Even as he endeavours to become a major force in the global game, Jamaica cricketer Javelle Glenn isn’t about to forget his roots.

In recent years, the 27-year-old left-hander — who bowls useful right-arm wrist spin — has made a bit of a name for himself in regional circles.

He showed glimpses of his all-round qualities playing for Jamaica Tallawahs and St Lucia Zouks in the respective 2019 and 2020 editions of the Caribbean Premier League.

The middle-order batsman eventually broke into the Jamaica Scorpions squads for Super50 Cup and regional first-class competitions, and has caught the attention of many.

Now he is looking to make an impact in the development of the sport, joining forces with United Kingdom-based Coach Shemar Anderson to hand over approximately $300,000 worth of cricket gear to their alma mater Tarrant High School.

Glenn told the Jamaica Observer that when he heard the idea it evoked an automatic decision.

“A good friend [Anderson] of mine, a mentor of mine, he’s a coach and past student of the school, was the one who came up with the idea to give back to the school, and I jumped at the chance,” he said.

The Jamaica cricketer was all too aware of the struggles he endured — like many aspiring players region-wide — trying to find a path forward in a sport that’s inherently expensive because of the steep cost of basic gear and equipment.

For Glenn, Tarrant High is more than just his former educational institution. It represents an extension of his backyard.

He was raised in the Molynes Road area in St Andrew, mere metres away from the school, and not much more than a stone’s throw away from historic Melbourne Cricket Club, where he still hones his craft.

Jamaica cricketer and Tarrant High past student Javelle Glenn (third right) and United Kingdom-based coach and Tarrant past student Shemar Anderson (second right) present gear to Tarrant High cricket programme on January 16, 2026. Also pictured (from left) are Tarrant student-athletes Odean Smith and Kemar Smith, Tarrant past student Richard Silvera and school principal Paul Hall. (Photo: Joseph Wellington)

“It all starts there [at the school level]. I remember going to school [and] we didn’t have proper gear to play with so I was [pleased] to be able to give back.

“Back when I played for the school we didn’t have proper bats, we didn’t have proper gloves and we had to be sharing each other’s gear when coming off the field, and that wasn’t nice,” Glenn recalled.

Due to lack of resources and waning interest among the student population, Tarrant has been in and out of high school cricket for a number of years. But Glenn said he is doing what he can to change that dynamic.

“Maintaining a cricket programme has been a challenge at Tarrant, and I know it’s similar for other schools as well. Tarrant is in the process of getting back for this season’s [high school competition], and even during COVID-19 [pandemic] they were trying to get players involved in cricket. Now things are coming together to actually form a team,” he explained.

On a personal level, Glenn said he is also aiming to launch his career on a larger scale, with the ultimate ambition of donning the West Indies colours.

He was one of the big performers for the Jamaica team during the Super50 Cup in late 2024, scoring his first-ever hundred at that level — an extraordinary, unbeaten 114 against Leeward Islands Hurricanes. He ended the tournament with an average of 49.5.

In April 2025, he was ticking off his maiden century in first-class cricket, a measured 140 not out against Trinidad and Tobago Red Force. He scored 478 runs at an average of 43.45 in last season’s tournament, trailing only John Campbell (517) on the list of top run scorers for the Scorpions.

Many followers of Jamaica and regional cricket will be looking for Glenn to take on even greater responsibility in the batting order for the new first-class season, which is scheduled to start in April.

“I did well in the four-day tournament last season, scoring nearly 500 runs, and if I get the chance, I want to do well again this year, or even better. I just want to build on what I did last season in any way that I can,” he told the
Observer.

“The preparation for this season has been good. We have really been putting in some work, including fielding, general fitness, time in the gym, all aspects of the game. I’m trusting in the process, [trusting in] God, and that there’s going be a good season for us in the first-class season coming up,” he added.

Guyana Harpy Eagles are the defending champions of the regional first-class tournament. The Jamaica franchise, once a dominant unit in the competition, finished a distant fifth last season.

GLENN… I remember going to school [and] we didn’t have proper gear to play with so I was [pleased] to be able to give back (Photo: CWI Media)