GC Foster College and the Jamaica Cricket Association (JCA) yesterday signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MOU) at the Spanish Town-based institution.

The move, which is geared towards capacity building in cricket and creating more opportunities for players after they have completed their playing days, is set to begin in the new September term and will start with eight players — male and female — and will run for the next four years.

According to principal of G C Foster, Edward Shakes, although the school wants to develop a technologically driven High Performance Centre for cricket in the near future, for now the programme will focus on improving the overall aspect of the game.

“This (MOU) is very important, because we are making provision for really building capacity in the sport,” he told the Jamaica Observer.

“We are making sure cricketers are exposed to education, so they can have a future after cricket by entering our programme here… then we can develop capacities in other areas, such as preparing pitches, carrying out research, getting data readily available and officiating, all of which will be part of our mission, plus we will be looking at developing more indoor facilities,” said Shakes.

JCA president, Lindel Wright, also believes the collaboration between the parties will improve the capacity of young cricketers and create more opportunities for them.

“We need to ensure that we have capacity building of management, coaching and players who can help move forward the administration of cricket at the end of their playing days or even while they are still playing,” he said.

Wright noted that funding is crucial if the project is to be sustained but he expects the private sector and government organisations to throw their support behind it.

“We are hoping that we can get funding through the government or the private sector… and providing that we can find the necessary funds, then there will be a selection process which will then allow eight persons to attend the institution,” he said.

“However, the main objective during the four years is to turn out as many coaches and administrators, and to see what opportunities it can bring about for our players in the specific areas that they choose, and is offered by the institution,” he continued.

Chairman of GC Foster College board, David Mais, also commended both parties for their vision for the sport. “We have the facility, the staff and the desire to make cricket the real dominant sport,” he said.