ANYWAYZZZ...Back to Cricket!! #in_REAlyfe

Apart from motorsports and fashion, youth development is near and dear to my heart.

Most people would know that one of the things that I say instead of the popular dismissive phrases used to change topics like 'Whatever', 'Moving Right Along' is 'Anywayzzz...Back to Cricket' and never understood why I said it so often!

...lemme show you the pitch!

Let's rewind to last year around this time when I told my mom that I would LOVE to meet the first woman from Antigua and Barbuda to be selected to play on the West Indies Women's Team. 

Sidebar: My Mom is the first woman to score a century in soft ball cricket while playing for the Liberta Bank of Antigua Trentbridge Cricket Team. *flicks hair 

          

It so happened that on the night of the Women of Wadadli [WOW] Awards Banquet on International Woman's Day 2020, my wish came true! Of course...Mom was my +1!!! 

Miss Cricketer was seated at my table and we both were awarded that this banquet. I was recognized for my contributions to Sports and Athletics, while she was recognized as a "Woman to Watch". How crazy is that???

I then leaned over to my mom and whispered...'I would LOVE to dress her up for another event!!'

...but we will talk about that another time! lol

WOW Awards Banquet - March 8th, 2020

Anywhoooo....the plot thickens!!!! 

In June 2020, I was approached by an individual who thought that wanted me to mentor a young woman in a male dominated field. Geeze...me?? You sure ah me yuh want fuh do this??? I said YESSSS....Then was given the details!!! 

My new client is none other than Miss Shawnisha Britney Hector!! The universe has a way of making things happen and with a great sense of humor!! 

So...I went to work! Even though we were met with a shit load of challenges, I was not gonna let that stop me from seeing her push to become better and stronger! People had the WORLD to say about what she was and was not doing, without even finding out what her training days looked like, what she ate or how she was doing physically, mentally or financially. 

Britney Training in her village in July 2020

Yet still...we pushed! I pledged to ensure that my client and Antiguan Professional Cricketer, had the adequate resources to keep her game in tip top shape and get her back in on the West Indies Woman's Team. In doing this, she attracted just over 30 other young athletes in the cricketing community to be apart of this journey.

As a result, my awesome team and I decided to create the YTD [Youth Training and Development] Cricket Club. The YTD Cricket Club is a social enterprise that is managed by a team of dedicated cricket experts and enthusiasts with a single-minded mission to help aspiring cricketers attain their true potential.

This project encompassing 360 degrees of the cricket game, is all poised to be a marvel of a complete cricket institute covering all aspects of the game and we plan to impact the community from a grassroots level.

Aye look...if the video above nar play, click yah jack!! --> https://youtu.be/X_HwX_nwCC8

The club’s vision is to provide opportunities to play, support and watch cricket. Enjoyment is the club’s main goal. YTD Cricket Club will provide the facilities, equipment and fellowship which only a team sport can offer.

We envision this institute to be a global benchmark model for cricket education by providing a complete cricket experience layered with finesse and enrichment. 

To create a structured pathway through best cricketing infrastructure and intellect to aspiring cricketers to be fast-tracked into mainstream cricket.

To provide the latest technology to budding talent to harness and develop their skills set to the optimum.

To develop a cricket program specifically tailored for women.

Our long-term goal is to establish the most novel, balanced and robust cricket administration model which will redefine the way cricket is taught and add new dimensions to the world of cricket education. 

We aspire to unify national and international cricket traditions and arrange them into a powerful complex education and training model to create the ultimate cricket curriculum. 

This will equip aspiring cricketers strong in spirit, body and mind with qualities like responsibility, leadership and determination to make them not just better cricketers but also cultured human beings. 

As the institute starts to deliver on all counts of value addition over a period, it will indeed become the most sought-after cricket destination in the Caribbean.

Soooo...where do we plan on setting up shop?

The home for YTD Cricket Club is currently located in the Piggott’s Village [West Central – Block 112093B - Parcel No. 16], immediately west of the EZ Kool Radiator establishment on the Piggott’s Main Road. 

To date, the land has been surveyed and actions have been taken to mitigate the chances of drainage issues that may arise on the outfield in the event we have a significant downpour of rain.

We are currently seeking investors, partners and sponsors to propel this project forward and take it to the next inning!

If interested in hearing more about this project, you can reach out to me via any digital medium! 

Oh and by the way...

...she looked pretty darn good during training with the West Indies Women's Cricket Team in January 2021!

There is a reason why my phrase is, "Anywayzzzzz, Back To Cricket!"

Stay connected with me:

www.inrealyfe.com

Renée Edwards-Ambrose

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Love all of you! Change nothing! You owe the world one thing; The legacy of your unmistakable individuality!

- Renée Edwards-Ambrose