The Anguilla Cricket Association, in collaboration with the Ministry and Department of Social Development, and the West Indies Cricket Board, has held its first workshop on child abuse protection for coaches.
The workshop was conducted by Mr Sanford Richardson, Commissioner of Social Development. He was among a number of social workers in the Caribbean region who attended a period of training in St Lucia in child protection. The training in St. Lucia was organised by the West Indies Cricket Board of Control, and Mr Richardson was assigned as a training coordinator for Anguilla and St Martin/St Maarten. He has now conducted two workshops, one each in Anguilla and the half French/half Dutch territory.
Mr Cardigan Connor, Anguilla’s former cricket professional, is the Child Protection and Development Officer with the West Indies Cricket Board for Anguilla and St Martin/St Maarten.
“The Child Protection Workshop is a foundation course for all coaches. There have been some challenges and issues with abuse — whether physical, mental or sexual – by men and women involved in sport,” Mr Connor told The Anguillian. “The West Indies Cricket Board, along with UNICEF, decided that all coaches involved in school programmes, or in any youth programmes, should first of all do a foundation course or workshop regarding child protection. The Board has taken the lead on this, and all coaches involved in grassroots and kiddies cricket are required to do the training which, at level one, and beyond, will be internationally recognised. That is what we in Anguilla are doing and which was done in St Martin/St Maarten two weeks ago. It is a course throughout the Caribbean which all coaches and potential coaches will have to do.”
In Anguilla, the workshop was attended by 25 participants including coaches, young cricketers and others who are keen to be involved in the development of coaching on the island.
“In all schools, whether on sports day or whatever, adults involved with young people need to understand how best they should deal with them,” Mr Connor went on. “The workshop will provide the necessary degree of child protection and understanding for adults to communicate with youngsters, and to build their self-esteem rather than to push them down.”
Mr Connor added: “This is the first stage of the training. The next stage will be CPR and First Aid training for all coaches involved in youth because there is always the risk of injury. From First Aid, we will go on to another level more on the technical side of coaching cricket. What we are looking for is to have a solid foundation in all our coaches so that they understand child protection and safety, and how to impart the proper coaching techniques to our youngsters.”
