Sport
Cricket a nationalpassion
Cayman National CricketCoach, Theo Cuffy
When National Cricket Coach Theo Cuffy traveled from his nativehome of Trinidad back in January of 1996 to take up a positionwith the Cayman Islands Government to rejuvenate cricket in theCayman Islands both he and the Island were ready for the transition.
And while they were only a handful of truebelievers left, cricket remains the main stay for those people.Coach Cuffy's job was to get a youth programme going immediately,organise local cricket and get it back to its glory days of yearspast.
And this he has done along with the handfull of hardcore cricket aficionados whose life blood centresaround cricket, oh lovely cricket.
Not only did coach Cuffy get the youth programmegoing, but it is now thriving and Cuffy and his merry men lendadvice to other youth programmes. Additionally, Cayman's teamregularly compete overseas including playing the famed Red StripeBowl last year.
Cuffy wined and dined corporate sponsorCable & Wireless to take up the sponsorship for CICA youthprogramme. One of the first order of business was to make theWeekend of the Stars an annual event, which is now dubbed CricketCrazy Weekend. This not only helps to place monies into the cofferof the Cayman Islands Cricket Association youth programme, butthe weekend picked at the imagination of the Island's cricketfans thereby igniting a new fan base and setting ablaze the old.
"I came here with the feeling thatI wanted to take Cayman to the highest level that the countrycould go. I met people like Jimmy Powell [past CICA president]who eats and drinks cricket. People who just love the game. Thishas made my life easier," said National Cricket Coach, TheoCuffy.
"After the last five years of puttingsystems into place, it is apparent we are reaching a stage wherewe are ready to go off and do things the way they should be done,"stated Cuffy.
Upon his arrival, Coach Cuffy, the Ministryof Sports, and the CICA formulated a 10 year strategic plan, whichaccording to Cuffy is moving on stream and even moving ahead ata faster pace than first thought.
The Jimmy Powell Oval (JPO) is the stepthat should take us to the other level simply because having ahome ground for cricket, prepared to international standards,will open us to other avenues for our development," Cuffyexplained.
"It is not only for cricket but itis also another vein of revenue for us. Having a top class venuemeans that we can attract the West Indies Team preparing for theseason and maybe some English teams training for the off season,"he added.
However, at the moment CICA has two groundswith clay strips, JPO and the Smith Road Oval, and a third groundwith a turf strip, the West Bay Primary School. Even Cuffy acknowledgesthat while three grounds of the Jimmy Powell Oval magnitude isnot needed, three grounds that are of respectful standards wouldbe acceptable. But he says "I understands the situation herein Cayman - land is expensive and we don't want to build anythingthat is going to look shabby."
As for the CICA youth programme which nowtrains more than 200 youngsters and is a conveyor belt for thecontinued growth of the sport up to the senior level.
"I believe that cricket is the vehiclethat is there to put youngsters on the right path, cricket isthe medium that we have to use. Some people think we are hardon cricketers but it is not so. We want the boys to show respectto their elders, speak and dress properly and be on time. Thatis all," he said.
To show just how the sport of cricket hasblossomed: there is now a thriving youth programme headed by ChrisWight and Andy Myles, there is a women's programme and there arenow 14 teams in the senior league. In addition to all that, Cuffyand the CICA executives are now vying for the teams to be formedinto clubs.
"One of our next steps will be to startclubs rather than teams. Clubs operate 12 months of the year.It is a more personal thing than a national association.
Cuffy on the West Indies Team:
Cayman Net News:What do you think of the West Indies Team?
Coach Cuffy:For the first time the West Indies team has batted all day long.It has been a long time that Courtney Walsh warmed up and didnot bowl.
Cayman Net News:What do you think of the age-old battle of who wins the game thebatsmen or the bowlers? Coach Cuffy: The bowlers over the yearshave tried harder than the batsmen. I am very happy the batsmenhave applied themselves. A little more application and personalpride is needed.
Cayman Net News: Doyou think that the West Indies will perform better under the newleadership of Carl Hooper?
Coach Cuffy: Sometimenew leaders command new fortunes. Every time we have appointeda new captain it seems that the team rises with the captain. Butthen it seems that they get confused as they go along. CaymanNet News: Why replace Jimmy Adams at this point?
Coach Cuffy: Idon't think that Jimmy could have commanded a position on theteam for batting. When you look at his overall batting performanceand of the overall performance of the batsmen he, did not makethe first six. If he could not command a position on the teamas a batsmen, that alone prevented him from being captain. Whenhe lost his position in the batting line up then he lost his captaincy.
Cayman Net News:What do you think of Carl Hooper and his ability?
Coach Cuffy: Ihave high regard for Carl Hooper's ability to play cricket. Ihave always seen him as one of the better players who had notrealised their true potential. Giving him the captaincy is anotherpoint.
Cayman Net News:Would you have picked Hooper for the captain.
Coach Cuffy: Allthing considered he has already been named. Once named I acceptand live with it. I will give him a 100 percent support as theleader of West Indies cricket. But I would have thought long andhard about giving him the captaincy. Because over the years anumber of people have done things to hurt West Indies' cricketand I hold this near to my heart. (Hooper was selected 1999 inthe World Cup but two week before the competition he resignedstating his child was sick in Australia and he could not concentrateon cricket. But the public felt that it was more than that.) Hehas been given the highest honour possible. I wish him all thebest.
Cayman Net News: Willa Caymanian ever be fielded on a West Indies team?
Coach Cuffy:The way the West Indies constitution is written a Cayman playerwould not be allowed on the team as we are not included in thatgrouping. What we are aiming for is throughout the ICC to exposeour youngsters to play at the highest level. Until the West IndiesCricket Board include us in that grouping.