… TCL marketing manager tells national Under-19 team
MARKETING manager of Trinidad Cement (Guyana) Limited Rosco Greene yesterday told the national Under-19 team to settle for nothing less than the championship trophy when they contest the West Indies Cricket Board/TCL Under-19 tournament in St Lucia. “You are the best of your lot, that’s why you have been chosen to represent your country. Settle for nothing less than the championship trophy when you go out there, to show as a testament of the hard work you have put in prior to your departure.”
Greene was at the time delivering a pep talk to the young cricketers who had just completed a tour of TCL’s  Lombard Street packaging facility, under the guidance of Radrinauth Hardyal, an electrical technician/supervisor of TCL.
Greene stated that over a number of years, TCL has been a proud sponsor of the regional tournament, something they did not see as being trivial.
“We don’t see it as trivial, as we have seen persons who have sat here turn out to be professionals in their own right and you yourself can go a very far way in the sport of cricket, once you put your mind to it and work and train hard.
You should aspire to play for the West Indies, but at the same time, balance your academics as talent is not all, especially in this day and age. When you look at professional basketball players, they are coming from a very serious academic background to be where they are today, and you too can do it,” said Greene.
He continued, “You are ambassadors not only to Guyana, but also TCL (Guyana) Limited to an extension and we take pride in our product and if you do badly, it reflects badly on us, while if you perform and return with the championship trophy, you have the right to receive all the accolades that will be showered on you. So go out there, do your best and settle for nothing less than the championship trophy.”
Manager of the team Alvin Johnson, who has been executing such duties since 2003, thanked Greene for his discourse with the players and identified three players, national Under-15 skipper Shawn Perreira, his deputy Ricardo Adams and opener Brian Sattaur as perfect examples of the term ‘graduating through the ranks’.
“The selection of these three players to the team (Sattaur and Adams are originals, while Perreira is on standby), can be used as a perfect example of graduating through the ranks of cricket, as they played at the Under-15 level earlier this year.
“Your (Greene’s) discussion was very much appreciated, as it brought the team into focus of what lies ahead for them prior to going to the tournament. Because you have been with us over the number of years, we want to make you proud of us and what better way to do so than returning with the trophy.”
Johnson, who like coach of the team Hubern Evans, is a shareholder with TCL due to the offer given to the 2006 and 2007 championship winning teams. He took the opportunity to urge his players to strive for excellence to receive the just reward of being a shareholder within the company.
“I am proud to be associated with TCL and to an extent that pride radiates around the team, therefore I want to urge you guys to go out there and make the sponsor proud of you, wherein you too can become bona fide members of TCL via shares.
“I would like to say thanks to the management and staff of TCL Guyana for having us here once again and we will endeavour to do our very best, making you guys proud of us in the end,” stated Johnson.
The team completed their three weeks encampment yesterday and will have their regular departure dinner on Monday at the Waterchris Hotel, before leaving for St Lucia the following day.