SPORTS
Jonathan Ramnansingh
Scotiabank has poured $300,000 into its NextGen U15 Cricket Development Program 2023.
From February 1, eight zonal teams will battle it out in a 50-round tournament to give outstanding players an opportunity to stake their claim for national selection in the regional competitions later this year.
The U-15 competing teams are Tobago, North, North-East, East, Central, South, South-East and South-West.
Additionally, young cricketers will participate in a series of capacity building sessions aimed at developing their knowledge and general rules of the sport and player welfare.
At the National Cricket Center in Couva on Friday, coach developer and program facilitator Brendon Ramlal said this year’s NextGen program has evolved into a new format and will now include 22 life skills modules, delivered in two stages.
The second phase takes place during the U-15 tournament and was designed for returning participants who would have successfully completed the 2022 programme.
The first phase takes place during the U-13 tournament and will be open to new and first-time participants, including men and women. The U-13 component of the NextGen program is scheduled to begin in April and also includes zonal competition.
Ramlal said, “In the second phase, participants will be exposed to the following modules: captaincy and team culture, umpire, analyst etiquette, financial management II, physiotherapy, history of West Indian cricket, strength and conditioning, coaching and management, sports journalism and anti-bullying and conflict resolution.”
These modules were specifically chosen to provide participants with a career guidance pathway if they are seeking employment in the world of cricket. Some of the developed modules were selected based on recommendations made by parents.
In addition, experts from the local cricket fraternity will share an overview of roles and responsibilities in cricket, their educational pathway with specific reference to subject areas, as well as pathways within a local, regional and international organization to become certified or qualified.
Scotiabank Foundation Director Peter Ghany said the NextGen program aims to increase the talent of young people in this sport, acquiring other skills for the future.
“Our ambition for the development program is to positively affect the lives of young people. We are aiming to improve their educational and employment prospects so that they can adapt to changing circumstances and increase the likelihood of financial success,” said Ghany.
He highlighted the successes of last year’s program which showed that 97 per cent of participants indicated that they had a more positive outlook or engagement with school and 91 per cent reported that they had gained knowledge, skills and confidence in financial matters.
This is the 19th year that Scotiabank has sponsored major youth programs and tournaments within the country. TTCB President Azim Bassarath praised Scotiabank for its continued investment in youth cricket, which first started with Kiddy Cricket.
“Hundreds of young people over the years have benefited from this creative, innovative, indigenous program, which has served to develop their latent skills, both on and off the field.
“He uniquely combines scholastic activity with cricket in an admirably holistic way that has influenced their skills and talent in arts and crafts, drama, poetry and knowledge of cricket,” said Bassarath.
He believes that the NextGen initiative creates a resource pool of young cricketers who are able to engage in critical thinking and helps prepare them to tackle the inevitable challenges they may face in the future.
Before Bassarath concluded his speech, he made an open appeal to former Acting Commissioner of Police McDonald Jacob, who recently retired, to become part of the TTCB’s mentoring initiative, to sessions aimed at impressing positive values on “young and impressionable minds”.
Bassarath added, “Mr. Jacob has served TT with distinction and his extensive knowledge and experience in law enforcement is sure to be well received and will surely help shape the minds of future senior citizens, who will contribute to building a better nation.”
Matches for U15:
First round (February 1)
Tobago vs East (National Cricket Centre, Couva)
North East vs North (Queen’s Park Oval, Port of Spain)
Central vs. Southwest (Agostini Township Recreation Ground, Chase Village)
South-East vs South (Sancho Branch Road Ground, Princes Town)
