JDF, Kingston Wharves join forces for intensive cricket camp

The Jamaica Defence Force (JDF) and Kingston Wharves have teamed up for the second straight year to stage a summer cricket camp for young players.

The camp opened last Friday at Manley Horne Park in Junction, St Elizabeth, where the JDF pitched tents to house participants during their stay in the parish.

This year, the camp will cater to 100 young cricketers – 40 more than last year’s staging at Up Park Camp in Kingston, which hosted 60 youngsters.

Supervisor Captain Marlon Saunders will lead the programme with support from more than 20 soldiers. Activities will include mentorship sessions by JDF personnel and members of the Jamaica Constabulary Force, a health fair for surrounding communities, and a recruitment drive for western Jamaica.

“The main reason why we chose to have the post here in St Elizabeth is because Hurricane Melissa had a significant impact on Jamaica, especially here in the western side of the island. As such, we decided to bring the camp here where we can have a significant impact on these youngsters,” Saunders explained. “It will not just be a camp where coach Junior Bennett and his team will teach the soft skills to these individuals. At the end of the day, after this session, we will have mentorship sessions scheduled to help mould them into better individuals, stronger leaders for the future of not only St Elizabeth but Jamaica at large.”

Coach Bennett welcomed the partnership. “We have two weeks to lift the skills of these youngsters. They are from ages seven to 14, so we’re going to work extremely hard with them over the next two weeks to bring them to where we definitely want them,” Bennett said.

Former Kingston Wharves scholarship recipient Marquino Mindley, who played in the U15 competition in 2009, will assist Bennett with cricket training.

Simone Murdock, corporate services manager at Kingston Wharves, endorsed the JDF’s involvement. “An important and integral part of our programme is about building discipline. Outside of camaraderie and sportsmanship, discipline is a very important part. As Captain Saunders shared, if you have discipline, you can achieve all of the other matrices that make you a good player, a good human being and a good sportsman. So I do believe once the resources are available, we will continue to support them.”

The camp will close on August 28 with activities showcasing what the youngsters learned during the two weeks of intensive sessions.