Minister of Sports, Nicolette Henry said yesterday that the National Secondary Schools Cricket League (NSSCL) which was launched yesterday by the Guyana Cricket Board could serve as a reservoir for identifying talented cricketers and as a feeder programme to channel talented cricketers to higher levels.
The minister made the remarks at the launch of the 2016 tournament yesterday at the Georgetown Cricket Club, Bourda.
According to Minister Henry, the tournament is a worthwhile avenue for the nurturing and promotion of talent and will stimulate interest among schools and players as well as foster good team work ethics.
According to the GCB in a press release, “the NSSCL is perceived as very significant, in that it forms a valuable instrument from which the GCB can begin to assess
players’ talent and to implement strategies geared at their development.
“These strategies may include directing players to clubs close to their homes or schools, and to involve them in progressive empowerment programmes,” the release added.
Last year’s league enjoyed participation of experienced players, such as national youth player Ashmead Nedd and a number of players from the school league went on to participate in the GCB’s Inter Association and Inter County tournaments.
This year’s league will involve 150 schools in the Guyana Teachers Union zone and district format and will see inter school competitions within 20 zones/district across the country. The zone matches will then progress to an inter district format, and then the national finalists.
The zones and districts that will be involved in the league are: Corentyne, Lower Corentyne, New Amsterdam/Canje, West Berbice, Lower East Coast Demerara, Upper East Coast Demerara, North Georgetown, South Georgetown, East Georgetown, East Bank Demerara, High Way, Upper Demerara, West Bank Demerara, West Coast Demerara, East Bank Essequibo, Wakenaam, Leguan and Essequibo Coast.
Meanwhile, GCB president Drubahadur, thanked the schools for their overwhelming support to the NSSCL and indicated that the progress the GCB is making in the development of players could not be possible without their valuable support. He commended the Ministry of Education, its Allied Unit, the National Sports Commission, and the Child Care and Protection Agency, for the “continued sterling contribution to sports, in particular cricket.”
Drubahadur also thanked Digicel for its valuable sponsorship during the 2015/2017 GCB/NSSCL and encouraged them and other corporate sponsors to get on board with the GCB’s progressive cricket development programme.
Administrator of the NSC, Gervy Harry congratulated the GCB for continuing to place emphasis on school cricket and said sports can be easily seen as a complement to academic pursuits.
Harry urged the students to make full use of the opportunity provided to them while a representative from the Child Care and Protection Agency spoke of the significant role the agency is playing in supporting the GCB in its coaching programmes and competitions for players in a safe and fair environment.
He emphasized the nature of the collaborative programmes over the past two years and said that the Child Care and Protection Agency looks forward to assisting the GCB to set policy driven standards.
GCB secretary Anand Sanasie acknowledged the supportive role that the National Sports Commission was playing along with corporate Guyana to ensure that cricket in Guyana is developed and promoted in the best possible way.
He said that the GCB will continue to assess and examine ways in which the GCB can broaden its delivery of service in a manner that is meaningful and productive and encouraged the schools and players to make full use of the opportunity provided to them.
