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By John L. Aaron

Responding to an invitation from well-known New York cricket coach Linden Fraser, West Indies women’s cricket coach Stephanie Power is currently in New York for a four week coaching stint for the area’s women cricketers.

Pic (Right): USA national player Melissa Sandy make a one-hand grab

Now at the half way mark, the coaching sessions have attracted a group of committed women cricketers, aided by a few male New York youth cricketers and are held at the Spring Creek Cricket Ground in Brooklyn. Those participating include a few women who have represented the USA, including Melissa Sandy, Karen Bayles, Delkash Shahriarian, Triholder Marshall and Samantha Ramautar.

Close friends with a passion for the sport of cricket, Fraser and Power have teamed up in the past to provide their services free of charge to those women interested in playing cricket, as well as those already immersed in the sport. Stephanie Power is a wicketkeeper batswoman who has captained the West Indies women’s cricket team in three Cricket World Cups. The Trinidad & Tobago born Aries player has also represented the Jamaica national team and has 34 caps as an ODI player for the West Indies. Ms. Power played in one Test match against Pakistan at Karachi in 2004.

A physical education schoolteacher by profession, she’s a very charming and patient person, and is a favorite among women cricketers. She is a firm taskmaster who is also very encouraging, and with a personal story as a cancer survivor. The New York metropolitan area women are very fortunate to have Ms. Power in the area for four weekend training sessions, and have grabbed the chance to learn or improve their cricketing skills.

Pic (Right): Coach Stephanie Power and Coach Linden Fraser

A very motivated individual, Ms. Power, along with Coach Fraser have been focusing on drills aimed at sharpening the cricket skills of the players on an individual basis. Training skills which the women players have been enjoying in often 85+ degrees of heat and humidity, primarily because they recognize the opportunity to learn from such a talented coach, along with a familiar face in Coach Linden Fraser.

This is not the first time that Coach Stephanie has worked with the ladies in the New York metropolitan area. In 2010 she worked indoors with some 21 players, helping them to hone their skills for national selection. The former Trinidad & Tobago women’s cricket captain is a Level II qualified coach and a trainer for Level I and Level II coaches internationally.