ECCB’s 15th annual Cricket Academy opens

Aug 25, 2015 Sports

Christopher Jones talks to the youngsters of ECCB Academy at Lusignan yesterday.

Director of Sport tells participants to make use of opportunities

By Sean Devers

Since 2000, under the Presidency of SK Singh, the East Coast Cricket Board (ECCB) has been making a positive impact on the lives many aspiring cricketers with the Annual Cricket Academy during the August Vacation from school.
Catering for children between the ages of 12 and 17, the ECCB Academy, which commenced yesterday at the Lusignan community Centre, has produced 23 players to have represented Guyana at the youth level with off-spinner Kevin Basil and Krishna Deosarran, who played one match for a Guyana select X1 against Sri Lanka in 2008 at Providence, going on to play for the senior male team.
Indomattie Gordial was the first student of the Academy to play Test cricket at the female level and one of the participants this year, national under-19 female pacer Amanda Persaud is hoping to follow in her footsteps.
Two others who played for Guyana this year are a part of the 2015 programme in leg-spinner Tameshwar Motiram, who played at the under-17 level in T&T and Robin ‘Manage’ Williams, who opened the batting and kept wicket in Guyana’s championship winning team which won their fourth under-15 title on home soil.
President of the ECCB, Bissoondyal Singh said the academy should aid in the improvement of each participant and also the general standards on and off the field of Guyana’s cricket from the youth to senior level.
“I don’t want at the end of this academy you have a certificate on your wall to show your friends that you attended the ECCB academy. We want to ensure that each of you become better citizens who can make a contribution to our beautiful country,” Singh stressed.
“Cricket now is not only a game, but big business where millions are invested and at the same time has created numerous job opportunities and this Academy should prepare you to speak to the Media and learn a number of life skills,” Singh pointed out.
Director of Sport Christopher Jones told the gathering of eager youngsters to take advantage of the opportunities being offered to them during the four-day programme which concludes on Thursday.
“I would like you to take this very seriously, take full advantage of the academy because programmes like these are the stepping stone, this is where you learn how to become an expert cricketer,” Jones pointed out.
The Director of Sport praised the East Coast Board for organising this Academy and said he was heartened that the academy has also attracted aspiring female cricketers.
Jones also voiced the National Sports Commission (NSC) and Government of Guyana support for the development of sport.
“The National Sport Commission is committed in sport development in every discipline, and academies like this, we at the NSC will always like to lend our support. Be discipline since it plays an important role in becoming a better individual,” Jones concluded.
ECCB Public Relations Officer Davteerth Anandjit told the 25 participants present yesterday that the Academy will teach skills outside of being a good cricketer, adding that the content of the programme is good and urged the youngsters to take advantage of what is offered.
The youths will interact with former national cricketers who are expected to visit and the senior players will introduce the youngsters to the basics of cricket and should share their experiences on the field when playing for Guyana.
The history of West Indies cricket, the laws of cricket and umpiring, scoring will be discussed, while Officers from the Cove and John Police Station will talk about road safety.
The teenagers will be given information on the use of drugs and sports, the importance of Education, Leadership and Sportsmanship, HIV and Teenage Sex, Food and Nutrition, Social Etiquette/Grooming and Discipline.