Scotiabank invests $300k in NextGen U-13 cricket

Longstanding TTCricket Board (TTCB) partner Scotiabank has invested $300,000 in the NextGen Under-13 Cricket Development Programme.

Scotiabank Foundation director Peter Ghany and general manager Cindy Mohammed presented the cheque to TTCB president Azim Bassarath at the Alloy Lequay Administration Centre in Couva on Friday.

The tournament bowls off on Friday at four venues and will feature eight teams – North, East, North-East, Tobago (Group A) and Central, South, South West and South East (Group B).

Day-one matches bowl off in Shaw Park, Tobago; St Mary’s College Grounds, St Clair; National Cricket Centre, Balmain and James Park, Point Fortin with the first ball from 9.30am.

Bassarath was pleased at Scotiabank’s continued investment in youth cricket and hailed the long-time sponsor as “trailblazers” in youth and national development, owing to its commitment to the development programme.

Now post-pandemic, the TTCB is poised to make up lost ground with an aggressive plan to fast-track its development programme, which had been stymied when sport was halted in March 2020.

He said, “Even at that stage, early into the lockdown, with the grim outlook and dim forecast for the game because of the uncertainty and public health concerns, the TTCB got the assurance from Scotiabank that they will maintain their support for the youth cricketers.

“It gives us great pleasure now to announce that in a step up the ladder, the promising Under-15 and Under-13 cricketers will be engaged in an intensive tournament and developmental programme, which will run concurrently from March 5 to March 25 for the Under-15s.”

During this three-week period, off the pitch, the youngsters will be given lectures by qualified personnel in time management, goal-setting and problem-solving, child protection, leadership and communication, nutrition, mental health and well-being.

This programme continues after the tournament from March 26-April 12 with sessions on financial management, visualisation and discipline, fair play and citizenship, anti-doping and drug abuse, public speaking and managing the media.

Among the lecturers will be former ICC world number one T20 bowler Samuel Badree, teacher and coach Brendon Ramlal, Dexter Rampersad, Bertrand Moses, Guardian Media reporter Ryan Bachoo, Ian Ramlal, Stacy Bridgelalsingh, Kadye Mitchell and Victoria Rajkumar.

Bassarath added, “It is especially important that they be afforded all the support and the tools necessary to realise their greatest potential, which the Scotiabank Development Programme seeks to achieve.”

Also presenting was Brendon Ramlal, five-time (2015-2019) Scotiabank Kiddy Cricket champion teacher and coach of San Francique Presbyterian School.

He was particularly pleased with the sponsor’s new additions to the programme, which emphasise holistically developing young cricketers, both on and off the field of play.

“This virtual developmental programme will accompany the tournament match play with the vision to enhance and equip our zonal under-15 and zonal under-13 players with essential life-skill tools.

“The holistic development of players in cricket has become a crucial and integral part of the modern game. This programme will afford players selected to participate in the tournament, as well as reserve players in each zone, the unique opportunity to achieve success in cricket, whilst cultivating fundamental life skills.

“It is geared towards the development of players' personal and educational competencies, helping to shape their personalities to succeed in a global society,” he said.

Players’ progress will be tracked using a blended educational approach, designed with specific focus on key performance indicators outlined for each module.

Scotiabank Foundation director Ghany added that the programme was designed to help young people further refine their skills and expertise to develop in the field of cricket, as well as enhance their life and capacity-building skills, preparing them for future success.

“When young people in the community succeed, families, businesses and entire societies are positioned to benefit for years to come.

“By focusing on our young cricketers’ overall development, on and off the field, they can unlock their full potential, will have more life opportunities and be better able to adapt to changing circumstances, thereby boosting their resilience.

“We take this opportunity to commend the TTCB on its continued drive to promote and develop cricket locally,” Ghany said.