Developing sports using school structures

The future of sports in any country has and will always be vested in the youth of that country. The older players are always more of a liability than an asset. Much as they provide the much needed experience in a game, their lack of the vital youthfulness and ambition makes it risky for a team or nation to rely on them. Last week, I got a chance to meet, shake hands and even have a photo opportunity with a global sports icon. I met with Brian Lara, the West Indian (Trinidad and Tobago) batsman who holds the record for the highest number of runs scored in a test cricket game (400*). He was in Uganda to visit and promote the game of cricket. Cricket may not be as popular as football but it is another successful British export to the commonwealth. It has achieved outstanding acceptance in countries like India, Pakistan, Sri Lanka, South Africa and Australia among others. The International Cricket Council has often recognised the efforts made by Uganda in developing the game of cricket. These efforts are largely tagged to its very elaborate schools’ development programme. This programme has helped to develop raw talent and also spread the popularity of a sport that is sometimes considered so elitist. Interestingly, Lara managed to make a stop over in Kigali on Thursday. During his brief visit, he had a brief chat with the cricket fraternity and the sports minister Joseph. Cricket in Rwanda is still not as developed as in other cricket playing nations in the region but the efforts being put in by RCA are really commendable. RCA seems to be taking serious lessons from Uganda’s successful initiatives to spread the game in the country. Although most of the cricket ‘veterans’ here are direct beneficiaries of the schools’ programme in Uganda, the team now boosts of more home grown talent than before. Schools like ETO Kicukiro, APRED Ndera, Kagarama S.S, Lycee de Kigali, Greenhills academy and others have shown great interest in the game and consequently been in position to supply the team with some home bred talent. More so, the cricket league has always given younger players a chance to feature for clubs like Right Guards. However there is still room for improvement before the game can move to the next level. Again this will best be achieved through injecting more energy in the school structures. The existence of eager learners in school and the room for constructive competition between the students are the hallmarks for developing a game. Being primarily an academic setting, interest in sports helps not only to create well rounded students but also to provide a window of opportunity for others not able to tackle academic demands effectively. With Rwanda set to join the commonwealth, the development of cricket can only serve to make it another worthy member of the English speaking bloc. Other sports bodies should take cue from RCA and take the games to the schools and unearth raw talent. ssenyonga@gmail.com