The History of KC Cricket 1925 -1995 - Conclusion

Gary Neil

Having examined the significance and development of cricket within Kingston College between 1925 and 1995, a few observations came forcibly to mind. As a successful and dominant force in Jamaica 's schoolboy cricket, some interesting similarities between the experience of cricket within Kingston College and that of West Indies cricket were recognized, from which some important lessons may be learned. Some questions about the direction of Jamaica 's cricket development also came to mind. A similarity between the dearth of positive and concerned role models within the ranks of teachers, especially male teachers at Kingston College , and the experience in the broader Jamaican society was also noticed.

Kingston College 's cricket and West Indies cricket have had similar experiences of periods of dominance. Similar to the Kingston College experience, the West Indies experience recently has brought into sharp focus the fact that the factors contributing to such dominance, are not self sustaining, and that they must be recognized, encouraged and developed, as there is grave inherent danger in becoming complacent while enjoying success.

The Kingston College experience has also been that past representatives in cricket have played an integral role in the maintenance of high standards of achievement in cricket. Similarly, former West Indies players will always have a major role to play in West Indies cricket administration and development. However the Kingston College experience shows that unless the administrators and general population of the institution participate in the process, major obstacles to sustainability and development become inevitable. The Governments of the West Indian Nations must join the fans throughout the region in the acute recognition of the need to increase tangible support for cricket in the West Indies . They must join forces with the West Indies Cricket Board, the sponsors, and the several private sectors throughout the various islands, in promoting an explicit united political policy direction aimed at sustaining and encouraging West Indies cricket, which is a major unifying force within the West Indies , even more so than is CARICOM.

Our Governments must continue, at all times to actively support the efforts of the West Indies Cricket Board to ensure the continued development, success and viability of cricket in their respective territories and in the broader West Indies . Leaders of Governments in the West Indies would do well to emulate the interest in cricket displayed by the recently deceased former Prime Minister of Jamaica, The Rt. Hon. Michael Manley. Let us hope that the passion for the game which he exhibited will be to some extent, passed on to successive Caribbean leaders, as it was to him, by the likes of the late former Guyanese leader Forbes Burnham .

The executive of the present West Indies Cricket Board must be congratulated and encouraged to continue the initiatives undertaken in charting a more positive and clear direction for West Indies cricket in the short time since they have taken office. This augurs well for the future of the game in the West Indies .

In calling to mind the development of cricket in Jamaica, the question arises, as to whether, given the successes achieved through the Kingston College cricket program between 1985 and 1995, there is a role to be played at the national level by a coach as qualified, competent, accomplished and willing as Mr. Roy McLean. The involvement of such a person, given his successful record, could ignite the pace of development of cricket in Jamaica .

As it is generally in Jamaica , over the years value systems have declined within Kingston College . Concurrently, the number of male teachers decreased within the all-boys School , and those who remained, with few exceptions, displayed a lack of commitment to the School and its students. Thus the support needed by the female teachers (to whom eternal praises must be directed) was not forthcoming. "Family-life" within Kingston College , as it is within most such families, and as an extension, societies, was therefore affected by the absence of positive male role models. If in Jamaica today, there were many teachers and/or role models similar to the likes of Bishop Gibson, Douglas Forrest, Jonathan Crick, Isaac Henry, to name a few, I doubt whether there would be need for any such thing as the supposed policy promulgated by Prime Minister P.J. Patterson aimed at promoting the revival of proper values and attitudes throughout the Jamaican society.

Finally, I implore members of the entire Kingston College Institution, be they past-students, administrators, teachers, students, parents or even well-wishers, to recognize, and consider not only the successes in cricket over the years, but also the positive and negative contributory factors of such success. I urge us all to realize that we all have a role to play in either the continued success or eventual decline in not only cricket, but all the facets of the great Institution, Kingston College .

The choice is ours!

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