Lockerbie: An Inspiring Vision for USA Cricket
By Dr. Sham Samaroo
July 5, 2009
This past April, Donald Lockerbie began his tenure as CEO of USA Cricket. Mr. Lockerbie’s record of distinguished accomplishments in international sports management; events planning; bid writing; stadium design; and venue development staggers the imagination. Many remember him as the Chief Operating Officer and Venue Development Director of the ICC Cricket World Cup in 2007. What is perhaps not as well known in US cricketing circles, but of enormous significance given his present undertaking, is that Mr. Lockerbie worked in various capacities of consultancy; feasibility study; venue development and management at the Olympics games in Athens 2004, Sydney 2000, and Atlanta 1996; the FIFA World Cups in USA 1994, France 1998; and a total of 12 World Games to date. These experiences should serve him well if he is to succeed in his latest undertaking – USA Cricket.
Flirting tantalizingly on the threshold of a breakthrough throughout the 90s, USA Cricket appeared to have finally gotten it right in 2004 when the team earned a place in the Champions Trophy alongside the 10 test playing nations. But the team’s success on the field regrettably was not matched off it. Infighting threatened and, ultimately, succeeded in shattering such high hopes. Things went from bad to worse with the USA twice suspended by the ICC - first in 2005 and again in 2007. So where did it all go wrong? Former ICC chief, Malcolm Speed, puts it this way: "We have seen numerous sporting organisations in various states of disarray throughout our period of involvement as sports administrators. We have never seen a sporting organisation that combines such great potential and such poor administration as USACA.”
Readmission to the ICC was in part contingent upon constitutional changes within USACA, and the appointment of a Chief Executive Officer - hence Lockerbie. Mr. Lockerbie was in New York recently for the USACA U-19 finals and we spoke during the innings break. The very first thing that strikes you is the simplicity of the man – a simplicity, one soon senses, borne of indomitable will; strength of conviction; quiet confidence; and an intuitive understanding that collaboration and team building are the very foundations upon which success is built. Asked about his plans for USA Cricket, and with ciceronian eloquence, Mr. Lockerbie confidently outlines a vision that revolves around three broad aims which, collectively, will catapult USA Cricket onto the world stage.
Project 15
Lockerbie recognizes that ultimately, in order to successfully transfer this passion for cricket to a home grown audience, one needs a national team worthy of a local following. The issue as he sees it is this: “how do we create a top-class team that will jump start US Cricket on the international scene”? Project 15’s aim is “to get the USA in the top 15 ranking in the world with an eye to the 2015 World Cup”. Closely aligned and, in fact, an integral part of Project 15 is the need for a professional coaching staff to develop a common philosophy for US cricket. Recognizing that USA Cricket may only have one last chance – some say half a chance to get it right – Lockerbie sees the need to hire the very best coach for the job - something that everyone who has US Cricket’s interest at heart, unequivocally, agrees with. But that is only the first step. Lockerbie recognizes that the success of that individual, whoever he may be, will ultimately depend on the assistant coaches and support staff whose job it will be to identify and nurture the talent scattered around the country. Based on his Caribbean sojourn, Lockerbie is of the unerring conviction that a common coaching philosophy is fundamental to developing a world class team. Such a professional coaching staff can bring instant recognition and credibility to a sport that, to date, has struggled to break into the American mainstream. Significantly, it has the potential to attract the kind of media attention and corporate sponsorship that are fundamental components of any successful sport today.
Destination USA
Destination USA addresses the need to reignite the, at times, smoldering passion for cricket among the 15 million followers, while simultaneously attracting a local following. Using soccer’s example where thousands of fans turn out for an international friendly as compared to the local MLS games, Lockerbie makes a compelling argument for the USA to stage international friendly games. Lockerbie’s plan goes beyond the US national team being a participant, to include “the USA as a neutral venue for international friendly games”. A grand idea, it seems, to introduce cricket to a sport-loving American public; as well as a revenue generator – something that must be at the forefront of any successful sporting initiative. But the immediate question arises: where will these games be played? Lockerbie cites “the many initiatives throughout the country” where venues have been and continue to be developed. There is also that small matter of Lockerbie’s 25 years of success in stadium development – most recently in the 2007 World Cup in the West Indies. Celebrating that success, then WICB President, Ken Gordon, said that the CWC "fully achieved" five stated objectives cited in the master plan for the event – specifically, high-quality event management, infrastructure improvement; unique Caribbean promotion; advancing regional integration and high profitability. Gordon acknowledged Don Lockerbie, the venue development director, for his contribution. Lockerbie’s vast experience in sports management also allows him to think outside the box, and he looks at golf’s example of the temporary yet elaborate “preparations on the 18th green” for innovative ideas.
American Cricket
Currently there are over 15 million followers of cricket in the United States. The goal of American Cricket is to promote a sense of pride for American cricket. As a professional athlete - winner of two-USA national relay championships in 1977 and 1979 - and having coached 9 All America’s and two Olympians, Lockerbie fully appreciates both the benefits and the immediacy of this need. Thus his brilliant idea to bestow All-American status to 28 youth players from the recently concluded USACA U-19 Championship – 14 of whom will be representing the United States later this year in Canada. For the first time in US cricket, youth players are sporting, proudly, the enviable status of being All-American athletes – a significant step in garnishing national and international recognition for US players. While for the youngsters, all American status reads impressively well on their college applications as well as earning individual club bragging rights.
Lockerbie’s vision is quite ambitious. It is, perhaps, the very first time that change of such magnitude in USA Cricket is being contemplated and it does come with considerable risks. But like great love; great achievements, too, involve great risk. What is the biggest challenge he sees? Lockerbie, while acknowledging a dedicated and supportive Board of Directors, and the generosity of the large army of volunteers across the country, bemoans that his is still largely a one-man operation. Traveling the country, he is pleased and eternally grateful for the enormous support and encouragement for USA Cricket. He hopes to turn such grassroots’ support into a revolution that would bring cricket – in many ways “still seen as an underground sport” played by guys in white uniforms – into the American mainstream. Lockerbie recognizes that, ultimately, it’s the strength of the USA Cricket development program – at the school, club, and league levels – that will provide and sustain an elite American team, both male and female, capable of competing on the world stage.
Asked about the on again off again relationship with the ICC, Lockerbie instead chooses to look to the future: “I do believe that after my five years in the West Indies World Cup that the ICC has faith and confidence in me”. In his first address to the ICC, as the chief executive of USA Cricket, he informed the governing body that he was “reintroducing American cricket to the ICC” and that the USA was looking forward to becoming “a significant and contributing member”. For the first time, in a very long time, the future does look promising, and on this July Fourth weekend as we celebrate America’s birth - here’s to a new beginning for USA Cricket.