THE Queenstown-based Demerara Cricket Club, ‘Home of the Legends’, on Monday partnered with the Commonwealth Games Canada (CGC) through their Director Dr Colin Higgs in the project ‘Bowling out AIDS’ at their second annual summer cricket clinic. Speaking with Chronicle Sport after his interaction with the more than 30 participants of the clinic which is being supervised by former first class off-spinner Gavin Nedd, Higgs said the programme uses cricket-related activities to help fight the deadly disease.
“Basically, this programme which is being developed for the British Government caters for youths between the ages of 9 and 19 years, using cricket not only to improve their technical skills, but also to edify them about health and nutrition, especially when it comes to HIV/AIDS.
“At the same time, it helps the coaches build a better cricket programme, since it has cricket-related drills with many communicable and non-communicable diseases as topics, with HIV/AIDS being the main one and we are looking at not only to help the players remain fit, but also to assist in the fight against HIV/AIDS,” Dr Higgs stated.
Dr Higgs is a full Professor of Physical Education in the School of Human Kinetics and Recreation, Memorial University of Newfoundland, Canada, where he has worked for the past 35 years. His area of study has been sport for persons with a disability, coupled with long-term athletic development of persons with intellectual or physical disabilities.
He has worked in more than 40 countries on issues of sport for persons with a disability, curriculum development for adapted physical education, and development of community engagement through sport, while he was also an inaugural recipient of the International Paralympic Committee’s Sport Science Award.
Former Video Analyst of the Guyana Cricket Board Robin Singh, Trinidad and Tobago’s Anthony Gray and Imran Jan, were the ones who were approached by Dr Higgs, with regard to commencing the programme  in this side of the world.
Singh then approached DCC’s president Alfred Mentore who warmed to the idea immediately, saying, “DCC is always pleased to be a part of such programmes, as it is a part of our social responsibility.”
According to the former Georgetown Cricket Association president, when he was told about Dr Higgs’ plan through Singh, he was excited as it fitted right into their list of activities for the club’s second summer clinic.
“We at DCC are extremely happy to be participating in the ‘Bowling out AIDS’ project, for which we wish to say heartfelt thanks to the Commonwealth Games Canada and Dr Higgs, since it not only fits into our curriculum for this year’s clinic, but is also a part of our social responsibility to help fight the deadly disease,” said Mentore.
He compared the use of protective gear in the game of cricket, to someone protecting himself or herself against the deadly disease, saying the executives and members of DCC (one of the leading clubs in the City) understand their roles in helping to fight the spread of same.
The participants at the  exercise were presented with a jersey which had the words ‘Bowling out AIDS, Working for an HIV-free Generation’ emblazoned across the front, and a cap, while at the end of the clinic, they will be presented with a commemorative cricket ball.