By: Mohamed Abu Conteh
Cricket Sierra Leone (CSL) begins its massive Cricket for Schools Coaching Clinic in the Western Area. The team will engage up to nine hundred pupils in two schools: Saint Joseph’s Secondary School (West End) and Annie Walsh Memorial School (East End).
This ambitious city edition will last for thirty-six days, running through May till the end of June 2025.
The programme will target 52 schools in the East End of Freetwon and 33 primary schools along with 22 secondary ones in the West End.
On a broader scale beyond the confines of the Western Area, the programme aims to target 100,000 participants nationally by 31st December 2025 through the conduct of Cricket coaching clinics, schools Cricket festivals for kids aged 12 and under, inter-class and inter-house Schools Cricket competitions, inter-primary, Inter-junior and inter-senior Schools Cricket competitions at district level.
Fifity-two cricket development officers distributed across thirteen groups are being recruited to deliver this ambitious programme. They will be assisted by the over 200 PHE teachers recently trained.
Early efforts will include the registration of pupils on the Data Capture Tool using the CSL school registration forms. This will be followed by introducing the game to the kids.
In other developments,Two Sierra Leoneans Depart for ICC Umpire Level 1 Tutor Course in Ghana. Two local umpires selected by Cricket Sierra Leone (CSL) have departed the country to participate in a three-day ICC Umpire Level 1 Tutor course scheduled for May 27 through May 29, 2025 in Accra Ghana.
Ibrahim Kabia and John Bangura are the umpires selected for the cross-border course. The duo are making their debut in the foreign umpire empowerment programme. Ibrahim Kabia umped in five matches at the West African Trophy tournament hosted in Lagos in 2023.
John Bangura started his umpiring career in 2019 and umped in major matches during the Asian T20 League.
Sierra Leone has an estimated number of 108 umpires. CSL is poised to train one hundred and fifty-six umpires in the second half of 2025.