Off-Field Player Development – A Key Component of the Annual Cricket West Indies Rising Stars Women’s U19 Championship
- CWI held a comprehensive development workshop on covering several areas including personal branding, social media awareness and child protection rights for young female cricketers.
- Experienced professionals including Dr. Nadine Sammy, current West Indies player Karishma Ramharack, and media personality Jason Williams provided practical guidance on leadership and career development.
- It represents CWI's commitment to developing well-rounded athletes through their Rising Stars Championship programme.
Players competing in this year’s Cricket West Indies’ Rising Stars Women's Under 19 Championship received comprehensive player development training through a specialized workshop held on 9 July at the Hilton Hotel and Conference Centre, Port-of-Spain, Trinidad & Tobago, designed to enhance both their on-field performance and life skills development, to adapt to the demands of high-level sport.
Trinidad & Tobago players during the session.
Now in its fifth year under the Rising Stars banner, the tournament is one of the cornerstones of CWI's player development pathway and regional women's cricket growth strategy, as a key talent identification platform for future West Indies players.
The Player Development Workshop covered areas including sports psychology, nutrition, personal branding, social media awareness and the protection of children's rights.
Mrs. Keele Lawrence-Chan opened the workshop with welcome remarks and introductions before introducing Dr. Nadine Sammy – Mental Skills Coach for the West Indies Senior Women's Team –, who led the sports psychology session with a particular focus on leadership both on and off the field.
Windward Islands players during the session.
Mrs. Lawrence-Chan also presented on Child Protection Rights, drawing from her extensive experience in the field, while media personality Jason Williams and Samantha Best conducted sessions on managing social media. Safiya Beckford spoke on nutrition for athletes.
The workshop also featured a panel discussion with current West Indies player Karishma Ramharack, an off spinner who made her international debut in 2019 and brings substantial experience with 90 international appearances and over 80 wickets in ODIs and T20Is.
"I think it was a good opportunity for the girls to have an open forum to ask questions now that they are making some decisions about going into serious cricket,”
Ramharack remarked.
“The session was very well received, flowed nicely, and it gave the players the opportunity to ask some difficult questions. Jason Williams (who moderated the session) also did a great job at managing the session and allowed me and these young players to connect and have honest discussion on life after under-19 cricket, and some important DOs and Don’ts to look out for. I do believe that I utilized my experiences to answer the questions in a manner that benefits these girls and will help them in their careers. This was a truly enjoyable experience. "
Dr. Sammy detailed the comprehensive approach to her session on leadership.
“I described the different leadership styles with the idea to get players starting to think about which ones they might currently embody or a combination of the different styles with emphasis on which ones they thought were best or wanted to strive for”,
she said.
"It was really about understanding what is required in different situations and how each player could take ownership, take charge and make a meaningful difference within those situations."
Media personality Jason Williams addresses the workshop.
Reflecting on his session on social media awareness, Jason Williams emphasized the transformative potential of the media training component of the workshop.
"Being part of the development seminar was very profound. Media training and interview skills will assist with their confidence so that ultimately, they can represent themselves and the region with distinction. It was a joy to witness these young female cricketers unlock their limitless potential."
The workshop represents CWI's commitment to developing well-rounded athletes who can excel both in cricket and in life.
By addressing technical skills alongside mental preparation, media literacy and personal development, the Rising Stars Championship continues to evolve as a trusted medium to nurture the next generation of West Indies women cricketers.
Similar to the women’s under-19 tournament, a dedicated day for personal player development was held in St. Kitts and Nevis for the CWI Rising Stars Men’s U19 Championship, as CWI collaborates with various stakeholders and industry professionals to foster synergies on training and programmes for the holistic development of outstanding young cricketers.
West Indies Women's Player Karishma Ramharack
Cricket West Indies wishes to express gratitude for the long-standing support of the Hilton Hotel and Conference Centre Port-of-Spain in providing conference centre services, and to Balroop’s Group for providing the audio/visual equipment and services to ensure the smooth operation of the Player Development workshop for the CWI Rising Stars Women’s Under 19 Championship.