Kiddy Cricket programme widens reach
GEORGETOWN, Guyana (CMC): CLOSE TO 140,000 children from across the Caribbean will be recipients of cricket coaching aids and clinics as part of this year’s Scotiabank Kiddy Cricket programme.
The year-round activity, now in its 18th season, is managed by the West Indies Cricket Board and administered by the various territorial boards across the region. It is now being played in more than 800 schools in 20 countries, with most of the participants coming from Trinidad, Jamaica, Barbados and Guyana.
SKILLS DEMO
This year’s activities started on Sunday in Guyana with an on-field skills demonstration by 100 local children during the second one-day international between West Indies and Pakistan at the National Stadium.
According to K.J. Singh, the WICB’s senior project officer, the board was pleased with the outreach activities.
“The Scotiabank Kiddy Cricket Programme continues to see significant growth,” he noted.
“We have close to 140,000 young boys and girls from over 800 schools participating in the programme across the West Indies. This number will grow even more this year as we continue to promote the game both on and off the field.”
He continued: “We are not just coaching future cricketers, but we are moulding lives for the future development in the region.”
The programme has been responsible for feeding several players into the international squads, with the likes of Test and one-day captain Jason Holder and Test opener Kraigg Brathwaite having benefitted from the thrust.