(SLENA, 17th November, 2022).Sierra Leone Cricket Association (SLCA) officially unveiled the newly appointed Head Coach of the Men’s Patriots team during a press briefing at the SLCA Secretariat, Kingtom Police Field on Tuesday 15th November, 2022. Kenneth Masinga, a South African born, said he has a vison of elevating the Men’s Patriot to another level.
Giving his speech at the unveiling ceremony, Mr Kenneth Masinga disclosed that, he had several opportunities to coach in South Africa but Sierra Leone was his choice. He said he had watched them played several times in the South African region and he realised that, there are huge potential in Sierra Leone.
“My mission and vision is to provide the players with innovative training and learning new skills that will be my main focus, particularly at the junior levels. It’s not to change the style of cricket that you guys are playing but to be innovative in terms of playing”. Kenneth stated.
He also disclosed that, there are natural talents in the country with such little resources. The country is ranked 62 with such facilities and still surprised to hear that, when they hit the ball over the Prince of Wales school compound, they still have to search for the ball. It tells that the country is reach with natural talents that need to be nurtured.
Masinga said he don’t see it as a struggle but they are learning and developing a news skills that is needed. There needs to be an environment where every stakeholder needs to be part of the discipline and to develop coaches as well. He said had worked with certain coaches here before adding that they needed to work off the field as well.
He commented about punctuality of the technical team and players and how the administration and the rest of the members could come together to develop the sports. His goal, he said is to ensure he maintained the division one standard and upgrade the division two.
Speaking on hygiene, Mr Masinga said, cricket needs to be taken into consideration and that changes of cricket equipment during trainings and games must come to an end because the global pandemic is still available and precautions need to be taken to avert it.
“When I told people in South Africa that I’m going to Sierra Leone to coach, so many questions came up about the country I’m going. Now I’m a celebrity back home because people now know about me working in Sierra Leone.” He concluded.
