Choiseul On The Move

 

CHOISEUL WOMEN ARE CHAMPIONS: A Performance Our Constituency Should Be Proud Of

There are times when we have to call out what is wrong in Choiseul. There are times when we have to ask the hard questions, demand better and hold people accountable.

But there are also times when we must stop, look around and say: well done.

Today is one of those days.

Our Choiseul women have given this constituency something to celebrate after winning the Saint Lucia National Cricket Association Women’s T20 Tournament at the La Fargue Playing Field.

And they did it in style.

Choiseul defeated neighbours Laborie by seven wickets, chasing down 100 runs in just 10.4 overs after restricting Laborie to 99 all out in 19.1 overs.

At the centre of it all was Alyiah Alfred, who produced the kind of all-round performance any team would be proud of.

She took 4 wickets for 18 runs from her four overs, with 17 dot balls, then came back with the bat and smashed an unbeaten 56 from just 33 balls, including four sixes and two fours.

That is not just a good performance.

That is a match-winning performance.

But while Alyiah deserves every bit of the praise coming her way, this victory belongs to the entire Choiseul team.

Captain Roylin Cooper picked up two wickets for 19 runs, while veteran Swayline Williams took two wickets for just eight runs.

With the bat, Alicia Herman contributed 12 and Britnee Norbal added 11 as Choiseul made light work of the target.

The victory becomes even more meaningful when we consider the bigger picture.

Women’s domestic cricket in Saint Lucia had been absent for five years.

Five years.

Then the competition returned.

And Choiseul returned as champions.

That alone is worth celebrating.

More Than Just A Cricket Match

Sometimes we look at sport simply as who won and who lost.

But there is much more happening here.

Every woman standing in that Choiseul team photograph represents something important.

Discipline.

Commitment.

Teamwork.

Sacrifice.

And opportunity.

For young girls growing up in Choiseul, Saltibus, La Fargue, Reunion, Roblot, Piaye and the surrounding communities, these women have now provided another example of what is possible.

You can play cricket.

You can represent Choiseul.

You can compete.

And you can win.

We often speak about creating opportunities for our young people, but this is exactly what opportunity looks like when it is supported properly.

Talent needs somewhere to grow.

It needs coaching.

It needs facilities.

It needs competitions.

It needs encouragement.

And sometimes it simply needs people in the community to show up and say: we see you and we are proud of you.

Let Us Give Our Women Their Flowers

Choiseul has always produced sporting talent.

But too often, women’s sporting achievements do not receive the same attention given to the men.

That needs to change.

If a Choiseul football team wins, we celebrate them.

If one of our young men performs well in cricket, athletics or another sport, we recognise him.

Our women deserve that same recognition.

This team did not simply participate in a tournament.

They won it.

And they did so at home, at La Fargue, in front of their own people.

That matters.

The women representing Choiseul should know that their constituency appreciates the work they put in.

They should know that the young girls watching them are taking notice.

And they should know that this victory should not be the end of the story.

So What Comes Next?

This is where the conversation should now move.

How do we build on this?

Can we encourage more young girls to get involved in cricket?

Can local schools develop stronger girls’ cricket programmes?

Can businesses and community organisations support the team with equipment, uniforms, transportation and training?

Can La Fargue continue developing as an important home for women’s cricket in the south?

Can some of these players eventually move on to higher levels of cricket and represent Saint Lucia and the wider region?

Winning the tournament should not simply give us a nice photograph for Facebook.

It should give us something to build on.

Choiseul On The Move Says Congratulations

So today, Choiseul on the Move is not here to complain.

We are not here to criticise.

We are here to say congratulations.

Congratulations to the players.

Congratulations to the captain.

Congratulations to the coaches and support team.

Congratulations to everyone who kept women’s cricket alive and helped bring the competition back.

And special recognition must certainly go to Alyiah Alfred for a tremendous all-round performance when it mattered most.

Choiseul women are champions.

Let that sink in for a little while.

Because with all the challenges our constituency faces, we should never become so consumed by the negatives that we forget to celebrate our own people when they give us a reason to smile.

Well done, ladies.

You represented Choiseul.

You made us proud.

And now the challenge is to make sure this victory becomes the beginning of something even bigger.

Choiseul on the Move salutes our women’s cricket champions.

Match information based on reporting by sports journalist Terry Finisterre in the Saint Lucia Times.