AT its recent board of directors' meeting held in Trinidad, the West Indies Cricket Board allocated US $2 million dollars to cricket development programmes for its next financial year.
The Development Programme that is based on the WICB's Strategic Plan is a key facet of WICB's business plan approved for the financial year that runs from October 1, 2002 to September 30, 2003.
The budget will now allow the WICB to appoint a cricket development officer in each of the six territories by January 2003 for the first time.
Each of the territories is responsible for producing class players. The WICB cannot do it from our headquarters in Factory Road in Antigua and that's why we have chosen to implement this programme with development officers.
Over the next year, the regional coaching programme will also be expanded and re-designed with the introduction of new training modules complemented by audio-visual materials.
At a news conference last Monday in Port of Spain, WICB President Rev. Wes Hall announced that the Board will be encouraging former West Indies players who are interested in coaching to obtain the relevant training and certification.
In this regard, he applauded the participation and certification of Kenny Benja-min, Reon King and Keith Arthurton in the Level 2 coaching programme noting that they had all done "exceedingly well".
Earlier this year the Level 1 coaching programme was launched after extensive consultation with practising coaches and other stakeholders from across the region.
To date, Guyana and Antigua have conducted courses using the revised curriculum and Jamaica plans to conduct three such courses before the end of the year. The courses will train over 100 Level 1 coaches.
We have also completed the production of resources for Level 1. The manual should be returned from the printers any time now and a CD has been produced with all the resources needed to conduct a Level 1 course.
In addition, we have extended the Level 1 programme to Bermuda in pursuance of our mandate to develop cricket in the Americas. The course in Bermuda was conducted between October 23 and 27 and a dozen coaches completed this course.
WICB Chief Cricket Development Officer Michael Seepersaud coordinated the course in Bermuda and was facilitated by former West Indies cricketer Jeffrey Dujon, ably supported by former Guyana batsman Mark Harper, who now lives and coaches in Bermuda.
According to the Secretary of the Bermuda Cricket Board, their objective is to get as many qualified coaches as possible to not only improve cricket on the island domestically, but internationally as well.
In terms of the Level 2, the first re-accreditation course was conducted between November 4 and 8 in Trinidad and Tobago. This course was conducted by Ashleigh "Toot" Byron from Queensland, Australia, and included several regional facilitators including Gus Logie, Dujon, Brian Davis and Tony Gray, all former West Indies players.
Over two-dozen coaches completed this course. The WICB commends the work done by Byron, admirably supported by Dujon and others. We plan to conduct two Level 2 courses in 2003 entirely facilitated by regional personnel.
The revised curriculum brings an improved instruction methodology with great attention paid to biomechanics, presentation/coaching skills and techniques of skill development and assessment.
All of this which we believe is part of the "revolution" in coaching education will contribute significantly to returning West Indies Cricket to its winning ways.