SUNRISE COMMUNITY CLUB boasts of organising the island’s first tapeball cricket competition. Since the early 1980s, the St Philip club which competes in the Barbados Cricket League domestic competitions has been staging an out-of-season tournament.
The 2015 Sunrise Community Club St Philip South Tapeball Competition started on February 8 with eight teams at its Rices ground and will wind up in mid-April.
Sunrise secretary Alvin Carter, a former long-standing club president, spoke with SUNSPORT’S Haydn Gill about the tournament.
GILL: What prompted the establishment of the tournament?
CARTER: At the time, the club’s name was the Sunrise Community and Cultural Movement. The community was a big part of what we did. Today, the club is the Sunrise Community Club.
We rebranded in 2007 but the nucleus of the club remains. The community aspect of it is what started the competition. At the time, we restricted it to St Philip South, not for political reasons, but that was our community. This is the first year we have brought in any team from outside St Philip. This tournament caters largely to the guy who does not play for any BCA team, the ordinary village boy.
GILL: What has been the response from the community?
CARTER: Back in the day, it was something to behold. Community rivalry was strong and positive. Families would cook on Sundays early to go out and back their teams. It was big business. We don’t have quite the same following now. You used to see people running around the grounds and keeping noise for their team. Community spirit was high.
Please read the full story in today’s Sunday Sun, or in the eNATION edition.