NGC/TTCB launches 2016 Cricket Academy

The Academy would be conducted over 12 weekends and is set to provide its inductees, aged between 17-22 years, with technical and theoretical coaching along with lecture sessions of the game to enhance the development of their professional career.

Inductees are identified through the TTCB’s competitions and the ‘chosen ones’ are those who showed great potential and displayed exemplary performances for their respective clubs, schools and zones throughout the cricket season.

The Cricket Academy concept began in 2002 and it played a pivotal role in the development of young cricketers into professional sportsmen by honouring their natural talent for the game. Over the years the academy had success in producing some of the nation’s, and by extension regions, finest cricketers such as Dwayne Bravo, Kieron Pollard, Denesh Ramdin and Samuel Badree along with the progression of youth players including Derone Davis, Philton Williams, Yannic Cariah and Ottley brothers (Kjorn and Yannick).

Over the 12-week period, the young cricketers would have 270 contact hours where they would endure 40 plus hours of physical fitness and training along with higher learning of historical and cultural heritage.

Speaking at the ceremony, TTCB president Azim Bassarath indicated, “by partnering with the Zaheer Ali Foundation the players would be well schooled in the mental aspects of the game, on topics such as sport nutrition, sport psychology, money management, communications and addressing the media.” NGC’s Vice President of Finance and Information Management, Narinejit Pariag, elaborated on the company’s pleasantries to stand as corporate partners with the TTCB for youth development as they launched the NGC TTCB Cricket Academy 2016.

In his address to the guests at the National Cricket Center, Pariag stated, “this is an investment in youth. Trinidad and Tobago is losing too many young people to crime and delinquency.

As a country, we need to make opportunities available to our youth for productive engagement in their free time. The NGC TTCB Cricket Academy is one of several supported initiatives advancing that cause.” Pariag also said that participation in sport is a proven delinquency- deterrent strategy which also helps to shape character as it requires discipline, builds fraternities and encourages ambition and aspiration.

The Class of 2016 Academy administrator is Naushad Mohammed and the attendees include Avinash Mahabirsingh, Crystian Thurton, Daniel Williams, David Williams Jr, Emilio Gopaul, Iqwe Craig Jabari Mills, James Duncan, Jayden Seales, Keagan Simmons, Kelon Lynch, Leonardo Julien, Navin Bidaise, Negus Smith, Shaaron Anthony Lewis, Shatrughan Rambaran and Te-Shawn Alleyne