Georgetown, Guyana – West Indies Cricket Board (WICB) has continued its educational programmes for regional players by hosting a seminar for the participants in the ongoing WICB Under-19 Tournament in Guyana.
The members of all six teams recently assembled at the Guyana National Stadium where they attended lectures on: proper preparation and maintaining fitness, injury prevention, anti-doping; and also received media training.
Tournament Co-ordinator, Rawl Lewis addressed the players. The WICB Cricket Operations Officer and former Windwards Islands captain and West Indies spin bowler, urged the teenagers to be good ambassadors for their countries and for West Indies cricket.
Lewis outlined the WICB’s commitment to making sure players receive the relevant information to help them "develop and improve their cricket as they graduate from one stage to the next". He added: "It is important that we continue to assist and support the players across the region. We had several seminars like this before and we aim to put systems in place make West Indies cricket better at all levels."
Ayana Cooper, the WICB’s Player Relations Officer, delivered the feature address and spoke to the aspiring players about the need to be fully aware of how they conduct themselves on and off the field. She also stressed the need to "maintain the integrity of the game and to avoid pitfalls" as they strive to improve their cricket and their personal lives.
Karen Pilgrim, Doping Control Officer for the Caribbean Regional Anti-Doping Organisation, addressed the issue of performance-enhancing substances in sport; Janel Springer, the Barbados and West Indies Under-19 physiotherapist, spoke on fitness and diet in cricket; while Philip Spooner, the West Indies team’s Media Manager, hosted a media workshop.
The players also had a discussion session with Clyde Butts, the Chairman of the WICB’s Selection Committee.