New Zealand Cricket Annual Report 2005 - 2006

New Zealand Cricket (Inc.)18Increase the quantity and quality of players byestablishing policies and providing support to MajorAssociations for the delivery of the NationalDevelopment ProgrammeThe National Development Programme aims to increase participationthrough attracting, developing and retaining players and coaches andimproving the health and well-being of the game’s support structuresin clubs and schools.The programme is delivered through an integrated delivery structurewhich includes a National Development Manager with two full-timeand two part-time staff, six Major Association DevelopmentManagers, 40 full-time and 10 part-time Community CricketCo-ordinators and club managers and over 130 seasonal MILOSummer Squad personnel.Cricket development personnel throughout the country continue tomake significant gains in building the grassroots base in theircommunities. This is not only about promoting and growing thenumber of participants in the game, but ensuring that growth issustainable by assisting schools and clubs improve theiradministrative, management and financial structures through healthchecks and forward planning.With participation numbers growing there is an increasing need toprovide quality playing and practice facilities, equipment, coaching,organised practices, and formats of the game which meet player needs.The number of cricketers has increased by 29.9% since the NationalDevelopment Programme was introduced six years ago. In the fouryears previous to its introduction numbers had decreased by 2.5%. Morethan 97,000 people were recorded playing cricket during the 2005/06season compared to just over 92,000 playing the previous season.Key components of the programme are the MILO initiatives aimed atprimary school cricket. During the year 8,578 children were involvedin the MILO Have-A-Go and MILO Kiwi Cricket programmes.The MILO initiatives introduce children to fun skill developmentexercises and modified games. These initiatives now account formore than 9% of total playing numbers and form the basis of theplayer pathway.NZC continued to run national school competitions during the year,giving young cricketers the opportunity to compete at a higher level.These contests have gone from strength to strength and NZC nowsupports five national school competitions.Total entries for these competitions now tally 760 teams or 9,120students.The Gillette Cup competition for secondary school boys has beenoperating for 16 years and continues to receive excellent support. Atthe conclusion of the national finals tournament in PalmerstonNorth, a new initiative saw the selection of a Gillette Cup Elite Squad100,00095,00090,00085,00080,00075,00070,000New Zealand Player Numbers00/01 01/02 02/03 03/04 04/05 05/06