As thousands of Caribbean children prepare to return to their classrooms for a new academic year, the Caribbean Premier League (CPL) is launching a multi-stop community outreach program that blends cricket, mentorship, and practical support to empower young people across the region. Over the coming weeks, the Daren Sammy Cricket Ground (DSCG) in Saint Lucia will serve as a key hub for the league’s signature Republic Bank SchoolYard initiative, which brings professional cricketers face-to-face with more than 50 participating local students.
The first round of in-person activities kicks off on August 17, with simultaneous events running at two major cricket venues: DSCG and Jamaica’s iconic Sabina Park. At these kickoff gatherings, participating students will join franchise CPL players for a day of energetic, interactive games designed to build connection and teamwork. After the activities wrap up, every child will receive a full set of school supplies to support their studies throughout the upcoming year.
Following the opening events in Saint Lucia and Jamaica, the initiative will travel onward to two more Caribbean nations: Guyana and Barbados, where it will shift to a ‘Take a Player to School’ campaign format. During this phase of the program, professional cricketers will make on-site visits to local schools across both territories, allowing them to engage directly with student bodies in everyday learning environments. Beyond casual meet-and-greets, players will share personal accounts of their own journeys, from sitting in Caribbean classrooms as aspiring young athletes to building successful careers as international professional cricketers.
Christine Charles, Chief Marketing Officer for CPL, explained that the off-field initiative is designed to highlight the transformative power of cricket beyond international competition. “CPL SchoolYard is about more than cricket. It’s about showing young people across the Caribbean that the players they cheer for started out exactly where they are now, in a classroom, with a dream,” Charles said.
She added that the league takes particular pride in both the practical and inspirational impact of the program: “We’re proud to help send children back to school with everything they need, and even prouder to watch our players give their time to inspire the next generation.”