WALLACE TO RUN FOR PRESIDENT OF THE BCA

by David Harris

Former Barbados and West Indies opening batsmen Philo Wallace says the desire to make Barbados’ cricket better and stronger are the reason he is seeking to become the president of the Barbados Cricket Association (BCA). 

Elections to elect a new president of the BCA are scheduled to be held at Kensington Oval on August 12; the incumbent president Conde Riley has stepped down from the position after leading the BCA for seven years. 

 Wallace, and three other candidates have been nominated for the post; the other nominees are Calvin Hope, the current vice-president of BCA, Henderson Wallace, a director of the board, and retired educator Jeff Broomes. 

“After studying in Trinidad and England for several years and having served as a director of the BCA for six years before going overseas, I don’t think enough has been done to make Barbados’ cricket better and that is what motivated me to run for the presidency of BCA. I think this is the opportunity for me to step up and raise my hand and indicate that I am the one who can make change. Obviously; if I am elected president, I will have to get the support of the board to bring my ideals to fruition. If I am elected, I will be seeking the support of the board to put systems in place to make Barbados ‘cricket stronger and better”, Wallace told Advo Magazine.      

The former Barbados captain said an examination of the entire structure of cricket will be done if he is elected head of the BCA.  

 “I am speaking about a comprehensive examination of the schools up to the teams; we must look at the way the players perceive themselves as cricketers and conduct an analysis of the club structure. Coaching is a vital aspect in the developed of our young cricketers; therefore, we have to ensure that everyone is on board in relation to coaching- it is imperative that a lot more emphasis is placed on having coaches go into our schools and work with the boys and girls”, Wallace said. 

“The cricket legends have pivotal role to play in making our young cricketers understand the significant of cricket. These former cricketers should be mentoring our young players and talking to them the importance of discipline in the game. Explaining to them- the importance of mastering the rudiments of the sport- and giving our young cricketers an insight into what is required of them, when they are representing their school, club and national team. I think that we are not involving our cricket legends enough in a game that they have excel in and has brought success and joy to Barbadians and the people of the Caribbean”, he added.   

Wallace said he does not anticipate any difficulty in persuading the board of directors to accept his ideals if he wins the election. 

“If I become president, I will be seeking consensus from everyone within the BCA in my attempt to make cricket stronger and better. I will have to convince the directors to accept my vision to make our cricket stronger. The BCA has recently appointed a new chief executive officer in Paul Skinner- I believe that Paul will have his own ideas about the direction he would like to see the cricket going. The secretariat will have to be involve- because it is like a chain, if the systems on the ground are working, and the internal systems are not functioning there will be stalemate. Therefore, having the board, the office, and the internal coaches that are employed by the BCA moving in the same direction working for the betterment of Barbados’ cricket will be important. There must be to be an all-inclusive attitude, and all the stakeholders got to be on board”, Wallace explained.    

According to Wallace, the current structure of cricket needs revamping: “My objective is to make the structure better by taking away some of the fat and streamlining resources- my intention is to go into the engine room and to make production better. There are cracks in our cricket structure that must be fixed before they widen. At the recently concluded Sir Garfield Sobers Under-19 tournament, 12 local teams played participated, and yet the two teams that contested the final were from Australia and New York. I expected one of local teams to play in the final. In my opinion this is a crack in the development in our youth cricket that must be corrected before it becomes wider”. 

Wallce said his opinion of the state of domestic cricket not fault-finding but are based on his commitment to the game.  

“I think the structure of our must change, I know that some people are stubborn to change; but sometimes people must be massage into. It is time to move our cricket forward with new ideals. I am not saying that the current leadership of the BCA has done a bad job, but I honestly think they could have done better. Cricket has brought glory to our nation, and everything must be done to preserve its legacy. I have been a beneficiary of the game, and if I am elected president of the BCA, I will be a dedicated servant to the game that I love”, Wallace said.