Our Aims

The main aim for the U13s squad will be to continue to build on the skills and attitudes that they have worked hard to establish in previous years, and to manage the transition into the 11-a-side game. Throughout the year we will:

• work on our all-round cricketing ability, perhaps with an eye on increasing specialisation in a specific discipline (batting/bowling/keeping)

• develop a sense of teamship throughout the squad and maintain an environment where we are supportive and encouraging of each other through our successes and failures

• continue to emphasise how to play the game in the right way and respect our team-mates, our opposition, umpires and coaches

• enjoy playing cricket!

In addition, this is the age-group where captaincy skills start to become more important. We’ll be challenging the senior players to take responsibility for team leadership on and off the field during match days, and identifying and encouraging an emerging leadership group from the newer U13s so that they’ll be ready to step up and lead the team next year.

“There is only one club I’d like my child to be part of. Each player gives 100% and encouraged by a coach who genuinely cares.”

—U13s Parent

Our Approach

Training

Our training sessions are a key part of our squad ethos, and our indoor and outdoor sessions provide a varied range of skills- and games-based learning exercises designed around ECB guidance. The focus is still on participation and having fun whilst improving physical and mental cricketing skills. In general there will be very little 1:1 coaching but we will recognise and act on situations where a little individual attention could help a player make significant forward strides in a key aspect of their game. We do find that regular attendance at training is the best way to bring about improvement and the more the coaches see of the players the more we’ll see of the individual qualities they all possess, and that will help push them forward into the team selection picture.

Matches

Meanwood CC is an inclusive club and players of all abilities will find opportunity to play in our U13 matches. We aim to be competitive in our league, but results will never be the major factor behind team selection or our approach to games and how we play them. Our more experienced players will tend to play more games, but everyone will get their chance, and every player in each game will be properly involved in some way—no-one should go home without having batted or bowled.

We’ll also enable more self-reliance in the team by encouraging the captain and the players to make their own decisions on game strategy and tactics, with coaches there to provide support when it’s needed. We’ll win some and we’ll lose some – but we’ll do it together as a squad and with a sense of friendship and enjoyment.