Up and running

Lee Booth blogs about the first days coaching in Rwanda.

With its rolling manicured lawns and spotless classrooms Excella school may not be typical for many of the places we will visit in our two weeks here but it did provide a good starting point for the team and eased us in gently on our first full day of coaching.

Excella only started playing cricket 12 months ago but it is another example of how with a little kickstart from CWB and follow up from the cricket association good things can happen in a short period of time.

Eric one of the CWB ambassadors has been visiting the school twice a week to coach the children and it is clear that this has not only had an impact on their cricketing ability but more importantly on the childrens HIV awareness. The simple ABC message that we always include alongside the cricket had been remembered by many and it was great to once again hear the chanting and singing echoing across the field.

A disappointment to many of the children however was the fact that this time Steve Tegg is not with the project, I lost track of the number of times I was asked where is Mr Bean in reference to his similar features.

After coaching over 300 children across 3 sessions the group then departed to Fawe girls school for an after school club as me and Audi stayed behind at Excella to work with 10 teachers who we will be seeing again on Friday to continue their coach education.

The day was wrapped up with a few Mutzigs and several arms of goat, all in all a pretty perfect start to the trip I can only hope that the rest goes as smoothly.