School of hard knocks

Tuesday, 30 June 2009

It's a common cry from the older generation that kids today have it easy. Well Auckland Cricket is helping put seven kids through what will probably be the toughest three weeks of their lives, and it's all good character building stuff!

ACA in partnership with the Outward Bound Trust has established a new course for young cricketers - 'Young Leaders in Cricket'.  The course is for 16-18 year old boys and girls who have been identified as talented cricketers and have leadership potential. 

It will be based on the standard 'Mind, Body & Soul' course that Outward Bound run and is held over three weeks at their Anikawa site at the top of the South Island. 

Young cricketers from Auckland will make up half of the 14 participants.  The other 7 will come from other parts of the country having been nominated by their Major Association.  Outward Bound has been hugely generous, subsidizing half of the $3,500 course fee. 

The seven Auckland participants will also receive $1,000 each from the Frank Grattan legacy (bequeathed to the Auckland Secondary Schools' Cricket Association and administered by the ACDF) and will raise the remaining $750 through personal fundraising.

During the course participants are not allowed any of the trappings of teenage life - no TV, CD players, iPods, mobile phones, books, magazines - not even coffee!  The idea is to ensure participants interact socially with each other and learn to enjoy each other's company.

Those on the course are also encouraged to write letters to communicate with their friends and family back home - which will more than likely be a first for many!

The course will also be physically and mentally challenging - ropes courses, sailing and kayaking on the Queen Charlotte Sound, rock climbing and overnight camping are all designed to challenge the participants and push their limits.  Not to mention a gruelling fitness session before dawn each morning!

We hope that the 14 participants on the course will discover that there is more in them, that they can achieve their dreams through perseverance and that success comes through a combination of determination, ability and mental strength. 

We also aim to get the participants to learn more about themselves and their leadership styles so they can then get more out of the people they are leading.  They will discover what it takes to create effective relationships and be part of and lead a successful team.

If the course proves to be successful it will become an annual event with ACA seeking applications from qualifying school students at the end of each season.  The course will be run from 26 September - 17 October.