The Trinidad and Tobago Cricket Board (T&TCB) will be hoping to score big in an ambitious all embracing two-week national camp throughout the nation starting on Saturday, July 16.According to Kumar Rampat, Territorial Development Officer of the West Indies Cricket Board (WICB), the camps will be conducted in 80 centres around Trinidad and Tobago and is expected to attract more than 2,500 participants. There will be ten centres in each zone affiliated to the T&TCB including Tobago.
The camps would specifically target youngsters in the Under-13 and Under-15 categories who would have set their eyes on making strong claims for inclusion on the national team rosters for the 2012 season.Rampat said that apart from providing an opportunity for the youngsters to participate in a healthy pursuit while diverting their minds from negative influences, he hopes also that fresh talent will be unearthed as scouts will be on the look out to boost their stock of players.
"One of the objectives is also to make an impression on the youngsters that cricket offers great opportunities and can be looked upon as a first choice sport for those who are serious about making a career out of the game," said Rampat in an interview on Friday at the National Cricket Centre in Balmain, Couva.Rampat said another valuable spinoff in the initiative was the chance offered by the camps to carry cricket to every nook and cranny of not only Trinidad but also Tobago, which is to become the focus of an intensive talent hunt for the duration of the programme.
In anticipation of the enthusiastic response to the exercise, Rampat has planned an all-day orientation meeting for today starting at 10 am, at the National Cricket Centre, where the 80 top coaches would be briefed on what is expected of them in the upcoming days.Rampat said main speaker would be Trinidad and Tobago's highly successful senior men's team coach Kelvin Williams, who will impress on the national coaches ways they can improve their skills and make a significant impact on the development of their young charges.Listed to give an outline of the programme and describe its implementation is Rampat who would also speak on the proper procedures that must be employed in monitoring and reporting on the growth and development of the youngsters.
SOUTH EAST ZONAL COUNCIL: Guy Tambie (Princes Town); Farzan Ali (Valley Boys); Ernest Bridgelal (Rio Claro); Cyril Jagdeo (Biche); Sheldon Williams (Gran Chemin); Paul Montique (Guayaguayare); Latchman Rampersad (Kildeer Ground); Faoud Bassarath (St Mary's); Noor Mohammed (Renown); Jason Harriot (Tableland). Co-ordinator: Rydell Ramsaran
SOUTH WEST ZONE: Clinton Jaggernauth (Cedros Rec Ground); Kent Babb (Petrotrin Palo Seco); Claudius Richards (Techier Point Fortin); Lyndon Rajkumar (Irwin Park, Siparia); Shammi Singh (Avocat Rec Ground); Seukaran Sookram (Vijay Rec Ground); Ramesh Dharamdeo (Rousillac Red Ground); David Merez (Erin Rec Ground), Richard Pierre (Standard Ground); Stephen Lakhram (Iere High School). Co-ordinator: Ash Sinanan
NORTH EAST ZONE: Christopher Mitchell (Toco Sec School); John Lewis (Matura Rec Ground); Bhagwandass Ramlogan (Manzanilla Rec Ground); Sandeep Rampersad (Plum Mitan Rec Ground); Andy Nedd (Cunaripo Rec Ground); Parasram Singh (Valencia Rec Ground); David Moffet (North Eastern College); Nissar Mohammed (North Oropuche Rec Ground); James Singh (Guaico Presbyterian School); Mitra Ragoonanan (Coryal Rec Ground). Co-ordinator: Ravi Motilal
SOUTH ZONE: Stephen Ramkissoon (Woodland Rec Ground); Edward Narine (Hillpiece Rec Ground); Milton Siboo (San Fernando CentraL Sec School); Amin Forgenie (Debe Sec School); Shal Ramkissoon (Barrackpore West Sec School); Doodnath Nagasar (Gasparillo Sec School); Sheldon Sooknanan (Guaracara Park); Randy Mangaroo (Bakal Rec Ground); Shafeek Mohammed (Iere Govt Primary School); Anil Lakhan (Francis Seepaul Rec Ground. Co-ordinators: Jai Ramdhanie, Rudolph Ali