Tony Becca
LAST FRIDAY'S awards ceremony for the 2005 Grace Shield cricket competition was a wonderful occasion.
In a lovely setting at GraceKennedy's headquarters, the cheers for the top performers, especially those for champions Eltham High and their record-breaking batsman, Shacoya Thomas, were loud and long - and so too the one that greeted a promise by Don Wehby.
According to the chief financial officer and the chief operating officer at Grace Financial Services Division, GraceKennedy, sponsors of the competition for schools in the Corporate Area, is prepared to look at any proposal to extend their sponsorship to the competition for rural schools.
The toast of the evening, however, was Jeffrey Dujon - the former Jamaica captain and West Indies wicketkeeper/batsman who, as the guest speaker, won rounds of applause and nods of approval as he spoke not only about what it takes to become an outstanding cricketer but also about the importance of being an outstanding person.
According to Dujon, those who dream of becoming international cricketers must love and respect the game; they must work hard, very hard; they must dedicate themselves to the game; they must be committed to high standards; they must set goals and they must be relentless in achieving those goals.
"In order to be successful, you have to set high standards for yourselves, and you have to refuse to accept, to be satisfied with mediocre performances," Dujon said.
RESPONSIBILITY
According to one of the most dedicated, committed and successful schoolboy cricketers over the years, the player who hopes to become a successful cricketer also has to accept responsibility - to take on responsibility.
"Lack of accepting responsibility seems to be a growing trend these days - and although it is not just in cricket, it has contributed to the low standard of local and regional cricket that we are now experiencing," he said.
"Commitment of being better than anyone else is sadly lacking, and that is why the expectation of those watching the game today is so low, so low that they no longer support the game as they used to do."
According to Dujon, it is commonplace to hear young cricketers saying things like, 'Dem caan do without me because I made top score', even though that top score is 20; or 'I made more than him and him' - even though not one of them reached double figures.
"That is the mediocre thing of mediocre players who may go on to be mediocre people - people who will go through life making excuses and be nothing but mediocre."
After reminding the youngsters that talent is never enough at the higher level and that what is important is how one manages his talent, after warning them about just sitting back and waiting for things to happen instead of making things happen, and after telling them that failure is no excuse for indiscipline - for not walking when the umpire lifts his finger, Dujon also reminded them of the importance of a good education.
"Luck plays a big part in every career, and I was lucky," said Dujon. "An injury or a failure at any time can shatter a dream - and what will be left? You can answer that.
"What you all have is the opportunity for an education - something to fall back on if things do not turn out to be what you want, what you expected. Take advantage of it. The world out there is a harsh place and it is getting harder for those without an education."
To the loudest and longest applause of the afternoon, after pleading with the cricketers to take advantage of the opportunity to be the best person they can be - cricket or no cricket - Dujon ended with these words of wisdom: "The good thing is that getting an education does not involve any luck at all."
