WICB Youth Development Officer, Fawwaz Baksh, explains how the programme is putting the region’s aspiring young cricketers on the road to a successful career
Kingston, Jamaica, December 18th, 2012 – The Caribbean’s cricket fans visited their local grounds last weekend to watch aspiring young players compete for top honours as part of the Digicel/WICB Grassroots Cricket Programme – helping 2,000 young cricketers develop their skills under the guidance of the Caribbean’s top cricket coaches.
WICB Youth Development Project Officer, Fawwaz Baksh, spoke exclusively to www.digicelcricket.com about the Grassroots Cricket Programme and how the partnership with Digicel has benefitted young people across the Caribbean.
How has the Digicel/WICB Grassroots Cricket partnership helped with the development and popularity of the sport among young people throughout the Caribbean?
- The partnership between Digicel and the WICB – through the Grassroots Cricket Programme – has helped to revitalise, in a significant way, interest in cricket at the youth level. Thanks to Digicel’s continued support, the programme provides free gear and expert coaching from WICB certified coaches on a weekly basis.
The young players are extremely excited to participate in the programme as it gives them an opportunity to compete and to learn in a fun and exciting environment.
What have been the biggest successes that you have seen since the start of the programme?
- The biggest successes have been that a significant number of the national team players who participate in the WICB Regional Under 15 and Under 17 Tournaments have come through the Grassroots Programme. In the near future, we expect that all the national players at the youth level will come through the Grassroots Cricket Programme.
What did you hope to see from the young cricketers at the Grassroots Cricket Fun Day held last weekend?
- We wanted to see the young cricketers who have demonstrated that the programme has helped them to develop their cricketing skills and who show an aptitude to go on to play at the higher levels. Most of all, we hope to see a sense of camaraderie, passion and love for the game in an environment of fun and excitement for cricket.
With Digicel’s overwhelming sponsorship donation of US$2 million, the Digicel/WICB Grassroots Cricket Programme prepares 2,000 young cricketers between the ages of 12 and 17 across the Caribbean for entry into competitive cricket by providing them with the necessary training to develop their cricketing skills as well as their physical and mental preparedness for the game.
Players from Antigua and Barbuda, Anguilla, British Virgin Islands, Dominica, Grenada, Jamaica, Monsterrat, St. Kitts and Nevis, St. Lucia and St. Vincent and the Grenadines who will show their friends and families what they have learned from being participants in the programme supported by Digicel.
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