The fishing village of Laborie has long been known for producing individuals who have achieved academic excellence, most notably our Governor General, Dame Pearlette Louisy, Allan Louisy, Velon John, Rick Wayne and Agatha Jn. Panel, just to name a few.
Keddy Lesporis was fortunate to have grown up in ‘The Republic of Laborie’ as it is often called, where he used his love for cricket to further inspire the residents of his community.
He lived near the Laborie playing field and from the age of eight, he took up the sport which now allows him to travel the region doing what he loves. He initially began playing with a team called South Stars in the Laborie Cricket League, where he was fast tracked to become one of Laborie’s finest sportsmen.
His cricket education continued through secondary school. He played for the Vieux Fort Comprehensive and Leon Hess Comprehensive school teams. In the absence of cricket academies at that time, school cricket was considered the best form of development for young players.
‘Playing for the school team was a way of honing my skills through perseverance and hard work,” says Keddy. ‘The team showed me the importance of practice and determination. At the end of the day, we were playing to outdo other schools, to get selected for trials and play for Saint Lucia or just for the fun of it. A team either wins or loses together, so the value of teamwork was clear and reinforced every day. Being part of the team gave me a sense of belonging.”
Keddy revealed his admiration for local sports hero, Darren Sammy, the first St Lucian to be selected on the West Indies cricket team. He points to Sammy’s outstanding leadership and says it helped to boost his own self-confidence and that of the West Indies cricket team. He also admires Indian legend, Sachin Tendulkar and his style of batting and footwork, as well as his appetite for scoring. Brian Lara is another source of inspiration for Keddy. He thinks Lara played the sport with class and had a remarkable ability to turn a game around. South African batsman, AB De Villiers is, in his view, one of the most entertaining batsmen of all time.
He learned a lot from all these outstanding cricketers and believes this helped him advance to the Windward Islands Volcanoes, formerly the Windward Islands cricket team. He also credits his experience on the regional team and the influence of West Indies players like Johnson Charles, Andre Fletcher, Devon Smith and Shane Shillingford for aiding him to enhance his playing skills and reach the next stage of his career.
‘Playing for the Windward Islands is a unique experience. With the other teams from the region (excluding the Leeward Islands), everyone is basically from the same country, but what makes it different with the Windward Islands is that the players come from four different islands. So essentially, there is somewhat of a cultural difference. The beautiful thing about it is that we are able to unite and be each other’s keeper and face our challenges together. It feels good to know that we are working towards a common goal.’
Recognising his talent, the West Indies Cricket Board (WICB) enrolled him in the West Indies High Performance Centre in Barbados. This helped Keddy become a much more all-round cricketer, focusing on fine-tuning his strengths and addressing his weaknesses.
On the back of his HPC education, he ended up scoring his maiden List A century for the Windward Islands against regional powerhouse Jamaica last season, in the Nagico Super50 tournament. This represented a significant step forward in his career
‘It was a good feeling to score a century, especially knowing that I was the first non-Trinidadian at the time to score a List A century at the Oval. I see this as the start of more to come but this will only happen through hard work and prayers.’
Keddy was drafted into the St Lucia Zouks in last year’s tournament, and was retained for this year’s competition. He was elated when he made it into the CPL, a tournament which he believes mirrors the biggest T20 tournament in the world, the Indian Premier League.
‘Being part of the CPL allows you to play with some of the best players in the world. One of the CPL’s objectives is to provide opportunities for young cricketers to display and hone their skills. I feel privileged to be part of that experience.’
Keddy believes that cricket in the Windward Islands is developing because of the increasing number of cricket programmes and academies operating across the region. He’s optimistic that upcoming cricketers will get the support they need to develop their skills. However, he also believes there’s still more work to be done.
‘I believe that there ought to be more competitive games in the region throughout the year. There’s a dire need for a better structure in the governance of cricket in the respective islands. Those in charge ought to ensure the survival and sustainability of the game’.
‘My dream is to become a test player, to play at the highest level for the West Indies. I endeavour to be an established batsman on the team and represent Saint Lucia and the West Indies with great courage and pride. I would like to be a role model for young and upcoming cricketers as I continue to work to develop the qualities of good sportsmanship.’
Keddy’s advice for young cricketers on a similar journey is simple.
‘Talent is not all. In cricket you have to be disciplined, have a good head on your shoulders, work extremely hard, train tirelessly, cooperate and have a sense of commitment. Sportsmanship is very important. Who you are as a person is far more important than who you are as a player. You need to be respectful, a team player and understand that the aim is not just to win but to bounce back if you lose. Cricket is a gentleman’s sport. It’s about learning to endure many challenges and working hard to improve the game. As for me, the greatest part of the game is the opportunity to play the sport I love.’
Fun Facts:
- Favourite Colour: Red
- Best vacation spot: Barbados
- Pork, chicken or veggies: Chicken
- Favourite movie: Any action movie or comedy!
- If you could have any super power?: Superhuman strength
- Biggest fear: God
