EFFORTS by the Tanzania Cricket Association (TCA) to improve the standard of the game locally have kept on gaining pace as the body recently held a newly introduced coaching course in Dar es Salaam.

The course, dubbed 'Coach the Coaches', has been described as the new era for Tanzania's cricket development. 

A TCA official stated that the association's centre at Muhimbili, Ilala in the city was, at the end of last month, abuzz with excitement as 28 passionate development officers from 13 centres across the country gathered for the 'Coach the Coaches' course. 

The transformative training, the official pointed out, was led by professional coaches Christopher Cardoso and Jolene Dippenaar from South Africa.

The training aimed to uplift the standards of cricket coaching within the country.

Cardoso and Jolene guided participants through both theory and practical sessions, covering essential techniques and coaching principles.

The training is geared towards ensuring the development officers are equipped to become ICC Level 2-accredited coaches.

The tacticians would thereafter lead the 10 new academies TCA is set to launch next year.

Each academy will, according to the official, have assistant coaches with at least an ICC Level 1 coaching certificate to strengthen the foundation of Tanzania's cricket.

The 'Coach the Coaches' course concluded on a high note, with TCA Chairman Balakrishna Sreekumar presenting each of the participating coaches with a national team jersey as a gesture of encouragement. 

Sreekumar shared how delighted he was to see such genuine enthusiasm among the coaches.

The TCA Chairman moreover noted that the coaches' commitment would greatly enhance cricket development at the grassroots level.

Supervision of cricket development from the grassroots has been the motive TCA is earnestly putting its efforts into.

The association, for one, recently launched a junior showdown, known as TCA Dar U-17 League, seeking to offer junior cricketers a competitive experience.

The new showdown's introduction highlighted the competitive spirit and promising talent among the young cricketers.

As the league progresses, the association said, domestic cricket fans can look forward to more thrilling matches and outstanding performances from the budding cricketers.