Today was a busy day with 4 schools lined up. GTHS started off with 90+ kids who would soon show us how able they were. One demo and they could rapidly and accurately replicate each skill. Three teachers attended the session and we would later find a six former keen on playing cricket in a club. We finished with three games of rapid fire. As we were leaving, we saw Anna, a young 15 y.o. student, fiercely wrestling with boys of her age, and we learnt she was the regional champion.
Back on the fun bus and heading towards GHS Ekona where we met with Chebe, the only female teacher at the coach ed session and keen sports woman. For 1h30, we coached 120+ in the strong sun. We ended the session with some dancing as the in – house DJ was playing African beats.
The afternoon was more eventful. Not only did we manage 210 kids, but we faced our first heavy rain and were forced to seek shelter within 20 minutes. But nothing would defeat our enthusiasm and despite the crowd noise, lack of space and a floor made of broken planks of wood (that beats any uneven ground met so far), we successfully started few games of over and under relays, chanting the ABCT message.
As the session ended with the rain, we headed towards BHS where 80 boys welcomed us. A shower made us have an ABC talk and games in the school hall. Nothing defeated our spirit so when the rain cleared off, we set off games of cross fire and rapid fire in a wet field which would see pupils sliding more than running in bare feet. Girls who had shied away from the rain soon joined us and Tracey and Jo quickly came up with few catching games and some dancing and hokey cokey. For a non-cricketer, it makes me smile that, unlike in England, here in Buéa we played on despite the rain and the thick fog. Cameroon carries the day over England on this one 🙂