By Neto Baptiste
President of the Antigua and Barbuda Cricket Association (ABCA), Leon Rodney, is encouraging parents to take advantage of the ongoing girls’ cricket camp held every Saturday at three venues across the island.
The initiative, which is a joint effort between ABCA and Cricket West Indies (CWI), commenced last Saturday at the Police Recreation Ground (PRG) with sessions also set for the Pigotts playing field and the Liberta playing field starting this today, May 15.
“We have already asked the persons who were attending previously to just send the notices out that we continue and we want to encourage the parents to please to bring the kids. Make sure they are dressed properly, avoid these little short-shorts because we want to keep it very professional and make sure the girls understand that dressing is very important. We start at 9 am and pick them up sharply at 11 am,” he said.
A number of young aspiring female players took part on the first day of the camp last week but Rodney is hoping for increased participation going forward.
“We didn’t have the kind of turnout that we expected but the word is getting around; I think we had about 10 or 11 but we had a very good time. Let me just thank the police authorities for giving us the grounds to be used for the next 10 or 11 sessions. The coaches there were myself, Pernel Watley, Thomas and Lana Thomas,” the cricket boss said.
The initiative forms part of efforts by CWI and the local cricket authorities to hone new talent in women’s cricket, while giving young girls an opportunity to play the game. Sessions start at 9 am.