Following our registration push over the last 6 weeks which included school awareness visits, handouts and some online marketing we have been able to organise and enter out clubs teams into the CJCA competitions. I am sure we will have a some player movement between teams as we try to be as accommodating as we can be.
We are still looking for a Year 6 player and 3 x Year 5s to play in the Super 8s. We are always looking for KVS Friday Night Smashies who can join throughout the summer. You can find all the registration information here
Thanks to Rob Wilkinson at CJCA for all the hardwork in getting all the teams into competitions and ensure all the updated rules and playing conditions are loaded on the website and PlayHQ. The next challenge will be grounds! Rob reports a 9% increase in girls playing numbers.
One of the big challenges for our Junior is getting access to schools toilets where we play cricket in the morning. It seems that new classrooms designs and layout make it difficult to just access toilets – so that is an issue that we will be following up.
We are very grateful to Mike Greer Homes for their partnership with our Saturday Junior cricket and we have had all the stumps re-branded, some signage put up on the practise nets and I can’t wait to see the new shirts on the park.
We have 4 additional teams from last season, 3 mixed sides and a North West Women’s Div 4 junior girls team. We are entering two year 4 teams from the outset this season who have come up through the Kendal Vehicle Service Friday Night Cricket program, so this may reduce the numbers of participants on a Friday. Many of the teams have siblings who play in different sides, so I sympathise with parents having to juggle logistics.
Neo Fernando had spoken to me last season about some of the Our Lady of Victories school students wishing to play cricket together and they have entered 15 players in our juniors at Year 6 and Year 7 age group – so welcome to returning players, new players to our club as well as new players to cricket.
Next week will be the start of the junior training schedule at Burnside Park so the nets are going to very busy – please check the timetable and ensure we accommodate teams and players and please train safely. https://burnsidecricket.org.nz/burnside-cricket-nets/
Organising the team bags is always a challenge, but with help from Will, Lachy Bartlett and a few of the other senior players at the working bee they had it pretty much sorted. We had to go to the gear and equipment reserves stock and that including me putting some 18 replacement bats grips on. Is it just me or do they not seem to last as long? I am sure there will be some sizing issues particularly with helmets, pads and gloves and some changes that will need to be made.
A big thank you to Gareth Greenfield and everybody at our equipment partners Cricket Express who have been able to fulfill my many last minute requests. Please be patient with the staff there with our customised uniform requests – these can take 6 weeks and sometimes longer. As soon as they arrive in store from Paladin their aim is to let customers know and get them out the door.
In the interim the club has a limited number of loan playing shirts to get buy until your new ones arrive.
The first Saturday junior cap is free, if you lose that you can now purchase them in store or on their website. Cricket Express also have in stock junior hoodies, if you can’t see the size you want on the shelf please ask the staff as there could be some in the warehouse.
Village Bakehouse Ilam have provided the club with some player of the day certificates which include a complimentary hot chocolate, for the size of our club is big investment! Thank you to Jason and the team for their support!
The next step is our volunteer coaches and managers meeting happening next week and we would like to thank all our new managers who are offering to help out this season, many without any cricket knowledge – that is so awesome to see.
Shane Young – Junior Convenor