Samuel Badree launches Sports Ed Academy

Some 100 children between the ages five to 15 are expected to benefit from their enrollment in the newly launched community initiative facilitated by West Indies cricketer, Samuel Badree.

Yesterday the sports facility at the PowerGen ground, Syne Village, Penal, saw parents and children in attendance at the official launch of Badree’s Academy of Sports Education (BASE).

Also in attendance were fellow WI cricketers, Keiron Pollard, Sunil Narine, Navin Stewart, Jason Mohammed and Nicholas Pooran.

The event, chaired by attorney at law, Kevin Rattiram, saw the children equipped with their gears and uniforms for the eight-week programme. The sessions will run from 4 pm to 5.30 pm weekly and 9 to noon on Saturdays. Their packages also included caps, water bottles, cricket sets and miniature cricket bats.

In his address, Badree, ranked the number one bowler in the world, said he had never envisioned his many accomplishments made over the years as a cricketer. However, he admonished the gathering to understand that achievements were the result of hard work and dedication.

Badree lamented the ills of society, citing that children were getting too caught up in negative activities. Badree said, one had only to visit popular social media sites to see school children of both genders engaging in fights and/or criminal activities.

The father of two daughters, ages three and six, said: “I shudder to think what society would be like ten years from now. It was with this in mind, that he initiated the Academy.” He also recalled the assistance of teachers and community leaders, who had encouraged him as a child.

Badree said he had grown up in a single-parent household, in what many would describe as “abject poverty”. He advised the eager young audience to not let their situations define their destinies. With this in mind, Badree said, the economic situations of the parents were taken into consideration during enrollment.

While there was a one-off registration fee required, several students, he said, were enrolled on full and part-time scholarships, which would off-set their monthly fee.

The gathering was introduced to the ten coaches assigned to the academy, which included certified cricket coaches, and physical education teachers from both the primary and secondary school system. The committee also included five administrative officers.

The cricketer, who opened as a spin bowler for 32 of the 32 matches of the WI team, said he would be considering initiating similar events in other parts of the country.

However, he said, this would hinge on his commitments both as an educator as well as contracted engagements as a cricketer. Badree is also Curriculum Officer, Physical Education and Sports in the Ministry of Education.

The event ended with the signing of the students’ bats by the WI cricket contingent.

First Published In The Trinidad Guardian.