Who’s the Sportsman? And where did he get that name?
The search for a suitable name for his broadcasting debut as a Sports Caster on ZROD 103.7 FM over 20 years ago began unexpectedly for Dean Greenaway.
With a desire to broaden his sports repertoire while writing for the BVI Beacon, he met with ZROD 103.7 FM General Manager Rodney Herbert and pitched the idea of covering sports which he would supply for their ‘on air’ personnel to use. Much to his surprise, he was asked to be the Sports Caster and not simply the Sports Writer.
The unexpected news both panicked and excited him as he now had to come up with a suitable name for on-air use. Nothing clicked for him until he walked into the BVI Beacon’s office to drop off his sports report for the Thursday edition. “Here comes the Sportsman,” one of the BVI Beacon Journalists said and “it clicked right there and I said, yes I got the name! Dean ‘The Sportsman’ Greenaway! And on November 1st, 1994 it was: Good Afternoon Sports fans, I am Dean ‘The Sportsman’ Greenaway with ZROD 103.7 FM Sports and the rest is history,” he said with a good-natured laugh.
Dean “The Sportsman” Greenaway, 57, was born in the neighboring United States territory of St. Thomas but grew up in the eastern part of Tortola. He was schooled at the East End Primary School, the British Virgin Islands High School, and then went on to Pasadena City College in Pasadena California on an athletics scholarship sponsored by the Rotary Club of Tortola. There he studied Liberal Arts and graduated in 1978. His athletic prowess—where he finished fifth in the California Jr. College State Championships earned him a scholarship to the University of Colorado. After returning to the territory in 1985, he immediately jumped into organizing road races.
In 1988 Greenaway acquired the International Association of Athletics Federations (IAAF) Level I Coaching Certificate. Further studies included completion of the Journalism Certificate Program at the News Paper Institute of America and a Bachelor of Science degree in Physical Education at the University of Colorado. In terms of being part of a club, he has been a Paul Harris Fellow at the Rotary Club of Tortola since 2007.
Growing up, Greenaway could always be found near the shorelines exploring, enjoying nature and writing. Writing became one of his passions and at a young age he knew for sure that writing would be part of his life, but never did he anticipate that it would evolve into something so huge and make him one of the most travelled and respected Sports Journalists in the Caribbean basin.
His career in Journalism began as a Sports Writer with the BVI Beacon Newspaper in 1986 and since then he has worked as the Producer of the Sports Beat Magazine, a contributing writer for Reuters News Agency, BVI Penny Saver/BVI Standpoint, Limin’ Times and Virgin Islands Daily News. Presently he serves as the Sports Writer/Editor for Island Sun News Paper and Sports Director at ZROD 103.7 FM.
The “Sportsman” has represented the British Virgin Islands in Track and Field from 1974-1993. During that time he competed in the 200 and 400 meters and simultaneously he held the 200/400 national records in 1977-2002 and presently stills holds on to the 400 meters national record. He is a member of the standing 1984’s 4 x 400 meter national record team and was also part of the 4 x 100 meter national record team that stood from 1977-1995. But that’s not all, Greenaway once held the Leeward Islands 400 meters’ Junior record when he scored it in 1978, which caused him to be ranked in the world top 20 Juniors in 1978, and top 50 in the world in 1979 by Track and Field News! Greenaway has competed in the Olympic Games, Pan American Games and Central American Games.
Highpoints of his career
Greenaway had the opportunity to capture the famous Jamaican sprinter -Usain Bolt’s major accomplishments between 2009 and 2015 and covered events from South America, Central America, USA, Canada, Europe, Australia and Asia.
He was a founder of the annual H. Lavity Stoutt Community College Classic Series that began on October 19, 1996 with 17 persons. The series of races that is usually held from September to November on Tortola and Virgin Gorda has grown from 19 to well over 200 participants.
Another major accomplishment was becoming an accredited Photographer at the International Association of Athletics Federation (IAAF) World Championships in South Korea in 2011.
During his tenure as the President of the BVI Athletics Association from 2008 to present, he was also particularly pleased that he initiated an annual gala for athletes to be recognized.
These days, Mr. Greenaway sits high up in his cool office overlooking the James Walter Francis Highway as Sports Officer at the Department of Youth and Sports. When he retires, he intends to continue writing and exercising in the loose sand of Long Bay.