The Georgetown Cricket Club (GCC) presented awards to the club’s outstanding young hockey players and cricketers at a special ceremony on Friday evening.
The GCC Hockey and Cricket Award Ceremony was held to celebrate the players’ performances during 2019, and according to the Club’s Captain, Richard Jodah, GCC had a particularly successful year in hockey and cricket.
“We have dominated the First Division in cricket, the Second Division…the Under-19, the Under-17 and the Under-15,” he said, as he praised the players for their performances.
Jodah said he looks forward to the Club building on the success of 2019 as it moves forward this year.
He added, “This is what Georgetown Cricket Club was born on, to produce and to give hope to cricketers, young hockey players and [help] all these sports players to harness their skills and succeed in whichever sports they choose.”
Meanwhile, GCC President, Timothy Tucker noted that the 162-year-old club is the oldest in the Caribbean and has produced over 22 players for the West Indies cricket team.
“As a whole, the club would have won the Guyana Cricket Board Club of the Year award, and I really think that is an outstanding award,” he said, adding that he hopes corporate Guyana will see the potential of the players and the Club, and partner to support the development of players.
“Our goal is to create a premier sporting academy; we would like to see our National and Regional teams dominated by GCC players,” he stated.
He spoke of some of the club’s goals for 2020, among which are plans to improve the facilities, add new sports, and build an all-weather practice facility for cricket.
“We have procured an ‘accident and injury’ insurance policy for all our players,” he said, explaining that the policy will cover players injured during GCC activities.
Delivering the feature address was President of the Guyana Olympic Association (GOA), K. A. Juman Yassin, who spoke of the difficulties facing sportspersons, such as the merging of sports and academics and the workplace, as well as the dangers of burnout and stress.
Offering words of advice to the players, he said, “Stay organised…talk to other persons, get a plan, write it down and stick with that plan. The other factor is to manage your time.”
Yassin urged the players to seek help when necessary and engage in self-motivation. “You have to talk to yourself, you have to see yourself as a champion,” he said.
In addition, hockey administrator, Philip Fernandes, commended the GOA for its committed and ongoing support of the sport in Guyana.
Also in attendance was High Commissioner of India to Guyana, Dr. K. J. Srinivasa, who lauded the good work being done by the GCC. He told the gathering that India is open to collaborating with Guyana for the development of cricket, which is a beloved sport for both countries.
Among other special guests at the event was Guyana’s celebrated former Test cricketer, Shivnarine Chanderpaul.
Please see the list of awardees for the various categories below:
Cricket and Hockey Awardees
First Division
Leon Johnson: Best Batsman
Stephon Wilson: Best Bowler
Ronaldo Mohammed: Best All-Rounder
Bernard Bailey: Best Fielder
Second Division
Winston Forrester: Best Batsman
Stephon Wilson: Best Bowler
Ronaldo Mohammed: Best All-Rounder
Bernard Bailey: Best Fielder
U-19/U-17
Mavindra Dindyal: Best Batsman
Darrius Andrews: Best Bowler
Zachary Jodah: Best All-Rounder
Mavindra Dindial: Best Fielder
U-15
Mavindra Dindyal: Best Batsman
Johnoton Sooklall: Best Bowler
Thaddeus Lovell: Best All-Rounder
Zachary Jodah: Best Fielder
Emerging players
Seniors
Ronaldo Mohammed
Stephon Wilson
Juniors
Mavindra Dindyal
Zachary Jodah
Taddeious Lovell
Darrius Andrews
Arian Persaud
Ravildo Philips
Krsna Singh
Joash Charles
Dominic Roberts
Jonathan Sookhlall
U-13
Fyad Mohammed
Omari Cummings
Yusuf Hack
Alex Balgobin
Promising Junior Wicket Keeper
Shaahid Vieira
Special Awards
Leon Johnson: Most Successful Guyana Senior Captain
Ronaldo Mohammed: Making the Guyana Senior Side
Zachary Jodah: Making and Captaining the Guyana U-15 Team
Mavindra Dindyal: Making the Guyana U-15, U-17 and WI U-15 Team
Thaddeus Lovell: Making the Guyana U-15 Team
Krsna Singh: Making the Guyana U-15-Team
Richard Jodah: Invaluable Commitment and Contributions to Cricket
Peter Persaud: Invaluable Service to Cricket (youths)
Hockey Awardees
Marzana Fiedtkou: Female Most Valuable Player
Dominique Degroot: Female Outstanding Contributor on and off the Field
Kevin Spencer: Male Most Valuable Player
Dwayne Scott: Male Outstanding Contributor on and off the Field
Makeda Harding: Female Best Junior Player
Abosaide Cadogan: Female Most Promising Player
Kareem Mckenzie: Male Best Junior Player
Meshach Sargeant: Male Most Promising Player
