SASSOT Annual Report 2008 - 2009 - Sport Across Staffordshire

CASE STUDY
U13 DEVELOPMENT GROUP
COMPETITION
Staffordshire Cricket further enhanced its Player
Pathway through piloting an u13 Development
Group Competition. Each of the eleven Cricket Development
Groups (CDGs) across the county, which
are made up of club representatives, local authority
and school sport representatives, formed a squad
from players nominated by their clubs who were
not current members of the county u13 age group
squad. The squads would play a minimum of four
games at which county coaches would attend to
‘talent spot’. Those players identified as the best
performers were given the opportunity to play in
two matches against the current County Age group
players. These games were used as Performance
based trial matches for talent selection for the following
season’s Under 14 County Age group squad.
Players who were not able to be part of this selection
process could then be nominated (using the
Staffordshire Cricket Nomination Form) to the
County Age Group Coach for consideration for inclusion
in the Winter Squad.
OBJECTIVES
The objectives of the competition were to enable
Staffordshire Cricket to monitor and identify talent
from a greater pool of players than those already
linked with county age group cricket. The
competition would provide opportunities for
those players who may have previously fallen out
of the county pathway or were late developers
within the game. Clubs were asked to nominate
players who were not already county players to
attend a series of trials and coaching sessions to
enable CDG squads to be selected and play in a
number of trial games. County age group coaches
would then attend the trial games and select
those players who demonstrated potential to become
county players in next season’s u14 age
group. These players would then be invited the
county u14 winter net programme.
ACHIEVEMENTS
As with any new initiative there were a number
of teething problems but great credit goes to the
CDGs who worked hard to run trials and coaching
sessions. The u14 age group coach and manager
were highly impressed by the quality of
their trialists. Manager Nick Jelfs commented,
“I believe it was a very worthwhile exercise. The
standard at the initial sessions (approx 40 trialists)
was the highest I have experienced. All the
trialists were of good level and deserved to attend
a county session. From our initial sessions
we cut the squad to 20 for winter sessions, 6 of
whom came through the development programme.
We have now chosen our County
squad of which 2 came through the programme.”
Cricket
JASON BRITTON | Cricket Development Manager
Staffordshire Cricket
tel 07827 307 745
email jason.britton@ecb.co.uk
Staffordshire Cricket has enjoyed another excellent 12 months. The county
has seen a number of organisational changes with a new Chair in Gerald
Williams and a new Cricket Development Manager in Jason Britton. The
end of September saw the closure to cricket’s 12 month operating period
with Staffordshire Cricket achieving its targets in the ECB’s Improvement
Panning Process having met its conditions to ensure receipt of our full performance
related funding.
Achievements
In the 12 months to September 2008, Staffordshire Cricket has seen continued
increases in key areas of improvement; participation in the game
of cricket has increased by 5%; the number clubs achieving Clubmark accreditation
has increased by 8%, club membership has gone up by 13%
and volunteer roles have increased by 19%
Completion of Staffordshire Cricket’s Facilities and Workforce Strategies
Agreement with Staffordshire University to support the Emerging Players
Programme (EPP)
Partner satisfaction survey undertaken and formulation of the 2008-09 Improvement
Planning Process
4-year kit sponsorship with Fearnley Cricket
Over £80,000 into Staffordshire clubs from the ECB’s Go-Green and Small
Grants funds
Plans for the next 12 months
Delivery against the ECB Improvement Planning Process – qualitative targets
of improvement to communication, governance and equity
Deliver 13 Chance to Shine Projects including one into the county’s special
schools
Deliver special schools and girls’ academy projects with support from
Sport England’s Community Investment Funding
Roll-out development group competition at u13 and u14 age groups
01
01 Staffordshire Cricket’s Emerging Players Programme (EPP) cohort.
Back row L-R Lewis Jelfs, Greg Chance, Chris Beech, and Richard
Brazier. Front L-R James Middleton, Jack Warren, Greg Massingham.
www.sportacrossstaffordshire.co.uk 31