The local cricket community is ending 2025 on a high note, with the inaugural Under-13 Grassroots Tournament one of the highlights of the calendar year. The competition closed on the first weekend of December, with Soufrière defeating Babonneau in Vieux Fort. The eight-week series, sponsored by the Laborie Cooperative Credit Union, was hailed as a success by the principal organisers, the Saint Lucia National Cricket Association.
“I don’t think words can capture what we feel, right? Because when you see what they’ve done in the Republic Bank Five for Fun, even some of those kids who are part of the National Lotteries Authority after-school programme,” noted SLNCA president Wayne Auguste. “And you now see how they’ve developed, how their skill has developed, and how their understanding of the game has evolved, in such a short space of time. It really makes us feel extremely happy, and it encourages us to continue the investment that we’re making.”
One of the most notable aspects of this tournament was that a lot of the areas where cricket has not necessarily flourished witnessed a rapid upsurge. Communities such as Laborie participated in high spirits, which signalled to Auguste how impactful the tournament was.
“It just tells me that we need to reach out to every nook and cranny in Saint Lucia,” he said. “Because the next star could be anywhere, you know. So, going out to Laborie in particular, it was refreshing to see a young lady coach the team, and we’re hoping that more ladies can step up to the role of coaching. At the end of the day, we’re just happy to see the game grow, see the game reach out to different communities. And I’m hoping that that continues and that we can continue to expand the game, grow our numbers.”
The Laborie Credit Union competition provides a bridge between the regional Five for Fun programme, which targets primary school‑age children at a district level, and the Sandals Under‑19 competition, also played among district affiliates. It also follows an inaugural U13 festival held earlier this year at Beausejour.
The SLNCA has big plans for the competition, and the president said the aim is to get even younger children involved in structured cricket. He explained that the next phase would move towards a hardball programme, with players using a smaller 4¾‑ounce ball suited to the 13–13½ age group.
The association, he continued, is already securing equipment — bats in varying sizes, pads, helmets and full kits — so that the youngsters can be outfitted just like the international players they watch on television.
He also noted that an Under‑10 category will be introduced. While it will be a slight variation of the U13 format, the intention is to start children earlier, recognising that the sooner they enter the programme, the better it will be for their development.
Winning coach Dalius Monrose echoed the sentiments of several of his fellow coaches, citing improvements over the two months. He called on Government to build a cricket-specific facility for Soufrière, as he is confident the sport has a bright future in Sulphur City.
“I’m very elated about the tournament. It was long overdue,” he stated. “I want to thank the sponsors for coming on board and hosting a tournament of this magnitude for the young kids. We did pretty well. Well, we were outstanding, because we won the tournament.
“We only lost one game, but apart from that, the kids stood up. They put their hands up, they played well, they learned. So, you could see that development from where they were, and where they are now. Most of them know the game. They know it even better now. And they look forward to it. So I hope every year we have this tournament.”
Auguste ended his remarks by thanking the sponsors, Laborie Credit Union, for whom he said that sports is just one string to their bow. But their role, he told St Lucia Times, is crucial.
“I consider them to be a perfect partner, and it’s really aligned to their own vision of growing and developing human resource capacity in Saint Lucia.”
