The five-figure sponsorship deal which St. David's Cricket Club recently landed from Conyers, Dill and Pearman should be looked at as an incentive for other clubs to build sound, decent youth programmes.

By following in the footsteps of the eastenders, who boast one of the best youth cricket programmes in the Island thanks in part to player-coach Clay Smith, other clubs may be rewarded with similar sponsorships from the business sector, according to some sports executives.

St. David's president Wilbur Pitcher was among those who felt that the unprecedented one-year deal could be an eye-opener for other clubs while Bermuda Football Association president Neville Tyrrell went even further by urging both the sporting fraternity -- clubs in particular -- and the business sector to rally behind such an inspired joint venture and become involved at a sponsorship level.

Mansfield Smith, former executive of St. George's Cricket Club and current president of the Bermuda Table Tennis Club, reckoned that any form of sponsorship these days, when clubs were struggling was a bonus.

He said that a chronic shortage of support of clubs in this area had already led to the downfall and collapse of a few to date, with some struggling to field squads in both cricket and soccer. He labelled Young Men's Social Club as one in particular facing the problem as a result of the non-existence of a development programme.

Pitcher said that while St. David's would have been able to exist without the sponsorship, they were now able to do some things they always wanted to do but were restricted from doing before because of a lack of funding.

"It's a great help as I'm sure it would be for any other club like ours because we don't make that much money from gate receipts. We have a lot of youth down here and have organised something good for them and it's paying off nicely,'' he said.

"By Conyers, Dill and Pearman accepting us it may open up the eyes of other clubs to follow in our footsteps ... but sponsors don't accept you for the sake of it, they want to see a decent programme and want to know where their money is going and I can understand that.'' Tyrrell viewed the sponsorship of St. David's as a move that should be encouraging to all clubs and the business sector.

He even disclosed that the BFA's finance committee has been talking to the treasurers of clubs for the last four to six weeks, encouraging them to get their books in order -- advising them the importance of doing so if they hope to be able to attract any funding from outside sources.

"We have been doing that for the clubs so that they can go out and project themselves as being good managers of their programmes. It's important for the clubs to recognise the fact that if these outside sources don't feel confident that the clubs cannot manage any sort of funding properly, then no help is going to come their way,'' he said.

Continued on page 21 Clubs encouraged Continued from page 19 Tyrrell continued: "I was very encouraged by the actions of Conyers, Dill and Pearman because we all know that the clubs are in a state of wanting funds, and I would like to hope that other firms will emulate that company's actions and do get involved.

"We must remember as community clubs these organisations do provide service to the community that sometimes goes unnoticed, and it certainly has a big affect in the community and anything that will help these clubs get their programmes running properly will be appreciated.

"I applaud CD&P for taking this initiative and I would probably imagine that there are other firms who are doing this in a quiet way as well. I certainly encourage them for this support and I will encourage other businesses do this as well.'' According to Mansfield Smith, any funding in the form of sponsorship is of great value for Island clubs, noting that without it many have struggled.

"Sponsorship enables them to continue their youth programmes, it's especially essential for sports like cricket and soccer which are more costly to run,'' said Smith.

"Continuity within a club is vital, as it enables a youngster to progress to more advanced stages which is very essential in their development.. and without this sort of continuity a club encounters all sorts of problems.

"I really feel this was Young Men's Social Club's downfall, they were a giant in both soccer and cricket and when you have no youth programme you encounter problems like they are having this very day in both sports,'' noted Smith.

"If a vast number of youths are able to benefit from a decent programme at an early stage, they will stay loyal to the clubs they start out with now that the particular club's programme is striving.'' To a much lesser degree lack of funding is hitting the sport of table tennis also, according to Smith.

Not long ago he noted that they had 20 teams operating in the league, but now that number has dwindled to a mere five.

"We need funds to bring in top coaches, coaches who can go into the schools, primary, middle and senior schools and the clubs, to encourage more youths to become active in our various leagues,'' said Smith.