Junior Development is making rapid progress in Fiji

Photo © ICC

The development which includes all 3 levels or grades namely Junior Playing, Youth playing and Adult not including Junior involvement, has been my concentration in the last 4 and a half months. I am happy to say that out of the 3 levels, there were more success in the Junior playing level. This is because I was putting more efforts and emphasis on them as they needed my attention more than the rest.

The adult level is where the most challenge for me comes from. This is because there are very few people here in Labasa who are interested in the game accept for those expatriates from Lau and India. I am sorry to say that we will continue to limp along for a while more with the same pace at this level. I see that this problem will soon be overcome by the upcoming young cricketers who will take up new places for local clubs, when it happens, I will be a happy man. This will probably take few more years because this boys will have to find work first get married and when they have settled, they will choose their own clubs and cricket as their game and play every Saturdays and probably Sundays as well.

To date all my appointments with the under 15 has been fulfilled or up to date according to the master plan we put together in January, with the selection of two squads and now their competitions underway and also their clinics every Saturday from 8.00am to 1.00pm at Sangam College Namara Wing. From 8.00am to 10.00am is clinic and from 10.30am to 1.00pm is for competition between two teams. This is every Saturdays and Under 15 still have one more Cricket Tournament coming up on August Thursday 7th at Labasa College from 8.00am to 3.00pm. This will continue to be monitored through systematic visits to the six primary schools involved. This tournaments is very important not only because of the development of the game but also very important to keep the game of cricket on the level where it receives the respect of both the Ministry of Education and the Schools themselves as this will earn cricket respect it deserves.

Also, there is still need for more cricket equipment for Junior level as we have experience here in Labasa during the last few competitions. At the present time we have only one complete set given by FCA. We need an extra helmet as we have only one which belongs to my son and they are using that now. We need more batting gloves for both left and right handers as we have only one pair of left hand and 2 pairs of right hand. I am happy to say that New World Supper Market sponsored $100.00 to pay for the bus which transported Boubale, Vuo and Labasa Primary to the competition and back to their schools during the competition on the 22nd of May. Talks are still underway with them for sponsoring the Labasa Under 15 to the National Tournament in Nadi in September. It is notable to mention the ongoing supports from the parents of the under 15 cricketers which we are enjoying and using as much as can. Although the volunteer list which I prepared for them has not been 100% however, the ones that do come really fill the places for those absent.

Under 19 competition this year's season is schedule to start on the 4th of October between Sangam College, Labasa College, Holy Family, Bulileka college and two under 15 teams and it will be hindered if nothing is done about the cricket pitch at Labasa college because they can only have their competitions on Saturdays with 6 teams we will need 2 grounds. Please we need the ground at Labasa college very soon. Regular visits to the 4 secondary schools is planed for next term prior to their approval of the time and day. I must say at this point that the Under 19 competition for this last season was very much disturbed by the removal of the cricket pitch at Bulileka college. This also affected the participation of one or two schools in the competition last season. However, we have put this behind us now and are looking ahead to the upcoming competition of the next season which always starts in the last term of the year. We lift our hope to the FCA board for the erection of one more cricket pitch at Labasa college before the start of the next season.

With the Under 19 and Under 15 well under control now, my next move will now be concentrated for the Junior Involvement. These are for classes 5 and 6 students only and I have now to contact the head teachers of the following schools; St Mary, Holy Family, Bethel, Gurunanak and Labasa Primary only to set time and day to run clinics at their respective schools in preparations and build up for the upcoming Milo Have A Go Fun Fare scheduled for October/November this year. This will be a week long festival of sports which will be centered on Cricket alone. I am still looking for a sponsor for the event which is going to be a big publicity for Cricket in the North and throughout Fiji as a whole.

I will send you the reports of the under 15 competition after each game on Saturdays and also on the progress of the Junior Involvement and Under 19 when there is a progress made.