Sri Lanka Cricket talent search, coach education programs a success in North

Sri Lanka Cricket’s National Coaching Department successfully conducted a two day program on 8 and 9 May at St. John’s College, Jaffna in the Northern part of the country with the hope of scouting for young talent at age group level  and educating cricket coaches from districts such as Jaffna, Mulaitivu, Vavunia, Kilinochchi  and Mannar.

The talent search program was attended by 110 young cricketers from the U-14 to U-19 age groups on the first day from various schools representing their districts in the Northern Provincial program. Cricketers identified with talent will continue to work under a close eye of the respective District Coach, while any cricketers identified with extreme talent will be drafted to the National age-group squads managed by the SLC National Coaching Department.

On the following day a ‘Coach Education Program’ was conducted to all Cricket Coaches who are in the coaching fraternity in the Northern Province, this program was attended by 48 coaches and was conducted successfully. Other than the cricketing area the sessions also included a physiotherapy subject, with the aim of sharing knowledge and creating awareness with regard to the importance of injury management of young cricketers, which is a common feature in today’s context.

SLC also linked up with the ‘Sri Lanka Schools Cricket Association’ in conducting a program for school ‘masters in charge’ involved in cricket with regard to the duties one is expected to perform during their involvement in the sport. This session was attended by 35 participants.

The ‘Coach Education Unit’ of the SLC National Coaching Department conducted this program with the assistance of U-19 National Coach Naveed Nawaz, U-19 Fielding Coach Upul Chandana, National Spin Bowling Coach Piyal Wijetunga, U-19 Fast Bowling Coach Prabath Nissanka, and Coach Educators JC Jamage and Heshan De Mel.

While the SLC Provincial and District Coaching network was utilised in organising and conducting this two-day program, the occasion was also graced by the Secretary of the ‘Jaffna’ District Cricket Association as well.