJB has shown in me over the years. I fully support the vision and mission of TJB, and I am eager to contribute my knowledge and experience to advance the growth of the organization,” Dr McGreggor said. 

Based in Michigan, Dr McGreggor currently serves as an Academic Mentor and Co-founder of the Achieve A Dream Foundation through which she aims to build her mentorship initiative and assist athletes in their character development.

“She is a great asset to our board, the future and the growth of TJB. Personally, I am quite proud of her, knowing her journey, from whence she came to the pinnacle of academia. Throughout it all, service and volunteerism remained a hallmark of her being,” said Chairman of TJB Irwine Clare Snr., of Dr McGreggor.

Other members of the board are Blane Stoddart, Vincent Heath, Michelle Neil, Horace Lynch, Oswald Brown, Ayesha Hinds (Secretary), Lance Clarke (CFO), Karen Wilson-Robinson, Esq - Vice-Chair.

Formed in 1994, Team Jamaica Bickle is a not-for-profit organization, based in New York, under the leadership of Irwine G. Clare Snr and which provides much-needed support for Jamaican athletes who compete at the annual Penn Relays Carnival, held at the University of Pennsylvania.

Team Jamaica Bickle, Inc. also supports athletes, athletic and youth programs across the Caribbean and the United States.

In 1999, Team Jamaica Bickle became the first Jamaican organization to be a participating sponsor at the Penn Relays.

Team Jamaica Bickle (TJB) said it is disappointed but understands the reasons for the cancellation of the 2021 Penn Relays that were set to run off from April 22-24, 2021.