The Blairmont Community Centre Cricket Club’s (BCCCC’s) annual summer camp, which commenced on Monday August 12, was completed on Saturday last. Over the last nine years, this two-week camp has been an annual drive for club membership, and a foundation for basic skills’ improvement.
Former West Indies fast bowler Colin Stuart going through the paces with Blairmont youngsters
Camp Coordinator Shabeer Baksh has described the camp as successful.
It had attracted between 38 and 52 youngsters aged between 11 years and 16 years, some of whom Baksh said were naturally talented, while some were new to the sport of cricket. He assured that the attendees had been educated, and that all the fun activities in which they had participated would remain in their memories for a long time.
He said the theme of the camp was “Options for Youths”, and that had been covered.
Participants of the Blairmont Cricket Camp received certificates while outstanding individuals received silverware and educational equipment
A small presentation ceremony was held at the Roy Fredericks Pavilion at the Blairmont Estate Ground, where 52 participants were presented with a coach’s batting and bowling compact disc and a certificate of participation.
Gifts and trophies were donated by the BCCCC, the Berbice Cricket Board, the Rose Hall Town Youth and Sports Club, Seon Glasgow Jr, Republic Bank Limited and the New Building Society. The camp focused on basics skills in cricket; batting, bowling, fielding, wicket-keeping, along with aspects of being a positive individual.
Topics such as time management, leadership, the importance of education, discipline, alcohol, drug abuse and other social ills were covered.
The coaches that were involved in the camp were former Guyana and West Indies pacer Colin Stuart, senior Academy coach Michael Hyles and Berbice Senior Coach Winston Smith. Former Berbice under 15 player Dr Zulificar Bux covered sports and health, and also mentioned the importance of education and encouraged everyone to find the right balance of living.
He explained the importance of setting and achieving goals, working hard, working smart, and staying humble and honest.
President of the Berbice Cricket Board, Hilbert Foster, encouraged the youths to ‘say no to drugs’ so that they can become good ambassadors of the BCCCC, and of Berbice and Guyana.
BCCCC organized a day of fun at the Blairmont Estate Pool for the participants, and arranged for a two-day stay in Georgetown for the under-15 and under-16 teams to play Everest Cricket Club and Georgetown Cricket Club respectively.
At the closing exercise, BCCCC president, Mohamed Hussain, reminded youngsters of the opportunity they had been offered, and advised them to continue practising and working extra hard to ‘be on top of their game’. He promised that the club would continue to work in their best interest, and thanked Camp coordinator Baksh and all the others who made this year’s camp a success, especially the sponsors.
