Jamaica’s Under-19 cricketers Steven Wedderburn and Brian Barnes are the recipients of the Jamaica Cricket Association’s (JCA) and Kingston Wharves full educational scholarships to the University of the West Indies (UWI). The scholarships were presented recently at the JCA office at Sabina Park in Kingston.

Brian is the National Under-19 cricket captain and he along with Wedderburn led Jamaica to the two regional championship trophies that were on offer in 2023.

The idea of the scholarship came about because of the need to properly reward the cricketers while ensuring their educational goals could be met and in the process allow them to continue to play the game at a high level.

JCA president Dr Bennett welcomed the partnership with Kingston Wharves. “We are very grateful at the JCA that Kingston Wharves has come up with an offer like this where cricketers who have also achieved academics and can be recognized, can be helped to augment and to push their whole life skills forward.”

Bennet spoke about the process of determining the scholarship winners were selected from a joint committee between themselves and Kingston Wharves after they invited applicants.

“We went through a pretty long process of assessment and at the end of the day this committee came up with the two recommendations,” he explained.

The two awardees, Barnes and Wedderburn as well as their family members and coaches were in attendance and they were esctatic.

“I really feel elated, honoured. I am just happy at the moment that both of us are honoured to get this scholarship. I am just happy about it,” said Barnes.

Meanwhile Wedderburn said: “I feel pretty elated because this is an honour. This is due to hard work and dedication, so I feel pretty good about receiving this award.”

Kingston Wharves’ Business Development Manager Alfred McDonald, pointed out that they are ensuring that the persons who are playing the sport are also good academically.

“We have seen their journey and we want to support their journey in that academic endeavour. So we thought of coming alongside these young men who have matriculated into university with providing them with funds to take care of the rest of their university life,” he added.

He continued: “That’s around about $300,000 to $500,000 per annum for each of them. We think that, that kind of assistance will propel them to do their best both on the field and off the field at school.”

Simone Murdock, the Corporate Services and Client Experience Manager at Kingston Wharves, who was a part of the selection committe,e said that the company was pleased with the selection process and the quality of the two awardees who emerged.

“Our commitment is to see these two young men through to completion of their degree and then at that time the company will make another decision because there might be another greater need in three years’ time,” she noted.

“So what we do now is to commit to getting them through their degree programme and at the end of the programme, we see what needs there are for the cricket development and we will make a decision then,” she reiterated

Barnes and Wedderburn will be studying marketing which is expected to last four years at UWI.