CEO of the Jamaica Cricket Association, Brian Breese (right), accepts a cheque of $1.4 million from chief accountant of Kingston Wharves, Keith Gooden (second left). Kingston Wharves customer service manager Margaret Porter (left), payroll supervisor Fabian Anderson and camp participants look on. - CONTRIBUTED
THE NEXT generation of Jamaica's cricketers is now in training. The Kingston Wharves Under-15 cricket camp and competition bowled off last Wednesday at the G.C. Foster College in Spanish Town, St Catherine.
Chief accountant at Kingston Wharves, Keith Gooden, presented a cheque for $1.4 million to chief executive officer of the Jamaica Cricket Association, Brian Breese, to cover the cost of the eight-day camp, now in its 22nd year.
In a brief ceremony at the college, Mr. Breese praised Kingston Wharves for its support which, he said, had been vital to the development of youth cricket in Jamaica.
"This is where our national programme starts," said Mr. Breese. "It is vitally important that all our programmes have sponsorship, and I attribute the success at this level to Kingston Wharves. In the past three years, we have won once and been runners-up twice. We're not content with being runner-up. We want another win this year."
Mr. Gooden said Kingston Wharves was committed to the development of Jamaica's youth through sport, and would continue to support cricket at this level.
"We think there is an avenue for developing youngsters, and sports is the way we choose. In dealing with young people, we want to help in their development, and sport helps them to be more rounded later in life," Mr. Gooden said. "As a corporate body, we thought it best to deal with the youth. We have been doing this for over 20 years, and our chairman, Grantley Stephenson, says as long as we are in the position to, we will continue to sponsor this competition."
IMPORTANT TO YOUTH CRICKET
Camp coordinator, Denovan Hayles, said this Kingston Wharves camp was an important part of the national youth cricket programme.
"I think Kingston Wharves is getting their mileage in terms of sponsorship," he said. "This is what the Jamaica Cricket Association uses in terms of selecting the players who go on to represent Jamaica in the regional Under-15 tournaments. With the record of the past three years in particular, I think it has shown that it is paying off. They are doing a very good job."
Apart from the cricket clinics and matches, internal seminars focusing on motivation, discipline, counselling and life skills will also be held.
Ninety youngsters from across the island were selected through county competitions for participation in the camp, which runs from July 26 to August 3. Six squads - a north and south side from each county - with 14 players will play five rounds of matches at several venues: G.C. Foster, Prison Oval, Chedwin Park, Jamaica Broilers, Lime Tree Oval and Port Esquivel. The camp closes on August 3 with a presentation ceremony and match between the champion team and a Best of the Rest squad at G.C. Foster.
A number of participants in the Kingston Wharves Under-15 cricket camp have gone on to represent Jamaica and the West Indies including Courtney Walsh, James Adams, Franklyn Rose and, more recently, Christopher Gayle, Jermaine Lawson, Wavell Hinds, Marlon Samuels and Xavier Marshall.
Taken from the Daily Gleaner, Tuesday August 2, 2005
