The second in a fortnightly series of ‘Development Diaries’ which are focusing on the work being done across the country by the Cricket Ireland Development staff. The diaries are giving an insight into the work being done helping to develop the grass-roots of the sport. Second up is the Cricket Ireland Development Manager, Leinster; Brían O’Rourke.
After an extremely busy and successful summer, where there were plenty of positives despite the weather, the focus returns to the development programmes through the schools, and winter coaching programmes for our elite under-age cricketers.
October saw the return of ‘school coaching visits’ to Leinster with many new schools being targeted at this time of the year. Four-week coaching blocks are offered to schools that may have had little or no exposure to the game so far. Equipment at subsidised cost will then be offered to the schools after week four, while teachers will also be encouraged to attend a series of teacher training courses planned for early in the New Year. These teacher training courses are particularly effective in leaving a ‘legacy’ of cricket at a school.
Next February the coaches will return to the more traditional cricket playing primary schools so as to prepare them for their involvement in the 2013 school’s Leprechaun Cup. Running parallel to this competition will be the new ‘Super league’ along with a variety of blitz’s that will be offered for the younger students (3rd & 4th classes) during the month of May. All in all, a busy eight months ahead for the Leinster school’s coaching team. The current schedule of schools is as follows
Mon, Oct 22nd
Ladyswell, Mulhuddardt – Albert Van Der Merwe (Fingal)
St Patrick’s Corduff – Albert Van De Merwe (Fingal)
Chanel College, Coolock – B O’Rourke/Matt Lunson (Dublin City)
Tue, Oct 23rd
St Cronan’s Swords – Reinhardt Strydom (Fingal)
Star of the Sea, Sandymount – Chris Coburn/Ciaran Divney (Dublin City)
Marian College – Ciaran Divney/Kenny Carroll
Colaiste Phadraig, Lucan – Kenny Carroll (South Dublin)
Wed, Oct 24th
St Patrick’s Diswellstown – Reinhardt Strydom (Fingal)
Scoil Mhuire, Blakestown – Reinhardt Strydom (Fingal)
Whitechurch NS – Kenny Carroll (South Dublin)
Thur, Oct 25th
St Philip’s Mountview – Matt Lunson (Fingal)
Scoil Chiaráin CBS, Donnycarney – B O’Rourke (Dublin City)
Sacred Heart NS, Hartstown – Matt Lunson (Fingal)
Zion NS, Rathgar – Amy Kenealy (South Dublin)
Fri, Oct 26th
Edmonstown NS – Kenny Carroll (South Dublin)
St Mealruans – Amy Kenealy (South Dublin)
St Anne’s, Tallaght – Paul O’Hara (South Dublin)
St Aidan’s Brookfield – Paul O’Hara (South Dublin)
The Leinster under-age coaching programme commenced two weeks ago at the centre of excellence in North County CC. Forty boys from the U’11’s age-group will partake in a variety of skill development exercises and games held over the three week period. Coaching sessions this year will also be held at both King’s Hospital, St. Columba’s College and St Mary’s College for other Leinster under-age boys and girls squads between now and next May. These ‘Friday Night’ sessions will continue throughout the winter with all boys and girls elite age groups being catered for and they continue to be a great success and integral to the development of our most talented young cricketers.
The Friday Night Sessions in North County are absolutely crucial throughout the winter
Monday saw a site visit to Shangangh Park in Shankill regarding possible pitch locations as well as a proposal regarding practice facilities in the area with a number of local clubs interested in utilising the facilities. Barry Dempsey and Shane McArdle from Dun Laoghaire Rathdown County Council seem to be excited by their newly forged links with Cricket Ireland, as they look to establish a permanent home for cricket in the DLR region. I then moved on to meet Pat Finnerty who is heavily involved in the development of the Cabinteely Football and Athletics clubs. I met with him at Kilbogget Park, where they are looking to start up a youth cricket section at one of Leinster cricket’s newest venues. Options regarding a location for a two bay netting structure are being discussed with members of the DLR Parks department.
On Tuesday, there were very healthy discussions held with James Bryan and Orla Duff from La Manga Sports Club regarding the proposed week-long training camp which we are aiming to host for third year in a row. The week is a great opportunity for young cricketers to improve their cricket in the warm weather surroundings and first class sporting facilities, there have been some really noticeable performances from recent attendees at the camp, most noticeably Tyrone Kane at this year’s Under 19 World Cup and Jack Tector, who has had a great season with bat and ball. Both have been nominated for Junior Player of the Year at the RSA Cricket Ireland Awards next month and either would be a worthy winner.
A visit to Wesley College in Dundrum was the start of the day on Wednesday with positive signs regarding the usage of the facilities there for evening club cricket matches in the 2013 season, the Dublin Fire Brigade Cricket Club may use the venue for matches in 2013. I then travelled on to Clondalkin to St. Mary’s NS, Rowlagh, to make a presentation of equipment as part of RSA led sponsorship that is seeing cricket sets delivered directly into school-yards. This is part of the grass-roots RSA ‘Get Into Cricket’ Scheme, which is a crucial piece of our strategy to help spread cricket further across schools. The delivery in Clondalkin is part of a roll-out to several schools across the development programme. Local development officers Kenny Carroll and Reinhardt Strydom also delivered sets to delighted school teachers and principals.
Thursday saw further meetings take place with members of South Dublin County Council as cricket looks certain now to be part of the 2013 ‘Gathering’ programme. Cricket’s proposed events will include a three-day tournament held in September at Corkagh Park in Clondalkin. The initial plan is for a tournament to be lined up next September involving the Irish and overseas defence force teams. Plans are already in place to improve the facilities at Corkagh Park and it is hoped ten teams from across Ireland and the United Kingdom can be attracted to partake in a weekend festival next year. The great benefit to the development here will see the installation of a second artificial wicket in Corkagh Park
The week was brought to a close with a busy Friday and Saturday. A 2 day ‘Elite Coaches Conference’ was held at the Croke Park hotel and it saw all of the Cricket Ireland national coaches come together to help review and plan for the future of Player Development and the Player Pathway in Ireland. It was a very interesting couple of days with good input from all of the coaches and we should be in a better position in the future now to give our elite young players everything they need to become the next George Dockrell or Paul Stirling.
On the club development scene, several meetings have been held over the past few weeks with Longford, Cabinteeley, Dundrum, Slieve Bloom, Kilcormack, Co. Offaly and the Dublin Fire Brigade cricket clubs with a view to offering them advice on how to develop further as clubs. Information re coaching, facilities, equipment, grounds maintenance and seeking volunteers will be discussed. This follows in the line of initial meetings held several years ago with new clubs like Adamstown, Dundalk, Cabinteely, Ring Commons, Swords and Greystones all who are progressing well within the Leinster leagues at present.
Then right at the end of the week the Leinster Cricket Union confirmed the league structures for the 2013 season. In total there will be eight new sides throughout the leagues with young, vibrant clubs like Greystones, Clonee, Adamstown and Swords showing further signs of their development by adding extra teams. The eight new sides are:
Longford 1 (Division 6)
Slieve Bloom 1 (Division 11)
Lucan 1 (Divison 13)
Swords 2 (Division 13)
Greystones 2 (Divison 12)
Greystones 3 (Divison 14)
Adamstown 3 (Divison 14)
Clonee 3 (Division 14)
The beautiful new cricket ground at St. Catherine’s Park, Lucan
Brían O’Rourke
Brand new RSA Get Into Cricket Kit being delivered
Yes
