Rose Hall Town Youth and Sports Club’s 29th annual cricket academy bowls off

By Brandon Corlette

Investment in cricket in Berbice continues to expand with the Rose Hall Town Youth and Sports Club (RHTY&SC) launching their 29th annual cricket academy at the Area ‘H’ ground on Monday, July 8.

This academy will last for two weeks, during which the aim would be to improve the general knowledge and capability of the academy’s participants. Youths would be exposed to techniques that improve cricketing skills; information that enhances knowledge of cricket, its history and laws, the importance of education, and the importance of physical fitness.
When this daily publication visited the Area ‘H’ Ground, the youths were engaged in a batting session under the tutelage of Coach Delbert Hicks and national player Eon Hooper.
The academy will be holding sessions from 8:30h to 12:30h from Monday to Thursday, and the RHTY&SC will provide free refreshments, meals and all cricket gear required in the learning process.
Speaking exclusively with this reporter, RHTYSC Assistant Secretary and Director of the Cricket Academy, Simon Naidu, said this academy would spot the promising talents that would follow in the footsteps of RHTY&SC players Assad Fudadin and Esuan Crandon.
Players between the ages of eight and 18 will be facilitated at this 29th annual cricket academy.
Additionally, the RHTYSC has launched its Grade Six Summer Classes that would last for four weeks, starting from 8:30 to 13:00 hours daily.
These cricketers and students will further gain exposure in classroom sessions wherein they will understand their roles as ambassadors of their school or cricket club.
Among the other topics that will be discussed in the class rooms are drug abuse, career choices, importance of education, discipline, personal hygiene, the role of a sports ambassador, rules of cricket, captaincy, public speaking, and dealing with the media.
Naidu noted that attendance at this academy is without charge to participants, who are expected to benefit greatly from attending. The five-time Guyana Cricket Board (GCB) Club of the Year will also award outstanding performers at the end of the two-week cricket academy.
RHTY&SC Secretary/CEO, Hilbert Foster, will spearhead the classes, along with some highly qualified and successful personnel, including doctors, social workers and head-teachers from various schools.
The RHTY&SC has, over the last 29 years, won 60 major championships and produced numerous Berbice, Guyana and West Indies cricketers.
Some of the players who had come through this cricket academy are: Royston Crandon, Assad Fudadin, Abdel Fudadin, Eon Hooper, Renwick Batson, Shemaine Campbelle, Erva Giddings, Plaffiana Millington, Mariam Samaroo, Dominique Rikhi, Askay Homraj, Khemraj Mahadeo, Shawn Pereira, Delbert Hicks, Kevlon Anderson, Junior Sinclair, Keith Simpson, Sylus Tyndall, Murphy La Rose, Melanie Henry, Jonathan Rampersaud, Mahendra Gopilall, Dian Prahalad, Uma Matadin and Neil Williams.
The Albion CC’s ninth annual academy and the RHTY&SC’s 29th annual academy bowled off on the same day. These two cricket clubs have produced some of the best cricketing talents in Guyana over the years.