With the aim of expanding the current group of qualified umpires the Georgetown Cricket Umpires and Scorers Association (GCU&SA) will on June 6 commence its Cricket Law Classes at the Demerara Cricket Club pavillion.
Sessions will be held twice weekly until the end of July. The classes will run from 17:00h to 19:00h on Tuesdays and Thursdays. The Cricket Law Classes are geared to equip participants with the requisite knowledge surrounding umpiring, delving deeply into the laws of the game.
GCU&SA member Matthew Kissoon said it is imperative prospective umpires train and qualify themselves, be of a certain fitness level and have a sound knowledge of the game.
“It’s a very noble profession and I must say that you should be very respected as an umpire. You’re not going to make all the right decisions, but I think at the end of the day it’s all about how you operate on the field of play that gains the respect of the players, because you’ve got to keep control of the game. Controlling the game is very important,” Kissoon related.
Secretary of the GCU&SA, Mikoowanyah Yisrael, said the association has been doing its groundwork in terms of reaching out to the various heads of clubs and parents, encouraging them to enroll their members and children in the programme.
According to Yisrael, several persons have already indicated their interest in being part of the programme, which will be facilitated by local ICC and WICB accredited umpires.
Registration fee is just G$1,000 and persons desirous of being part of the programme are asked to contact GCU&SA members on 622-6969, 673-5980, 686-8263 or 654-3119. Contact can also be made with the association via email gtumpires@yahoo.com or through its Facebook page.
