Saturday, September 4 2010

THE West Indies Cricket Board (WICB) and sponsors Digicel yesterday announced the launch of the Digicel Youth Cricket Programme in Bridgetown, Barbados.

Development clinics will be conducted in Barbados, Trinidad and Tobago, Leeward Islands, Windward Islands, Jamaica and Guyana. Focus will be put on boys and girls between ages 12 to 15 and 15 to 17 with the main goal of creating a pool of talent that will go forward and compete at national level and potentially at the international level.

Aspiring cricketers in the 12 to 15 clinic will be taught the basic cricketing skills once per week for two to three hours. Coaches will focus on technical, mental and physical aspects of the game in addition to scoring, umpiring and the history of West Indies cricket.

The 15 to 17 clinic will take place each week for three hours from September 2010 to April 2011. Cricketers will be introduced to more intensive practice and preparation sessions as well as match simulations. At the end of the six month course 20 players will be selected to play for their national team and will be in with a chance to play in the WICB Under-17 tournament.

There will also be a clinic for volunteer coaches to develop their skills so that future West Indies cricketers can receive the highest standard of coaching.

Chief Executive Officer of the WICB, Dr Ernest Hilaire and Digicel Group Marketing Director, Kieran Foley lauded the initiative.

“The Digicel Youth Cricket Development Programme bridges an important gap between kiddies cricket and Under 19 cricket,” said Hilaire yesterday. He added “The WICB is pleased to have Digicel on board to launch this exciting youth initiative which will offer teenage cricketers an invaluable opportunity to learn the fundamentals and history of this illustrious game which is so dear to all of us.”

Foley, said of the new initiative; “As the proud sponsor of West Indies cricket, Digicel is delighted to once again be leading the way in supporting the development of cricket in the region. It is hugely important that aspiring young cricketers have the support structure they need to develop their natural talent, with a view to one day playing for the West Indies senior team.”

Digicel is the sponsor of cricket in the Caribbean, having sponsored the West Indies cricket team since 2004. Digicel is also heavily involved in cricket at a community level across the region through various initiatives such as the Digicel Cricket Coaching Clinics and through the support of numerous youth cricket clubs.