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Importance of discipline stressed as ECCB Academy launched
ECBB President Bissoon Singh makes a point during the launching of the ECCB Academy at LBI yesterday. Director of Sports Neil Kumar is seated 3rd from left.
By Sean Devers
Despite heavy rain, the 9th annual East Coast Cricket Board (ECCB) Academy was officially launched yesterday morning at the Chetram Singh Centre of Excellence at LBI.
Director of Sport Neil Kumar, EECB President and Acting Guyana Cricket Board President Bissoon Singh and former EECB President SK Singh all stressed the importance of discipline as they addressed the participants at the Conference Centre of the LBI facility.
Of the registered 60 participants which include 17 females, only 20 were present for the opening ceremony with Kavita Yadram being the only female.
The 10-day programme caters for youths between the ages of 9-16 who reside on the East Coast of Demerara and Singh informed that anyone one lives more than five miles away from the LBI will be provided with the cost for their transportation.
The Academy ends on July 23 and the objectives are to instill in the young cricketers of both sexes the values of sportsmanship and education, the danger of substance abuse and to provide them with the knowledge, skills and attitude required to pursue a career in cricket.
Former Guyana fast bowler and Academy Coordinator Robert ‘Pacer’ Adonis told the teenagers that he hoped they would learn something they did not know at the end of the programme and spoke of the different aspects of the games that they need to know about. Adonis also emphasized the importance of education.
Singh said the aim of the Academy is to make the participants well-rounded persons and not only cricketers. “I want you to listen carefully to what is being said since we are very lucky to be here at this historical building. You are the very first batch of students here and I don’t want you to disappoint the facilitators or your parents,” Singh told the youngsters.
The GCB official told the participants that the Guyana 20/20 team would be encamped at LBI and it should be an honour for them to indirectly rub shoulders with our cricketing heroes.
“When the Guyana players arrive I want you to give them your full respect and do not disturb them as they go through their preparations. I hope you learn from watching them practice. I at the end of this Academy I want to be proud of all of you,” Singh concluded.
SK Singh spoke of the history of East Coast cricket and said that team work was critical for success in a cricket match.
SK Singh disclosed that in the 1950s cricket on the East Coast was controlled by the East Coast Demerara Estates Association and the East Coast Demerara Villages Association and a match was played each between teams representing the two bodies.
“The Estates had the better players and facilities but we (Villages) always won because we played team cricket. They had to pick 11 players from six Estates and there were arguments regarding who should play and they never played as a team,” SK Singh said.
The former headmaster said he was disappointed that over the years many open areas where cricket was played have been turned into housing developments and cricket has lost out.
He added that when he played East Coast Cricket the Village team was a mixed team and there were no problems with race and status.
“There is not much camaraderie among the youngsters now as back in the 1950s when I was a youth and I really hope that we could forget race and judge each other on the things they do and their character and all work together, not only in cricket for in Guyana in general.
We are also thankful for all the assistance we get to help the development of East Coast Cricket and I hope that you be behind the Director of Sports to keep his promises to you,” SK Singh said.
SK Singh said that two main things successfully carry
(Continued on page 20)
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