Samuels calls for more work with community cricket coaches

Robert Samuels, the head instructor at the West Indies Players’ Association (WIPA)/Wray & Nephew coaching workshop for coaches who saw their teams through to the last 16 of the Social Development Commission (SDC)/Wray & Nephew National Community T20 Competition, said a follow-up on the workshop to assess the coaches working in their environment and to ensure that the information they have passed on is utilised in the correct way would have an even greater effect than just the workshop.

The two-days workshop bowled off at the Kensington Cricket Oval on Wednesday under Samuels’ watch, and the former Jamaican cricket star said more seminars like this were needed to improve the standard of the sport nationally.

“I believe what Wray & Nephew and WIPA are doing is a fantastic thing in terms of getting coaches certified. But what I would like to see happen is that follow-up in terms of we, who are experienced in coaching, going into the communities and see the jobs that they are doing so what we are doing is twofold,” he said.

“The enthusiasm has been great over the two days, and the players are willing to learn. Some have learnt new things, and some are just reinforcing it. So they are knowledgeable, and we have been asking for their observation, and they have given good observations. But we need a follow-up so we can go and observe them in their environs doing their thing. That will be very important to see where they are at and to give proper assessment. So after this (the workshop), it is for us to go and see them in their own environment doing the job, coaching their players, and we can observe and give feedback,” Samuels said.

Samuels has been impressed with the positive attitudes of the coaches and believes that many more projects like this is needed to lift the standard of the game islandwide.

“More seminars and things like these are needed to grow the sport. A lot of retired players are not certified because there is a cost to it, but this is not a cost to them other than the good work they have put in. So this will motivate coaches to want to get to the final 16 and get certified so they can do better with their communities.

“But the most important thing is to follow up and see them in their environment. I am hoping that this happens as it will go a long way. When you see them (coaches) here, they are listening to you, and they are looking, so we would like to go there and see them in charge (of their teams), and then we can observe and help a little bit more,” he reiterated.

He added that Wray & Nephew has even bigger plans for the final eight coaches and that he hopes this will serve as an even greater motivation for them.