Tony BeccaLAST SATURDAY morning, the West Indies Cricket Board announced the names of the 24 players who will be the first batch of youngsters to attend the Shell Cricket Academy at the St. George's University in Grenada.
It was a lovely function, it was held in the Vivian Richards Pavilion, and three of the youngsters - Sylvester Joseph, Runako Morton, Elsroy Powell - were present. It was a pity, however, that the other 21 were not there. They should have been there - if only to hear the presentation by Roger Braithwaite of Shell.
The Academy will be part of the West Indies Board's programme of development, and in clearing the air about the criteria to enter the academy, in explaining how much time would be spent on cricket and how much time on academics and what the cricket side of things would be like, Dr. Rudi Webster, the man in charge of the Academy, did quite well.
According to Dr. Webster, the players were selected strictly on cricketing merit and cricket would take up 70 per cent of their time at the Academy.
As far as the education side of things was concerned, Dr. Webster said it would depend on the qualification of the cricketers and their needs. In other words, those, for example, with A level subjects would be exposed to higher learning, those who were weak in writing and speaking would be taught to write and to speak.
The high point of the morning, however, were the words of Braithwaite, and that is why all the youngsters should have been present. Braithwaite said nothing about cricket, facilities or coaching and, unlike so many who have been talking, he said nothing about looking forward to the youngsters representing the West Indies.
Braithwaite talked about learning in order to understand, about being focussed, not only to perform but also to achieve, and about development as a person.
Speaking not like the representative of a sponsor or even a school teacher, but like a father, Braithwaite, cool and relaxed, look at the youngsters and told them they were embarking on a journey on which their individualism would
be valued, on which they would develop courage to risk failure, learn from setbacks and still forge ahead.
They would also understand why they do things and therefore understand the need to focus on the process as opposed to the outcome, they would recognise their weaknesses and train to strengthen them, and most importantly, they would learn to view success as one part of the process of sports.
Braithwaite spoke about hard work and in doing so reminded the youngsters dreaming of one day wearing the West Indies cap that most sportsmen have the will to win but few have the will to do what's necessary to win.
Focus, said Braithwaite, was the key to success. According to him, if one is focussed he will do whatever is necessary to stay the course - to climb the mountain, regardless of its height.
It was then that Braithwaite gave the story of a reporter and a 66-year-old distance runner.
"How come you can still run a hundred miles at your age?" asked the reporter.
"I don't run a hundred miles," said the runner. "I run one mile a hundred times."
His words were words of wisdom - particularly the last ones.
"Be all you can be in the process of living and success will be yours. You are a winner if your journey is one of quality. Play like champions. Relax and have fun and the results will take care of themselves. Above all, enjoy the game for the pleasure it gives."
