Giskar Multi-Purpose Indoor Sports Facility transforms athlete development

IN just under two years since its opening in February 2024, the Giskar Multi-Purpose Indoor Sports Facility has transformed into one of southern Trinidad’s most important sporting assets — a world-class, all-weather training base where young hopefuls and seasoned national cricketers now prepare side by side.

Located in Boodoo Trace, Debe, the international-standard indoor complex was purpose-built to address a long-standing gap in infrastructure across the southern region.

For decades, South Trinidad has produced exceptional cricket talent despite limited access to specialised facilities. With Giskar Sports, that narrative is changing.

“Our goal is to multiply that potential and transform sport into opportunity for athletes, for families, and for the wider national landscape,” said owner and director Keshava Ramphal, a High Performance Level 3 cricket coach and performance analyst with Cricket West Indies (CWI).

Ramphal currently works across the West Indies Under-19, West Indies A Team, and the West Indies Academy, bringing a rare combination of elite-level expertise and grassroots commitment to the facility’s programmes.

At the heart of Giskar Sports is its cricket high-performance zone — three full-length indoor lanes equipped with bowling machines, specialised lighting, and integrated video analysis technology.

The controlled indoor environment allows year-round batting, bowling, and technical refinement, unaffected by weather or ground conditions.

Additionally, the multi-sport venue was built and is operated by die-hard, certified cricket enthusiasts who have all played cricket at the highest levels.

Facility manager Satesh Persaud highlighted the venue’s modern design, noting that its tech-driven setup brings pro-level training standards to athletes of all ages.

“This is complemented by a fully equipped gym built for sport-specific conditioning, from strength and power development to mobility, injury prevention, and rehabilitation,” Persaud said.

He added that there is also a dedicated health and recovery zone which offers therapy services, ice baths, and structured wellness programmes, described as an “essential but often overlooked component of long-term athlete development,” by Persaud.

The facility also houses a growing coaching academy for children aged five to 19, giving young cricketers early access to structured training systems once available only to professional setups.

Giskar’s reputation has quickly made it a preferred training base for several of TT’s top cricketers. Among those who regularly utilise the facility are Evin Lewis, Denesh Ramdin, Jason Mohammed, Jyd Goolie, Navin Bidaisee and national youth players Mbeki Joseph, Ryan Bandoo, and Steffi Soogrim, among others.

Regional franchise players and emerging prospects also frequent the centre. During the recently concluded CG United Super50 Cup, members of the TT Red Force and Leeward Islands Hurricanes used the facility to train and prepare ahead of matches.

Under the direction of co-owner and director Shirley Ann Ramphal, Giskar Sports has evolved into a community hub hosting corporate functions, sports events, gym classes, and outdoor wellness initiatives.

Ramphal holds a Master’s degree in biodiversity and conservation and is a certified tour guide, overseeing events management, fitness programmes, and wellness-based activities.

Her focus on holistic health and environmental stewardship adds a broader dimension to the facility’s offerings, blending athletic development with community well-being.

Giskar is now an important centre of activity for several surrounding clubs and schools, including premiership team Victoria Sports Club, championship side Woodland Sports Club, South UWI Women, and Secondary Schools Cricket League’s Presentation College (San Fernando), and Shiva Boys’ Hindu College.

For these organisations, Giskar provides reliable indoor space, high-grade equipment, coaching support, and opportunities to incorporate emerging technology into their training cycles.

When Newsday visited the facility, Red Force women and West Indies Academy player Steffie Soogrim was taking a knock in the indoor nets, alongside Caldrac Achievers women’s teammate Lyrisha Paul.

Soogrim is currently recovering from a Women’s CPL injury she sustained earlier this year, and is using Giskar’s facility to stay active ahead of surgery. She is expected to be unavailable for selection for the next nine months, but remains intent on staying abreast in her craft.

“Once I’m in the country, I come here to get some work in. I’m doing all-around work right now, to keep tuned in and focused. It’s been really good here and I’m grateful for it to be in South. It’s easy for me to come in and get some work done,” she said.

On being forced off the competitive circuit owing to her injury, Soogrim said it remains an uphill climb.

“Mentally, it’s challenging, emotionally and physically. I’d love to be in action, but now that I have to take a break, it’s just for me to get myself back in order. So I do what I can at Giskar Academy,” she added.

Caldrac teammate Paul, 28, is currently fine-tuning her batting skills ahead of the upcoming women’s premiership season, set to bowl off in January.

“I’m working on my batting technique,” said the right-handed batter. “I come here to train and develop myself further in cricket. The facility has all that I need as a budding cricketer. If you want to really become a cricketer, you have to put your mind to it and put in the work.”

Merryboys Sports Club and West Indies Academy left-arm unorthodox spinner Ryan Bandoo is one of the newest athletes to join the Giskar Sports programme, and despite living in Couva, he makes the daily drive to Debe to keep his game sharp. Bandoo, who is also a right-hand batsman, said the decision has already paid off.

“Training has been really good. It’s a top-class facility,” he said. “You can get your bowling, batting, spot bowling, batting machines, and the gym. I’ve been using all of it,” he said.

While he continues to refine his bowling, Bandoo told Newsday that much of his current focus is on developing into a genuine all-rounder. He spends significant time on physical conditioning and technical batting work, taking advantage of the controlled environment and high-tech equipment available inside the three indoor cricket lanes.

“The batting machine has been helping me a lot,” he said. “I can bat pace or spin, and I work on sweeps, pulls, drives — everything I need to keep improving.”

With a sporting goods store set to launch by year’s end and increased demand from academies across the region, Giskar Sports is positioning itself as South’s flagship venue for athlete development.

Those interested in connecting with Giskar can log on to their social media pages at Giskar Sports on Instagram, Facebook and TikTok, or contact manager Persaud at 741-5547.

They are open daily from 9 am to 10 pm.