The exploits of the successful Trinidad and Tobago cricket team continue to be a source of inspiration to the youths of the country. This was clearly evident when members of the team, spearheaded by captain Daren Ganga, were virtually mobbed by hundreds of school children in Port Fortin on Thursday.

The excited screams of the students threatened to lift the roof off the South Western Regional Indoor Sports Arena in Egypt Village as they met their cricketing heroes in the flesh.

Addressing the enthusiastic crowd of primary and secondary school students, team captain Daren Ganga captured the real purpose of the day-long visit with the students and members of the community. ’We want our performances in India and Guyana to inspire you so that you will achieve your goals and become the very best that you can be. We want each one of you to become an inspiration to the future generations,’ he told the cheering youths.

The special event was made possible through the efforts of the West Indies Players Association (WIPA), in association with energy company Atlantic LNG as part of the ’WIPA in the Community’ initiative which was launched in Point Fortin in October 2008.

WIPA President and CEO, Dinanath Ramnarine, explained that ’this programme is geared toward using cricket, and sport in general, as a nucleus for the holistic development of young people. We are really happy to partner with Atlantic LNG in making a difference in the lives of the future of this nation-the young people you see here today.’

Lending support to the event were former Test cricketer and coach, Gus Logie, Suruj Ragoonath, WIPA’s cricket development manager, and T&T manager, Colin Borde.

The players - Daren Ganga, Sherwin Ganga, Navin Stewart, Rayad Emrit, William Perkins, Samuel Badree, Dave Mohammed and Imran Khan - were kept busy signing autographs on everything imaginable as the students clamoured around them.

According to a beaming Shervon Clarkson, a Form Four student at Point Fortin West Secondary School, ’I am the biggest fan of these cricketers and they have inspired me to be the best that I can be. Nobody believed that they could do so well in India but they beat the odds to show that they are champions. I think that we can all do the same and show that we are all champions in our own way.’

The players visited Victor Chin Kit Park where they interacted with members of the public and signed more autographs for fans, young and old, who were delighted that their national heroes would take the time to visit them.

Lynette Lewis from Vessigny was full of praise for the national sportsmen. ’These wonderful young cricketers are inspiring the young people of the nation to work toward their goals. With inspired young people there is no limit to what we can achieve as a nation.’ After spending the afternoon at the park, the players then headed back to the Indoor Sports Arena where they played an exhibition small-goal football match against Atlantic Synergy, a team comprising of the best players from the Atlantic LNG inter-company football league. They showed they could hold their own at football as well, emerging victors by a 3-2 margin.