On The Cricket Pitch

Youngsters in need of meaningful support not unreasonable pressure

Philip Hackett

Friday, February 20, 2004

For the second consecutive weekend cricket will take centre stage. On the previous occasion local coaches participated in a level one WICB coaching course conducted by former West Indies wicket-keeper/batsman Jeffrey Dujon. 

This time around, the under-15 players will be in the limelight. The young Caymanian cricketers will be playing against a combined school team from Trinidad in a three match series spread over four days.

The tour opens with a 40 over per side match at the Jimmy Powell Oval on Friday, 20 February and continues the following day with a 50 over-a side match at the same venue. 

After a rest and social activities on Sunday the competition resumes on Monday when the teams start a 25 over-a side match. One team will bat on the first day when play commences around 3:30 pm and the second side will reply on Tuesday afternoon.

Cricket in the Cayman Islands has made excellent progress over the past few years and the CICA has high hopes for the national teams in upcoming international tournaments. 

The under-19 squad, coached by Chris Wight and Andy Myles, narrowly missed out on competing in the World Cup currently being played and the seniors will be off to Bermuda in a few months searching for a place in the 2007 World Cup.

The CICA's technical director, Theo Cuffy has mobilised locally based talent in a youth coaching programme targeting students from primary and secondary schools. Plans are being made to address the shortage of competition at middle and high school age levels but, without support from the public, only limited success is likely to be achieved.

The Jimmy Powell Oval is not the most central location for cricket in the Cayman Islands, but it is a facility with lots of potential. Hopefully cricket fans will make the opportunity to watch the youngsters in action in at least one of the weekend matches and turn up at the Smith Road Oval on Monday and Tuesday to offer further support.

While it is natural for us to look forward to a successful outing from the local boys, it is necessary to guard against expectations that may put unnecessary pressure on these players at a critical stage of their development.

It is not difficult to notice the attitude of some adults involved as spectators or team officials in the various inter-primary competitions. 

While the presence of parents and well-wishers is welcomed and credit must be given to coaches who volunteer their time, the win-at-all-cost approach, too often seen, can be extremely counter-productive. When primary school students react to defeat by accusing others of cheating or by refusing to shake hands with opponents something is critically wrong. 

When young footballers are so physical on the field that match officials feel compelled to eject them from games and are then verbally attacked by parents, there is justifiable cause for concern.

Dujon gave a timely reminder of the danger of this 'must win' approach during his stay here last weekend.

"The power of expectation is a very serious thing. When pressure is put on kids to win, it tends to stress them out and it diminishes their enjoyment of the game and can even push them away from it," Dujon said.

"I think coaches should try to make kids the best that they can be and encourage them to play to the best of their ability and to try hard but in terms of making them feel that they must go out there and they must win I think it is a totally negative attitude. Coaches need to look inside themselves and ask themselves whose benefit am I really here for?"

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