Note: For information about junior fixtures, refer to Fixtures on the club's Play-Cricket website:

http://chesterfield.play-cricket.com/scoreboard/fixtures.asp

In 2008, Chesterfield Cricket Club have seven junior teams playing in the North Derbyshire Youth Cricket League. There are 8-a-side Kwik Cricket teams at Under 10 and Under 11, 8-a-side hardball teams at Under 11 and Under 12 and 11-a-side teams at Under 13, Under 15 and Under 17. All home games are played at the first class facilities at Queen's Park.

Those starting off in the sport play “Kwik Cricket”. This uses a soft ball, plastic bats and ensures everyone participates by batting and bowling for an equal amount of time. The focus is on enjoying the game and learning the basic techniques and skills involved. Boys and girls as young as six or seven are welcome to join our “Kwik Cricket” group. The upper age limit is 10 for boys (as of 31.08.2007) and 11 for girls (as of 31.8.2007).

At U11s and U12s, normal cricket equipment is used including the hard ball. These age groups play a modified form of the game, batting in pairs for four overs each and with everyone in the team bowling or keeping wicket in every match. These teams include some of the more experienced U9s and U10s who are ready to progress to this form of the game. At U13s the traditional 11-a-side format is used and all the normal Laws of Cricket apply. At U15s the players’ skills are developed and the most talented have the opportunity to sample senior cricket. The U17s team is very much a stepping stone into the senior game and most members of the squad are playing regular senior cricket. 

Coaching sessions take place throughout the summer at Queen's Park on Wednesdays (Kwik, U11 and U12) and Fridays (U13 and U15). From January to April, winter training takes place at Cricketal (Turnoaks Business Park, off Storforth Lane, Chesterfield). The availability of places for these sessions is limited and is offered in the first instance to existing club members. It is important to apply early if you would like a place for next year. All coaching sessions are carried out in an organised and safe environment to ensure that young players learn, as well as enjoy, the game. In April, squads for each age group are finalised based on a combination of factors: proven ability, potential, commitment and reliability being the most important. These squads compete in local junior league and cup competitions from the start of May until the end of July. Players who miss out on a place in the squads continue to have the opportunity to train and develop their technique on Friday evenings during the summer and may get the occasional call-up for matches to cover for injuries and illness.

Many of Chesterfield's junior players have gone on to play at representative level for Derbyshire Cricket Board teams. Out of the current crop of our junior players, twelve have been selected for Derbyshire in 2008 with a further nine playing for District representative sides.

First teamer Ben Slater, still only 16, is a member of Derbyshire CCC's Academy as was another first team regular, Ross Whiteley, for the previous four years. Two Chesterfield CC juniors have won places in the ten-strong Derbyshire mini-Academy for 2008 and another is on the county's "Emerging Players" list.

Girls play in the same teams as boys (up to and including U13s) and may stay within an age group for a year longer than the boys. Age groups work on the current academic year. Therefore, for example, for the 2008 season, girls can play U11s matches if they were not yet 12 on the 31^st August 2007 (boys must have not yet had their 11^th birthday on that date to qualify).

Girls-only training sessions take place at Queen’s Park every Friday from 5-6pm from mid-April to July under the guidance of Club Coach Alan Morris.

If you’d like to come along and join in, please contact Mike Taylor

Mike Taylor
Chesterfield Cricket Club
wingpc@aol.com

Contact information for each of the age-group managers is available on the Contacts page.