Courtney Walsh is pleased with what he is seeing at the West Indies Women’s Emerging Players Camp. The former West Indies fast bowling legend is Head Coach of the Senior West Indies Women’s team, and he is part of the coaching team at the ongoing camp at Coolidge Cricket Ground.
“You can see the players are enjoying themselves as they continue to work hard. We’re seeing lots of smiles, there is camaraderie, and this is a great environment for learning. This is a step in the right direction and Cricket West Indies (CWI) deserves a lot of credit for the continued investment in Women’s cricket and the commitment towards the growth of these young players who have demonstrated their ability and readiness to learn and improve,” Walsh said.
“A camp like this is essential and it is a ‘plus-plus’. Firstly, we are seeing the players in action, and we can do a lot of good work with them. The coaches and the support staff are really dedicated, and we are seeing progress. Secondly, we hope that they (players) will be earning selection for the regional women’s tournaments, which will be coming up soon, and pick up on what they learn here and display it when they play.”
This High-Performance camp continues CWI’s increased investment into the women’s game and forms part of the overall High-Performance Pathway. CWI’s strategic plan has committed resources into developing women’s cricket at every level. The camp plays a vital role in the strategy to develop the talent pool and produce the next generation of West Indies Women’s players. The squad includes several players with international experience as well as members of the West Indies Women’s Rising Stars Under 19s programme.
“The investment is coming through. It is important we have a competitive Senior Women’s team and a keen and cohesive Women’s Rising Stars Under 19 team which will be like a feeder into the senior team. We want to widen the pool of players available,” Walsh said.
“Women’s cricket is growing all around the world and I’m delighted to see that here in the West Indies, we are developing a pool of players who can graduate to the international level as well. We are playing a lot more cricket than ever before. This year we already had the Senior and Under 19 T20 World Cups in South Africa and every year going forward there is a major tournament planned, be it 50-overs or T20s. This tells you that Women’s cricket is on the rise and is being recognized and featured on the global sports calendar.”