Latest update March 29th, 2025 5:38 AM
ECCB launches 13th Academy
The East Coast Cricket Board (ECCB) launched its 13th cricket academy yesterday morning at the Lusignan Community Centre ground. Forty young cricketers from Ogle to Abary between the ages of ten to sixteen including ten females have registered to take part in the programme. Apart from the basics of batting, bowling, fielding and wicketkeeping, students will also be taught about Road Safety, Nutrition, HIV\Aids, History and Laws of cricket, scoring and Importance of Education and Discipline.
Delivering the feature address at the lunching ceremony, Historian Tota Mangar urged participants to make full use of the five-day programme.
Historian Tota Mangar (standing) addresses the gathering during the opening of the academy yesterday. Other members of the head table are (from left) Davteerth Anandjit, Judister Rampersaud, Shame Kumar Singh and Bissoondyal Singh.
“I want you to take full advantage of the academy, you will benefit in the long run because cricket is a popular sport world wide,” Mangar said.
He stated that in addition to the technical phase of cricket the youths will learn other important aspects of life skills. He stated that unlike in the old days when cricket was played as recreation for the white slave masters, the game is now very commercialized and is a serious business.
Mangar commended the ECCB for organising the academy. “This programme by the ECCB is very admirable. It comes against a background of a lot of problems surrounding national cricket administration locally. However, the ECCB remains dedicated to the growth of the game, despite the challenges and that is indeed admirable,” Mangar lamented.
President of the ECCB, Bissoondyal Singh said that the academy will aid in the development of each participant and also the general standards of Guyana’s cricket.
“We want to ensure that each of you become better citizens who can make a contribution to our beautiful country,” Singh stressed.
Singh pointed out that cricket these days is not only a game, but big business where millions are being invested and at the same time has created numerous job opportunities.
Singh told the students that they can make a living off cricket. “Apart from becoming well paid cricketers you can also turn out to be scores, umpires, journalists, commentators, curators and coaches,” Singh added.
He urged other boards to conduct similar exercises in an effort to help aspiring cricketers to sharpen their skills in the correct manner. Singh also appealed for systems to be put in place to have Friday afternoon put aside for sports in schools as was the case in the 1980’s.
Former ECCB president and founder of the academy, Shane Kumar Singh told the young cricketers that they were fortunate to be part of such a programme. Coaching sessions will be conducted by Daniel Richmond and Latchman Yadram and activities will be held under the theme “Cricket- Professionalism and Healthy Lifestyle”.
Statistician, Edwin Seeraj, Davteerth Anandjit and International book scorer Sidartha Anandjit will deliver lectures on the various topics listed.
Officers from the Cove and John Police Station will tutor the participants on road safety practices, while former executive of the Guyana Cricket Board, Ronald Williams, will discuss careers in cricket and discipline. Several past and present cricketers are expected to visit the academy to interact with the participants.
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