Inter-secondary Schools Sports Association (ISSA) President Keith Wellington says he is concerned about the number of children playing cricket in schools.

Wellington was addressing an audience at the launch of the ISSA/Grace Shield and Headley Cup cricket competitions on Thursday.

He said cricket plays an important role in the cultural identity of West Indians but that value is lost on much of the younger generation. One of the reasons he cites for this is the lack of teams participating in both competitions.

The Grace Shield, the urban area competition, features 16 teams this season, while the Headley Cup, its rural area counterpart, features 27.

Jamaica Cricket Association (JCA) President Billy Heaven says this is because of the body’s financial restrictions as well as that of the Government to fund close to 50 national sporting associations.

He says for this reason, the JCA has to be selective about how many schools from each parish can compete, with 50 per cent of secondary schools in most parishes, less in Kingston and St Andrew because of its large number of schools, being able to play.

But Wellington says the focus must be put on the intangible benefits youngsters receive from playing the sport.

“We’re at the stage now where we have to pay more attention to what we’re getting out of cricket, not in terms of commercial value, but the benefits, the key things that cricket can do for our young people,” Wellington said. “We have to pay attention to how we ensure that those who play and those who have the opportunity to play or would like to play are getting those benefits.

“At ISSA, we’re trying to ensure our partners are able to help us.

“We have 43 schools playing cricket, less than the number of schools playing girls’ football. This means that we have a lot of work to do. It’s just a third of the number of schools that play boys’ football. We have to do as much as we can to ensure that people are playing the game and coaching the game. One of the areas that we have to look at is that almost none of our schools play cricket as a part of PE [physical education] classes anymore. We walk into a school with 1,700 students, we can gather all the cricketers in one room like this.”

GraceKennedy Insurance General Manager Chaluk Richards agrees with Wellington about the intangibles and says this is why the GraceKennedy Group has continued to sponsor the tournaments, which he describes as the “gold standard of schoolboy cricket”.

“It’s a big deal for us,” he said. “In the heart of every Jamaican beats a love for sports and for some of us, the sport of cricket is our very heartbeat. It’s a reflection of our culture, our resilience, and our unyielding spirit. Cricket is not for the coward, it’s for the brave. A lot of people who take up cricket are the brave among us. It’s a big part of the formative years and spirit of our young Jamaicans.

“At GK Insurance, we believe in the transformative power of sport, cricket especially at the schoolboy level plays a pivotal role in shaping the character and future of our youth. It teaches invaluable life skills, teamwork, discipline, and perseverance. It encourages physical fitness and mental agility. Most importantly, it fosters community and a sense of belonging integral to the development of the well-rounded individual.

“This competition is about instilling a sense of pride in our young people. It’s about creating opportunities for them to shine, not just on the playing field, but in every aspect of their lives. The ISSA/Grace Shield is a platform for them to learn, to grow, and to become the best versions of themselves.”

The tournaments start on Friday with three matches in Zone B of the Grace Shield.

St Jago High hosts Ardenne High while Jonathan Grant hosts Wolmer’s Boys’, and Norman Manley High travels to Bridgeport High.

Zone C starts the Headley Cup with four matches.

Ferncourt High faces host Ocho Rios High while Brown’s Town High plays Herbert Morrison Technical at Cornwall College.

Green Pond High hosts York Castle High, and Cambridge High meets Cornwall College at Jarrett Park.

All matches bowl off at 10 am.