Junior Section

Our Junior section is a welcoming and inclusive community for boys and girls from 5 to 19 years old. We enable beginners and improvers to enjoy and excel in our sport and to progress into our multi-skilled senior ranks…and hopefully beyond.

Who we are

For many of our Juniors, their cricketing experience starts with our local ECB All Stars programme for 5 to 8 year olds, learning the basic skills in a fun-filled environment and making new friends in the process.

We run mixed teams at U8, 9, 11, 13, 15 and 17 age-groups, as well as girls only U11, 13 and 16 teams, in festivals, friendlies and junior league cricket.

Several players from our various Junior age-groups achieve Diastrict and County honours every year.

Several of our current 1st X1 squad, including the captain are “home grown”, having risen through our Junior and Senior ranks.

Training

Our Junior coaching is run by several ECB qualified coaches and also benefits from the involvement of Senior section players.

Summer coaching is held from April to August on our main Hardenhuish Park ground. On Wednesdays our mixed U8sand 9s train from 18.00 to 19.00 and mixed U11s and U13s train from 18.30 to 20.00. On Tuesdays our mixed U15s and 17s train from 18.30 to 20.00.

Our very popular Winter Academy for invited U11, U13 and U15 boys and girls is held in the neighbouring Sheldon Sports Hall from November to March, on Tuesdays from 18.00 to 20.00. Its alumni include England internationals, James Vince and Liam Dawson, along with numerous other County players, all enjoying first class coaching, most recently from Gloucestershire County Captain, Graeme Van Buuren.

For details of the more general winter-time training arrangements for our Juniors, click here.

More general winter coaching is held in the Sheldon Sports Hall from January to April, on Wednesdays from 17.30 to 19.00.

Contact

We are always on the lookout for new or experienced coaches and adult helpers to support our ever-increasing Junior Section. In return, we are happy to support volunteers undertaking ECB coaching qualifications.

If you are interested in joining us, whether to play or to participate in the Section in any other way, please contact our Junior Section Joint-organisers, Will Couzens and Pete Sykes.

willcouzens@icloud.com

pete.sykes@wiltshirecricket.co.uk