Sponsor a Junior cricketer

SAWASDEE KHRAP!

Pre-season has been a busy time for the 12 boys, friendly matches every Sunday continued right up until late July, giving the players some valuable experience in the middle. With the onset of the rainy season, conditions became unsuitable for play at Gymkhana, but net practice still continues 3 or 4 times a week. Many new players from the hostel have taken up cricket along with our boys, which is what we hoped, with 2 ‘Sawasdee’softball teams being established and another five players already converting to hardball, strengthening the first team squad.

On the 10th and 11th July Cricket Association of Thailand’s chief executive Mohadeen Kader came up to Chiang Mai to conduct U-14 Thailand trials at Gymkhana for a tournament scheduled in early 2011. Three of our boys have been provisionally selected to join training camps with the Thai squad, along with another six from Chiang Mai, showing the strength in depth in junior cricket in the North. We are very hopeful that the three boy's, Mike, Nikom and Piwan will establish themselves in the Thailand National team set-up and develop through the ranks right through to senior level, of the other hilltribe boys some are showing signs that selection at u-16 and u-19 levels could be possible in time if they continue to practice hard.

One last friendly game was staged on 8th August to coincide with an ACC ( Asian Cricket Council) Umpire course held at Gymkhana. The T20 match was a re-run of the playoff final for u-16 league in June. This time Chow Kow hostel managed a close fought win over Chol Prathan Prataek School on a soggy afternoon. Mike top scored with a quick fire 22, and Nikom took  2-7 off 3 overs in a low scoring  game with 12 umpires standing for their practical. 
Many of the boys are being encouraged to become coaches, and a number are showing the potential that could see them develop further. Every Tuesday and Saturdays  1 or 2 boys are taken out to Lamphun and Mae On schools were they are slowly learning the basic coaching techniques, teaching  10 and 11 year olds, who are being introduced to ‘Sawasdee’ cricket. The program not only improves their confidence and communication skills, but the boys’ cricket is developing as a result. An ACC level 1 coaching course will be held in 2011 and the boys who are over sixteen will be entered. Who knows, with cricket exploding over SE Asia so quickly, there could well be a career for up and coming Thai junior coaches. There is currently a great shortage of native Thai coaches in the Kingdom. We, the CMSCA coaching volunteers have run coaching seminars (practical and theory) for 6 boys who are showing a natural aptitude for coaching. The boys who are participating on the program are Mike, Choo, Bonchooai, Jun, Bogachai and Aalong.

Many of our sponsors initially enquired about sponsoring individuals but we have decided to run the Hilltribe sponsor program as a collective rather than individual sponsorship. However, sponsors are encouraged to follow the progress of any of the boys they wish. We intend to update individual profiles in the pre-season to give you a bit more information on each players’ background and their progress at school and of course in cricket. Profile photos can be found on the sponsorship profile gallery page.
In October another boy called Pang will be joining the program. He previously played in the Watdonchan school hardball team and will be a welcome addition to the team at the hostel. A number of other boys and a girl are hoping to join the scheme in May 2011 when the next school year begins.

New practice nets are to be constructed at Gymkhana which will please many of the SIxes players. The tired old nets will be demolished to make way for a new facility near the tennis court, we are really hoping that they will be completed in time for the new cricket season. Nets are also due to be constructed at the same time at Buakcrognoi school where all the Hilltribe boys attend. 

All of the boys have come to understand how fortunate and privileged they are to be on this program made possible by you the sponsors. They would all like to express their gratitude and thanks for the opportunity you have given them. They are training and playing with dedication and joy. All our sponsors deserve a pat on the back for making a real difference to these young people’s lives.

We are always in need of extra funds, running costs for transporting the boys can be expensive especially when you have 12 of them!

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Thank You again for all you support.... KHOP KHUN KHRAP!