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How do you start a Youth Section? Quite easily is the simple answer! However, why would you start a youth cricket section? Again, the answer is also simple - to ensure the viability of your own club! I am sure that you would want this. Many cricket clubs are folding. Why? It has a lot to do with players getting older with no young players taking their place. If there is not a constant flow of young players entering your club, your club will fold. It is as simple as that. You may already have a number of young players that play for your adult side. This is not a youth section! You must have a youth section for your club to survive. If you agree with this simple equation, then it is easy to see why you need a youth section. So, how do you start? Although ideal, initially it is not critical that you already have an ECB qualified coach in your club. It is enough to have an enthusiastic player or players, or maybe a willing parent to start things off. The easiest process is to set a date for a ' free open day' or 'cricket taster day' and to contact your local primary schools with this information. The best person to talk to at the school is the PE co-ordinator. Tell them what you are doing and ask them to put something to this effect in their newsletter to kid's parents. Then, get them to send to you their interested and most talented pupils. It is your job to get them to enjoy the game, so they continue to play it. Once you have a date set, and you don't have a qualified coach, contact Alan Crouch (CDO) on 07803-281878. He will either come and show you how to run your first session, or help you to find a qualified coach who will run the day for you. The coach may make a small charge, but this is nothing compared to the excitement and enjoyment the kids will have for the period. On this day, you should try to encourage kids to join your club. Try to prepare beforehand a simple form for them to fill in, which shows their contact details, emergency numbers, disability and medical information (allergies etc.). At the end of this session tell the kids on what day, each week, you will be having coaching sessions. At these following sessions you could employ a coach and use your enthusiastic players as helpers. After a few sessions, with small games of cricket being organised, you may find that a parent of one of the kids would be prepared to 'manage' an age group. If this happens then it is a great opportunity to contact other clubs with youth sections (link here) to arrange a friendly match or two. Kids love competition. The more chance they get to hone their newly learned skills the better. This is easily achieved in a competitive match atmosphere. You will find that the kids in your club will start to introduce their friends and soon you will have a thriving youth section. You could then run more age groups and meet other clubs and the whole process will start to blossom. Remember, this years' under 11's, will be knocking on the door of your senior side in as little as 4 or 5 years time. This is a very brief way to give you an idea of how to set up a youth section. Perhaps your first step would be to talk to the CDO responsible for coaching and youth, Alan Crouch. How does a player represent a district, area or county side? Clubs with a youth section in Wiltshire... |
