Latest update March 28th, 2024 12:59 AM
Apr 08, 2017 Sports
Despite rumors of him being dropped as Nat U-17 Coach
By Sean Devers
As a big-turning off-spinner, Garvin Nedd was outstanding at youth level before taking 29
wickets from 14 Matches in a First-Class career which lasted from 1995-2000, but as a Coach he has had a love-hate relationship with those in charge of Guyana’s cricket.
The 44-year-old is widely regarded by many, including several young players who have passed through his hands, as the best youth Coach in Guyana in terms of player development.
Coach Nedd explained how he got involved in coaching and said it happened while he was still playing the game.
“During playing a season in Trinidad I was working with some youths there and I decided when I returned home I would help the youths at my club,” said Nedd who is still a DCC member.
In 1998 while playing in the Lancashire Leagues in England, he got his Level 1 Coaching Certificate and disclosed that all his coaching attributes was derived from those courses.
In 2009 he did his WICB Level 1 Coaching course but said since then no other coaching course was held in Guyana.
“Since 2009 there were no other coaching courses here and the level 1 accreditation expired on December 31, 2012 meaning all the Level 1 coaches in Guyana are expired Coaches,” informed Nedd, taking out his expired accreditation card from his wallet to prove his point.
Nedd was appointed National U-15 Coach in 2012 when Kemo Paul and Sherfane Rutherford showcased their talent, while Baskar Yadram, then just 12, caught the eye of many.
“This appointment got me more active in trying to help with the selection of the Georgetown players at all levels to play Inter-Association cricket at a time when there was an impasse with the Demerara Board,” Nedd added.
The next year Nedd was appointed Coach of the Guyana under-17 team but the team did not do too well. But players like Tagenarine Chanderpaul, Gudakesh Motie and Shemron Hetymer, who all played that year, were among those to go on to play for the West Indies U-19 and First-Class cricket.
Guyana have not lost a game at under-17 level in their last six matches although they finished second in last year’s tournament behind winners Trinidad & Tobago, narrowly missing out on the title after ending on 20.03 points in comparison to the 20.06 accumulated by the champs.
“I believe that batch of youngsters have bright futures ahead of them and I expect more progression from them, especially after seeing their performances in the last under-17 Regional tournament,” said Coach Nedd.
“The under-17 tournament is at a time when the May-June rainy season is on and apart from the adverse weather, another critical factor is that many of the player’s focus is not entirely on cricket, since that is the time when they have to write CXC exams,” Nedd noted.
Now it is rumored that Nedd has been replaced as National U-17 Coach by Orin Bailey. Nedd said has heard that too but has not gotten anything official from the GCB. He however, believes the rumor is true and speculated on the possible reason for him being replaced.
“A GCB staff member asked me to get a Georgetown under-15 team together, but where I was at that time due to work made contact with the relevant people to get that done difficult. I had already organsied sponsorship to compensate what I would have lost at work for the under-17 team. I believe that I am not going to be appointed because I could not leave my work to get the Georgetown under-15 team for the Board,” Nedd lamented.
Nedd says he remains in Coaching in these turbulent times in local cricket because he loves giving back to the game’s development as a former player especially teaching youths and molding the minds of the future.
“I was told by Colin Stuart (TDO of GCB) that it was felt that I wanted to pick which team I coach and that was not so. I was not in a position to assemble an under-15 side because of my job. But if I am no longer (Nat U-17) Coach I will continue to coach at DCC but will no longer be involved in getting players from Georgetown until the impasse with the Demerara Board comes to an end and I have proper authority to do that,” explained a visibly frustrated Nedd.
“When as a player you realize that it would be difficult to make the West Indies, some players turn to becoming Umpires or Coaching and I choose Coaching and I don’t regret it. I enjoy seeing Guys who I coached as little boys, progress to First-Class and West Indies cricket,” Nedd disclosed.
But there are many things that bother Nedd, the father of National youth player Ashmead Nedd.
“Payment of Coaches is another critical issue. We are not properly compensated for our efforts and it’s disappointing that there were no Level 1 coaching courses since 2009. I was told by some former West Indian players that being a former First-Class player I could have been selected for the Level 3 course in Barbados and then still do the Level 2 later,” Nedd continued.
Nedd feels in the same way the players and Umpires have Associations, Coaches needs one too to look after their interest.
Another disappointment for the Coach of dethroned National Secondary Schools Champions Chase Academy is that it was said in the press that the winner of last year’s tournament was to attend the Sir Garfield Sobers International School’s competition by the GCB and this was not done.
THIS IDIOT TELLING GUYANA WE HAVE NO SAY IN THE 50% PROFIT SHARING AGREEMENT WE HAVE WITH EXXON.
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