The St. Vincent and the Grenadines chapter of the Kiddy Cricket Programme, a joint venture between the West Indies Cricket Board and the Bank of Nova Scotia, was relaunched last Tuesday at Frenches House.{{more}}

Absent from the local scene since 2008, the rebirth should see the involvement of fifty primary schools, targeting students from age six to eleven, of both sexes, in learning the fundamentals of the game, in an enjoyable and explorative manner.

The local co-ordinator of the Programme, former St. Vincent and the Grenadines, Windwards and Combined Islands off spinner Stanley Hinds told SEARCHLIGHT that following last Tuesday’s re – launch, the next phase is to have the teachers who are to be involved in the programme get the requisite training.

This, he said, will be in addition to the academic component, found in the Kiddy Cricket Manual, entitled: “Clarence goes to school”, which gives ways in which Mathematics, Language Arts, Science and Social Studies can be taught in a fun way.

Hinds said quizzes and a competition are also planned, possibly during the month of June.

He further revealed that the best 24 players would be identified for a week long training during the month of August.

Hinds disclosed that from September to December, there will be the rebranding and re-launching of the new mascot, along with an arts and craft competition.

By this time, Clarence the crab, who has been the mascot since the programnne’s inception, will go into retirement.

Hinds, along with the Windward Islands Cricket Development Officer Irvin Warrican will ensure that the re-launch moves to the implementation phase.

At last Tuesday’s re-launch, brief remarks were made by Minister of National Mobilisation, Social Development, Family, Persons with Disabilities Youth, Sports and Culture, Frederick Stephenson, Deputy Chief Education Officer, Beverley Neptune, Manager of the St. Vincent and the Grenadines branch of the Bank of Nova Scotia, Basil Alexander, as well as Norman Cumberbatch, also of the Bank of Nova Scotia.

President of the St. Vincent and the Grenadines Cricket Association, Julian Jack, and co-ordinator Stanley Hinds also spoke.

All speakers gave their organisations’ endorsement and support of the programme.

The last active Kiddy Cricket Programme took place here in 2008, when the Paget Farm Primary School from the Grenadine island of Bequia emerged the winner of the culminating activity, the Primary Schools Competition.

The Kiddy Cricket Programme was first launched here in 1999. (RT)