A revived cricket high performance centre

In 2017, the Sagicor-UWI Cricket High Performance Centre in Barbados was relaunched with a mission to provide opportunities for young, talented cricketers in the region to sharpen their skills in a holistic environment. The Centre comprises modern facilities, including the first-class 3Ws Oval, outdoor nets, an indoor cricket school and a team of qualified coaches, physiotherapists, strength and conditioning specialists, a sports psychologist and nutritionist. In addition to high performance resources for athletes, the Centre offers workshops and certificates focused on the training and all-round development of cricketers.

(L-R) Head Coach at the Academy of Sport, The UWI Cave Hill Campus, Mr. Floyd Reifer, former UWI/ Combined Campuses & Colleges programme (CCC) player and new Regional Sport Coordinator of the Faculty of Sport UWI, Mr. Akeem Dewar, and Cricket all-rounder, Mr. Carlos Brathwaite at the launch of the Sagicor-UWI Cricket High Performance Centre.

Among recent programmes at the Centre was Pace Like Fire, initiated in the long school vacation of 2018. It allowed young players across the region with raw bowling pace to participate in a one-month course.

Emerging out of it, ten male and five female fast bowlers were identified and offered positions in a two-year comprehensive development programme, which will expose them to the most up-to-date scientific testing and analysis, expert coaching, modern tech training and equipment, mental skills training, strength and conditioning, nutritional support and personal development workshops.

As cricket aficionados will note, the positive impact is already being felt, as many of the team members who celebrated the West Indies' historic Test win in Barbados against England in January 2019, such as Jason Holder, Roston Chase, Shane Dowrich, Kemar Roach, Shimron Hetmyer, Shannon Gabriel and Test debutant John Campbell, are alumni of the previous incarnation of the HPC.

UWI Vice-Chancellor, Professor Sir Hilary Beckles speaking at the launch of the Sagicor-UWI Cricket High Performance Centre. Seated are (L) Pro Vice-Chancellor and Principal of The UWI Cave Hill Campus Professor V. Eudine Barriteau and (R) Head of Department, Cave Hill Academy of Sport, Mrs. Amanda Reifer.