By Sham Ali | Photo Gallery
(Celebrating 46th Anniversary): – Cosmos celebrated forty-six years as a cricket club at their annual presentation Dinner and Dance last Saturday evening at the elegant Liberty Palace Banquet Hall. It was a celebration filled with the warmth, love, and camaraderie that has defined the membership of Cosmos over the last forty-six years. The evening also celebrated Cosmos’s purpose and continued investment in their youths. That effort was clearly highlighted by an impressive display of Cosmos senior and youth members who led the way at this occasion. Ryan Ganesh, Cosmos public relations officer gave his opening remarks followed by Antanio Rooplall with the invocation.
The official welcome to Cosmos 46th Anniversary Presentation Dinner and Dance was delivered by the dapper-looking fifteen years old Azam Yakub Jr. (the Captain of Cosmos Youth team – Cosmos Kings). The silence in the audience resonated as he skipped across the floor and made his way to the podium. He fidgeted with the microphone, and informed the audience that he is nervous to which he got an encouraging applause. He appeared calm and confident thereafter and was impressive in every syllable of the word in his deliverance. Azam welcomed the gathering and praised the club for giving him the opportunity to play cricket, and stated that he had never imagined that he would stand at the podium to deliver the welcome address. That is something he never expected and said that Cosmos is not just a cricket club, but a family where we look out for each other. He made special mention of his teammates Donesh Dayanand and Devin Persaud for their help, and to auntie Faizah for her guidance and advice, and auntie Sherry and auntie Amrita for all their help. He also expressed a hearty thank you to the Masters guys, uncle Sohan, uncle Ganesh, uncle Narine, uncle Raj, and uncle Anthony for supporting the youth team. He then made special reference of his mom, Merzina, his sister Azmina and his dad Abid for supporting him throughout.
Azam found his grove at the podium as Cosmos assistant secretary, and highlighted some of the philanthropic activities of Cosmos to the St. Jude Children’s Hospital, Shriners Children Hospital, Feed the Children, the Boys and Girls orphanage in Guyana, and Cosmos annual coat drive to help the homeless. He then turned his attention to the audience and emphasized how much the club values their support. The audience gave him a rousing applause when he reminded them that in one thousand, four hundred-and sixty-days Cosmos will be celebrating their 50th Anniversary and said ‘I hope to see all of you here again at our 47, 48, and 49 anniversaries, and at the big milestone when we celebrate me as president at our 50th Anniversary presentation. Way to go young man! Cosmos is proud of you.
Alvin Gobin, Cosmos Secretary, and another of Cosmos young guns made his way to introduce the Master of Ceremony, Carl Bennett. However, before he did, he thanked the senior members for encouraging and pushing the youngsters to believe that they can accomplish whatever they want, if they are disciplined and is prepare to work hard. Alvin them put the Masters team on guard ‘and to the Masters team that beat us this year at our family day event, buckle up, we are coming back strong next year, and levied few banter at yours truly’ but then he feel in line, ‘actually, I am very happy that we have a Masters team, and some of the guys come out to support us in the morning and encourage us, it means a lot to us.’ He then introduces the master of ceremony, Carl Bennett. I think uncle Carl was about my age when he joined Cosmos and I am happy that he is still in the club and someone we look up to and learn from him. But uncle Carl is no stranger to the cricket community doing commentary at the league’s finals and other events. I like listening to uncle Carl especially when I am playing and he is talking about me. I wish he would come more often to watch us play on Sundays so we can show him how we beating ball. Maybe when he retired, we will see him more often. Thank you, uncle Carl for staying with the boys through all of the challenges and for being and inspiration to all the younger boys in Cosmos and for all your help. it tells me that Cosmos is a special Club.
Carl Bennett In his own inimitable style lighted up the atmosphere as he delivered the formalities with grace and class. Alvin Gobin was awarded the most improved player. The coveted top prizes went to Ghanam Tariq for most runs and Ryan Ganesh for most wickets in the premier team, to Kawal Persaud and Gangaram Lochan in the Masters team, and Govind Persaud and Alvin Gobin in the youth team, while the captains Sohan Dass, Devindra Balgobin and Azam Yakub Jr were recognized for their leadership of the Masters, Premier and Youth teams respectively.
The occasion was graced by the Honorable Justice Andrea Ogle, who in her address reminded the youths of the importance of being involved in a positive environment in the club, and that this can be the beginning of a lifetime of friendship once they remain focused, stay together and to be brave enough to take on the challenges ahead. Cosmos president, yours truly, in his address stated that Cosmos cricket club is a place where many called home and will remain as such, and expressed his admiration for the kind reverence that many of our earlier members have shown for the club by their presence tonight. He further stated that Cosmos willingness to adapt and the ability to embrace change and to anticipate the trends in the cricket environment in this region has served the club well. He then pivoted on the Cosmos college stipend for their members who are entering college as a clear indication that Cosmos is more than just cricket. The recipient of the Cosmos College stipend is Hemraj Bhimchan. He expressed his tremendous admiration of this current group, and reiterated that the club is in a very good position for better days. He noted that this current group of Cosmos boys is of a different cut, humble, respectful, and disciplined, and they are equipped with the will and determination to take the club forward. They continue to be impressive, and deserved all the credit for their hard work in keeping the club together and in putting on a fantastic presentation.
Those sentiments were also echoed by past members and Anil Seebarran – one of the members who came through Cosmos as youth and is now a successful businessman – in his vote of thanks expressed how proud he is to see that the club is still going strong and engaging in positive activities. Those sentiments were also expressed by representatives from the New York cricket fraternity – Mascelles Bailey (fmr. President of the Metropolitan Cricket League), Bassett Thompson (NYC Public Schools Cricket Commissioner), Godfrey Mitchell ( President of the NY Cricket League), Curtis Clark ( President of the NY Masters Cricket League), Ramesh Arunsalam ( President of the NY National Cricket League), John Aaron ( President of Atlantis Cricket club) that this is one of the most well attended and impressive cricket presentation and hailed Cosmos as one of the most organized and impactful cricket club in the NY Region, and are happy to see that the youths leading the way.
Our raffle prizes were donated by Festus Construction and Monty Auto. The flowers donated by Lucious Stems for the ladies is a very small token of our appreciation to a remarkable, and loving group of women in Cosmos; all whom have worked tirelessly to make the event a huge success. A huge thank you to the management of Liberty Palace Banquet Hall for accommodated us with everything we needed and more.
And as we draw the curtains down on another successful season it is still a pinch-me-moment that Cosmos has survived for four and a half decades. Longevity of a cricket club is often accompanied by a multitude of memorable moments and outdated opinions, but for Cosmos the members have been writing their history in many small ways through perseverance and the willingness to keep move forward. Along the way, they have dedicated quality time in nurturing the growth and development of each other and their younger members, instilled an unwritten appreciation for the simple things like discipline, humility, and respect, all of which have served as treasurer benchmarks that have framed the image of the club on its journey. Cosmos is now poised for any challenges and to forged ahead with reckless abandon, and given the dedication and commitment of this current membership, they will continue to pile on the years. Ultimately, the outpouring of support that cosmos has received over the years, and on this occasion is the best measure of their journey.
