Just mention ‘cricket’ and faces light up in this country, and this part of the world.

So when word spread that a special coach from Australia was visiting Seenigama to train interested schoolboys, there was much excitement and anticipation ahead of the ten-day event.

U-13 & U-15 schoolboy cricketers engrossed
as Rod McCabe’s trains them

The man himself, Mr. Rod McCabe from down under is no stranger to Seenigama. He has on many previous occasions trained cricket enthusiasts in Seenigama. He is also a loyal and firm supporter of the work and mission of the Foundation of Goodness (FoG).

Rod McCabe hails from New South Wales Australia, where he is the cricket coach of Trinity Catholic College in Goulburn. His joy of helping the less fortunate has overflowed to inspire his students in Australia too, to make contributions to purchase the required cricket equipment for these youngsters, currently playing in the Sri Lanka Schools Cricket Tournament for the first time in the history of Seenigama Vimala Buddhi Maha Vidyalaya. 

Rod McCabe & Michael Campton-Smith show the schoolboys how it’s done

So rolling his sleeves up and stepping onto the turf, Rod McCabe had the U-13 and U-15 cricketers ready for a time of serious coaching and fun. He was ably assisted by his school’s senior cricket captain Michael Campton-Smith, who was also visiting.

The schoolboys that benefited from this ten-day coaching event held at the Seenigama Oval were from the Seenigama village school.

The happy schoolboys get new sporting equipment

The ten-day coaching camp ended with a surprise. The icing on the cake was when much to their amazement and joy, Rod McCabe gifted the schoolboy cricketers with sporting equipment including training shoes and cricketing gear. The cricket coach from Australia was happy to back again in Seenigama. “It was particularly great to witness the improvement shown by the u/13 squad from the previous year” a happy Rod McCabe said. “The promise shown on my previous coaching stint was evident in the skill level shown by the boys this year. However, the skills were secondary to the enthusiasm of the players. The boys threw themselves into every skill’s routine with a great deal of enthusiasm and with such passion for the game. This could only have been achieved with the co-operation of the staff at the Foundation” he went on to say.

Also commenting on the success of the training event, Kushil Gunasekera the founder/trustee of FoG praised Rod McCabe’s magnanimous contribution to improving sporting standards amongst underprivileged rural children. “It is people of Rod’s stature that add so much value in guiding these aspiring cricketers, particularly with the latest techniques in the development aspects in the spirit of Australian style” Gunasekera said. “We salute him for taking the time and trouble to visit us every year, the results of which are now strongly evident with their improved performances” he added. Gunasekera did not forget his other visitor from Australia “we should also not forget Michael’s contribution as a teenager himself, which has been memorable for him, seeing how little these disadvantaged children have and the extent of contentment with such little, yet determined to succeed.”

Great opportunities to help others
seldom come, but small ones
surround us every day.”
– Sally Koch

2008.08.13