ST JOHN’S, Antigua (CMC) — In a major push to strengthen the pipeline of Caribbean cricket talent, Cricket West Indies (CWI) has kicked off a second round of essential coaching courses across the Leeward Islands and St Vincent.

The initiative is a critical part of CWI’s strategy to build a deep and qualified pool of coaches, preparing for the restart of primary school and community grass roots programmes.

The training will equip local coaches with the skills needed to nurture the next generation of stars.

The sessions began last Thursday at the Coolidge Cricket Ground in Antigua and Barbuda.

The programme moved through the region, and stopped in Montserrat on Sunday, then the British and US Virgin Islands yesterday. It continues in Sint Maarten, and Anguilla on Friday, and a final session in St Vincent on October 30.

CWI Director of Cricket Miles Bascombe emphasised the long-term importance of the investment in coaching.

“Investing in coaching education at this early stage is essential to building a solid foundation for the growth and future sustainability of the sport in the region,” Bascombe said. “By equipping coaches with the right tools and knowledge, we are creating a more inclusive and sustainable cricket pathway.”

Bascombe highlighted that flagship development programmes like the Republic Bank Five for Fun Cricket and the Girls’ Under-16/19 Territorial Cricket Hubs will directly benefit from this newly trained cohort of coaches.

The courses are being led by two highly qualified coaches from Trinidad & Tobago, Brendon Ramlal and Keshava Ramphal. Both Level 3 certified and with extensive backgrounds in education, they bring over a decade of experience in age-group cricket development.

In a key move for player safety, CWI mandated that all participating coaches complete the online UNICEF Child Protection Course and a virtual Cricket Safeguarding Workshop before beginning their training. This ensures every coach is prepared to provide a safe and supportive environment for young players.

This latest series of courses builds on a successful first round that engaged over 150 participants in territories including Jamaica, Barbados, Guyana, and Trinidad & Tobago, signalling CWI’s sustained commitment to rebuilding the sport from the ground up.