Spring has arrived and with it, thoughts turn to cricket! 2024 promises to be another fun-packed year for the junior section at Barwick CC and we are delighted to welcome your family to be a big part of it.

Please read this letter with your son / daughter, discussing the pertinent points in preparation for the new season. This letter should be read in conjunction with the club Code of Conduct. Please feel free to get in touch should you require further clarification on any of the points below.

Memberships

For those yet to sign up, 2024 junior memberships are priced as follows:

U9s-U13s: £92.50 and £82.50 per sibling thereafter, with an option to pay in installments.

U15s: £80, with an option to pay in two installments.

The committee are keen to stress that purchasing a junior playing membership automatically makes all members of the household (those living under the same roof) club members too. One key benefit of this is a 10% discount at the bar throughout the year. Family membership cards can be collected from behind the bar once the season begins.

Moreover, junior memberships entitle players to full use of the club facilities, including our fantastic new practice net behind the pavilion. This is a great resource - we encourage players to practise with family members whenever possible. Whilst membership also entitles players to attend weekly junior coaching sessions with qualified visiting coaches, note that selection for teams is at the discretion of junior team managers.

Team managers

All our team managers are volunteers, giving up their time to provide opportunities to help our junior members progress and have fun. I therefore ask you to support them as much as possible: offers to help with all manner of jobs, particularly on match days, will no doubt be gratefully received.

Please remember that junior managers will first and foremost consider player safety when selecting sides for competitive fixtures. Attitude, engagement and ability may also be considered. That said, I can vouch for the fact that all the junior managers are committed to fairness and understand the need to provide appropriate opportunities for all juniors across the course of the season. Should you have reason to question team selections, please refer your concerns to me in the first instance (contact details below).

Team details

Under 9s :
Nick Swales : Up to and including Year 4 : Training Tuesday : Matchday Sunday: Soft-ball cricket, 8-a-side, pairs format : 07876 680612 nick.swales@irvingslaw.co
Under 11s ‘Thunder’:
Neil Whalley : Year 5 and Year 6 : Training Tuesday : Matchday Monday : Hard-ball cricket, 8-a-side, pairs format : 07985 607252 anthracite91@hotmail.com
Under 11s ‘Lightning’
Stefan Kerley : Year 5 and Year 6 ; Training Tuesday : Matchday Monday : Hard-ball cricket, 8-a-side, pairs format : 07401 341959 stefan.kerley@yahoo.co.uk
Under 13s
John Spinks : Year 7 and Year 8 : Training Tuesday : Matchday Friday : Hard ball cricket, 11-a-side. : 07719 144575 spinkscricket@gmail.com
Under 15s
Martyn Lawrence : Year 9 and Year 10 : Training Monday : Matchday Wednesday :Hard ball cricket, 11-a-side : 07771 744654 lawrence_martyn@yahoo.co.uk

Representing teams at a higher age level (‘playing up’)

Initial signs point to healthy numbers at U9s and U11s this season with big squads for the managers to select from. However, the common drop off in numbers when children move up to high school is hitting harder than ever this year, with concerningly low numbers at both U13s and U15s level.

On occasions, players may be asked to represent the age group above. Please be assured that this would only happen if the junior management team were all fully in agreement that this was to be a safe course of action. Being asked to ‘play up’ is exciting and a complement to your son / daughter’s ability and attitude. However, this should be seen as a mutually beneficial experience. It is a good opportunity to explore the next step in junior cricket development whilst helping support the club to field sides in all competitions. However, players playing up an age group should not expect to necessarily either bowl or bat high up the order, particularly at the expense of older players for whom this may be their only source of cricket. As always, team managers will work to integrate younger players into match day squads, ensuring they feel both welcomed and valued.

Should you have any further queries, please don’t hesitate to contact me. Your child’s team manager (see the above table) will be in touch shortly with team-specific details about the start of the season.

Warm regards and happy cricketing!

John Spinks

Junior Secretary

Barwick in Elmet CC

[ spinkscricket@gmail.com | 07719 144575 ]