‘A cricket academy is needed’ – Holder

Long-standing manager of the St Vincent and the Grenadines and Windwards Under-15 cricket team Samuel Holder, is of the view that a cricket academy must be instituted here to ensure that young cricketers come through a structured programme to learn the sport.{{more}}

Holder, who has endured for the past six years, with his team finishing at the bottom of the Windward Islands competition on most occasions, revealed this to SEARCHLIGHT last Saturday.

And, the recent outing in St Lucia was no different, as St Vincent and the Grenadines did not only end last, but lost all six matches.

In advancing the call for the academy, Holder pointed to what obtains in the three other territories of the Windwards. He noted: “There is an academy in St Lucia, there is one in Dominica, there is also an academy run by Junior Murray in Grenada…. We are the only ones who do not have anything formal in place.”

“There is no organized programme at the school level or nationally apart from grassroots programme or to a lesser extent – the Kiddy Cricket …. So, until we organize something or the Ministry of Sports and the Ministry of Education get their act together in terms of organizing a competition and coaching, we will always be in problems,” he lamented.

Using the Dominica schools’ cricket set-up, Holder said, “Before the competition, the coaches must go into the schools and do at least two months of coaching… That sort of programme does not exist here in St Vincent; hence, there is a lack of experience at this level, as these youngsters are not exposed to competitive cricket.

Holder, who also holds the post of secretary of the St Vincent and the Grenadines Cricket Association, said that in addressing the problem in the short term, his organization recently ensured that the national Under-15 team played in the women’s segment of the national competition.

He also revealed that an Under-15 competition for the secondary schools and one at the Under-13 level were supposed to be held; however, none came to fruition.

Holder, however, thinks that there is some optimism looming, with the renewed thrust towards pepping the grassroots programme, as well as the recent appointment of Stanley Hinds to head the cricket sub-committee in unison with the Ministry of Education and Ministry of Sports configuration.

“We are also thinking about organizing some junior coaching for Under-15 cricketers in terms of a caravan, which soon will come to fruition,” Holder projected.(RT)