Over 100 students perform at annual Windies Kiddy Cricket Display during the 1nd ODI

Aug 10, 2019 Sports

GEORGETOWN, Guyana – Annually, over 100 primary school boys and girls, between ages of 9-11 years, are given the opportunity to attend international home series and showcase their skills during the lunchtime interval in front of thousands of spectators.This year was no different.

Kiddies Cricket Group – The children take time out for a group photo at the Providence Stadium on Thursday last.

Despite the dampness, the eager boys and girls entertained the crowd briefly with their talent at the Guyana National Stadium as West Indies and India competed in the first One-Day International game.
They were all provided uniforms, transportation to the stadiums, lunch, refreshments and most of all, the opportunity to see their international cricket heroes play live at the highest level of organized cricket. It is CWI’s belief that giving children this opportunity allows the legacy of the game to continue, as the experience not only build confidence, teamwork and camaraderie, but it allows them to take away many positive experiences which will last a lifetime.
Mr. Anand Sanasie, Director of Cricket West Indies and Secretary of the Guyana Cricket Board, stated – “For over 20 years the Windies Kiddy Cricket programme has been operating and bringing the joy of cricket to thousands of children across the Caribbean. Guyana has been apart of this legacy, as the GCB in conjunction with CWI continues to grow the game of cricket in more than 200 primary schools across our three counties. The programme provides cricket coaching services and other essential cricket resources (bats, balls, stumps, etc.), which benefits approximately 27,000 primary school boys and girls, allowing them to learn the basics of the game, moving them thought the cricket development pathway, with the prospect of becoming a professional cricketer.”
Mr. Sanasie mentioned that the programme has recently introduced an academic cricket manual for the classroom setting, that will be distributed to schools across the country in partnership with the Ministry of Education, introducing Mathematics, English, Social Studies, Science, HFLE and other core primary subjects in a relatable and fun cricket context.
The CWI Director continued, “The programme lends to building strong foundations in cricket and vital personal development skills. This is why the GCB is partnering with the Ministry of Education and Sport to ensure that the recently introduced Chirpy Classroom Adventure – Academic Manual is integrated into primary classrooms across Guyana. This relevant and fun filled academic manual linking the subjects, Mathematics, English, Social Studies, Science, HFLE and other core primary subjects into a relatable context for children ages 6-12. We believe that cricket should not only be the vehicle for building athletes, but a vehicle for building well rounded individuals who can contribute positively to the game of cricket and our Caribbean society.”
Through the programme, these children have access to 24 qualified foundation and level two coaches, who teach them the fundamentals of batting, bowling, fielding and wicket keeping.