IN ITS CONTINUED EFFORT
to develop cricket in Barbados,

the Barbados Cricket Association
(BCA) has recruited its first director of coaching.

Hendy Springer, the highly successful Barbados coach since 2000, has been hired to take charge of operations of the Everton Weekes Centre of Excellence
at Kensington Oval.

Springer, winner of several trophies at regional level, and
a West Indies assistant coach at varying periods over the last year, was selected ahead of three other applicants for the post.

As director of coaching, he will
be responsible for the co-ordination, development and implementation
of the cricket development programmes of the BCA.

Among other responsibilities,
he will supervise and monitor
all BCA coaches, arrange camps
and individual coaching clinics to strengthen the skills of players and oversee the implementation of the BCA's progammes in schools, clubs and communities in collaboration with other coaches, and develop and maintain a player profile electronic database beginning at the earliest level and proceeding in a linear way to the highest level.

After BCA president Joel Garner told the annual awards ceremony
at Amaryllis Beach Resort on Friday night that the director of coaching was now on board, the outstanding former West Indies fast bowler
said it was time to get down to the business of developing the game.

"There was a lot of talk going
on about us advertising the jobs
and not filling the position.
The position could only have been
filled when we were finished with negotiations on Kensington Oval," Garner said.

"The director of coaching has been hired and we are looking forward to a very successful year
in dealing with cricket.

"The focus now is on cricket.
We have been distracted long enough. It is our intention
to get right back to the business
of cricket to look after the future
of Barbados' cricket."

Apart from the director
of coaching, two other full-time coaches will be hired.

Among the names bandied
about are former Barbados
batsman Emmerson Trotman,
who has been coaching in Holland for several years.

Former Barbados and West Indies fast bowler Vasbert Drakes, who served as national coach in Springer's absence this season,
is among those also mentioned. Drakes, however, is set to take
up an appointment as coach
of United Arab Emirates
for an undisclosed period.

It is expected that the Centre
of Excellence, which will offer
year-round training to various
age groups, will be officially
opened next month when Australia are in Barbados.

The facility will include, among other amenities, outdoor nets,
state-of-the-art gym, conference rooms and ice baths. (HG)