Scotiabank Kiddy Cricketers Skills Improve With More Playing Time — Programme Growing Rapidly In St Kitts

Basseterre, St. Kitts – July 14, 2012 — The Scotiabank Kiddy Cricket programme in St Kitts and Nevis has been unearthing phenomenal young talent as a result of increased youth cricketing activities being organized by the Scotiabank and WICB across the island. The journey to discover the next generation of cricketing greats is being propelled by increased hours of play for the students as well as improved specialized coaching organised by Scotiabank and the West Indies Cricket Board.

The students have benefitted from over thirty (30) additional hours of additional playing time monthly since the start of the 2012 academic year. “Since the start of the school year which has just ended, our Kiddy Cricketers have had a chance to play some good cricket with each other in zonal and interparish matches. This is more than twice the amount of play time they have had when compared to last year, explained Keithly Esdaille, Territorial Development Officer for the Scotiabank Kiddy Cricket Programme in St Kitts. Esdaille also added that the students have also benefitted from increase training time as they prepare for their games. “Our boys and girls have had to train hard for these games as the schools are quite competitive. Because of the additional hours spent training, we are seeing a much higher level of play between them. They are now showing much better batting, bowling and all round better cricketing skills.”

Esdaille who has been a senior youth cricketing coach in St Kitts for many years has also been able to increase his team of assistant coaches who supervise the schools, and improve their capacity to work with the PE teachers. “We now have additional coaches who visit the schools to guide the teachers in the delivery of the programme. The coaches are now able to spend more time at the school and impact technical advice and speak with the teachers about talent development techniques for the youngsters in the programme.” He added that he was also very proud of the PE teachers who have the direct responsibility of working with the students. The teachers attended the WICB and Scotiabank Kiddy Cricket foundational coaching programme at the start of the 2012 school year. “They are now better able to provide high quality training in their schools as they prepare the youngsters for the interschool matches and their big day when they take to the stadium each year to demonstrate their cricketing skills in the international series.” explained Esdaille.

On Saturday, July 14, 2012 during the 4th ODI between West Indies and New Zealand, spectators at the Warner Park will get a chance to see a dynamic display of the best of the young Scotiabank Kiddy Cricket talent in the island; representing the top eight Kiddy Cricket schools in St Kitts. The students were accompanied on field by their new Kiddy Cricket Mascot Chirpy who is a part of the team for the first year following the retirement of the old Mascot Clarence.