Another busy summer of youth development is drawing to a close, with the new school year fast approaching. The highlight of the chofesh hagadol (the summer holidays) was definetly the positive performance by the Israel U19 team at the European Championships, but there were plenty of activities to ensure that in a couple of year's time Israel will be well set to improve on their 5th place finish at this years event. A summer inter-schools league was held in the Negev, cricket spread its way northwards to Zichron Yaakov for the first time, over 70 kids participated in a youth tournament, U13 players got the feel of a real ball for the first time in a four-team tournament, and the U17 squad began their preparations for next season's European tour.
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The second ICA Introduction to Cricket Course got underway at Kay Teachers Training College in Be'er Sheva a few weeks ago, with much enthusiasm and appreciation from the Faculty of Physical Education. Twenty students, more than half of them Bedouin from surrounding towns and villages, participated in six two-hourly sessions during which all aspects of cricket were covered. The aim of the course was not to produce twenty new cricketers, but rather to provide the trainee teachers the tools to pass on the fundamentals of the game to groups of children with an emphasis first and foremost on fun, whilst incorporating correctness of technique.
"Teaching adult students from scratch", explains ICA Instructor George Sheader, "is just like teaching a class of 5th graders. Put a bat in their hands and the only thing they want to do is to smack a ball as hard and as far as possible."
The first session got off the ground with a 20-minute promotional DVD, which introduced the students to both the basics and the hype of international cricket. This was followed by a brief talk on the history and structure of Israeli cricket by newly appointed ICA CEO, Naor Gudker, who concluded with an impassioned plea to all to get involved in the ICA youth program. The second session was all about batting and how to incorporate various shots into game situations. Some participants displayed a natural ability to strike the ball well with surprisingly good technique. For the final session a match between the teachers and a team of 6th graders was organised, with the kids coming out winners.
Over the past two years, Ms. Kokhava Marmelstein, Head of Physical Education at Kay College, has been very active promoting cricket both among her students and through her many contacts with schools throughout the Negev. She was also instrumental in persuading the Kay Authorities to provide the ICA with a ground to play its inaugural Inter School Tournament during the summer holidays.