Staffordshire Cricket Board

The Player Pathway is an essential part of our strategy which outlines the future pathway of Staffordshire Young Cricketers. By adopting a multi agency approach and working with key partners we can ensure the best cricket practice is available to all boys and girls between the ages of 10 and 17. This seamless pathway will take talented athletes/ players from Schools to the Club environment, to Development Group, Districts, County Age Groups, Emerging Players and Academy to First Class cricket.

We have an outstanding record to date, there are currently some 20 players from Staffordshire (2008) attached to first class counties and first class academies demonstrating that our talent within Staffordshire is recognised and appreciated outside the County boundaries.

Staffordshire Cricket wish to build on this success by introducing exciting changes to our Player Pathway which will increase the opportunities for our young cricketers whilst challenging them with more competitive and performance based talent identification and selection.

The Staffordshire Young Cricketers Player Pathway:

Will focus on the development of excellence and quality performance
Establish sustainable pathways for the development of talented players from Schools, Clubs to representative cricket
Will incorporate Long Term Athlete Development, Talent Identification, Selection and Confirmation
Develop the Staffordshire Emerging Players Programme and Staffordshire Player Development programme
Develop and introduce new and innovative ideas to improve the established programme
Identify the best facilities and resources available
Establish high standards of management, coaching and administration

The pathway detailed below is the enhancement of our existing system for boys and will become operational from September 2008. We are working closely with our partners to develop and improve the current pathway for Girls which has successfully provided a wealth of talent, currently we have 2 girls who have been invited to join a First Class Academy as well as being part of the England Ladies U21 set up.

Staffordshire Young Cricketers Elite Player Programme

The creation of the Emerging Players Programe (EPP) within Staffordshire has provided us with the opportunity to build on and enhance the development of our Academy comprising of 9 of our most 'talented' male and female players who have been selected between the ages of 13-16.

The most talented players are likely to be identified and selected from the Staffordshire u10, u11, u12 squads and County Age Groups u13, u14, u15 squads. Players will be invited to join the programme after a talent identification process which will ensure that players selected have the necessary excellent levels and abilities of:

technical and tactical
mental toughness
physically fit
learn quickly.

The EPP is a player centered programme and we use the Long Term Athlete Development (LTAD) framework as a basis on which to build a cohesive system for the overall development of the EPP. (link to the LTAD PAGE)

The purpose of the EPP is to further develop talented players for the future through creating a support structure that integrates the individual needs of the identified talented players.

By developing and enhancing our existing system the aims of the EPP are;

To link the player pathway between County age group cricket and the First Class County Academies.
To provide an enhanced ‘talented’ player pool with the appropriate skills and knowledge to progress to the First Class Academies.
To create an integrated player centred development pathway by introducing Players to Individualised Training Programmes.
- Increased technical work and tactical awareness on; front foot and back foot offensive and defensive shots; pace and spin bowling techniques; enhanced keeping and fielding skills; effective practice techniques; raising awareness and increasing responsibility.
- Emphasis on general physical conditioning including the key fitness components of endurance, flexibility, strength and speed .
- Extension of mental skills and mental toughness training.
- Teaching of Performance Lifestyle Skills including the important ancillary areas such as health and nutrition, communication skills, balancing study and play, time management etc.

For more information please contact Alan Hill, Staffordshire Elite Player Programme Head Coach (link to Alan Hill details)

Staffordshire Young Cricketers Player Development Programme

This is a Player Centered programme which operates at a level below the EPP. It is a series of one to one coaching opportunities plus specialist coaching courses aimed at:

Increased technical work and tactical awareness on; front foot and back foot offensive and defensive shots; pace and spin bowling techniques; enhanced keeping and fielding skills; effective practice techniques; raising awareness and increasing responsibility.
Emphasis on general physical conditioning including the key fitness components of endurance, flexibility, strength and speed .
Extension of mental skills and mental toughness training.
Teaching of Performance Lifestyle Skills including the important ancillary areas such as health and nutrition, communication skills, balancing study and play, time management etc.

It is for those players identified by the County Age Groups coaches who demonstrate a high level of tech nical and tactically ability, mental toughness, physically fit and learn quickly.

Staffordshire Young Cricketers County Age Group Cricket

Male: u13,u14,u15,u16, & U17’s

Girls: u11,u13,u15,u17

An integral element of Staffordshire Young Cricketers this is a programme for young male and female cricketers which is:

A level up from Development Group and District level and below Emerging Players Programme and Regional Cricket.
Designed for the most talented players within the County in their age group.
Aimed at exposing young players to a competitive environment.
Enter ECB Boys County Cups & Championship competitions
Enter LV U17 Boys County Championship
Enter Liverpool Victoria County Girls Championship
A good quality programme of preparation and inter-county competitive cricket.

The programme is designed for those players identified as having the necessary Aptitude, Attitude and Athleticism to be potentially future elite cricketers. The programme is based on an individual approach to training and is designed to provide players with the opportunity of reaching their potential.

Staffordshire Young Cricketers Cricket Development Group Squads

The Staffordshire Cricket Development Group Squads is a new development and competitive programme for young male cricketers at under 13, 14, and 15’s which:

Establishes a key talent selection stage to the player pathway offering young cricketers the opportunity to challenge for a place in the County Age Group Squads.
A level for all young cricketers with the desire and ability to progress to
- County Age Group Cricket
Assists coaches in talent identification for County Age Group cricket.
Encourages participation
Exposes young players to a structured development and match programme based on the ECB Player Pathway Development Quality Standards
Exposes young players to a competitive environment.

Staffordshire Young Cricketers Squads, U10,U11 & u12s.

At these age groups we will operate 4 Staffordshire Squads (North, South, East & West), this is a new programme for young male cricketers at Under 10, 11, and 12’s which:

Establishes a key talent selection stage to the player pathway and bridges the gap between School/Club and County Age Group Programmes.
Players in this programme will have the opportunity to be selected to represent Staffordshire at against other County sides at Cricket Festivals; selection will be based on performance in the County Regional Squads competition.
An entry level for all young cricketers with the desire and ability to progress to
- County Age Group Cricket
- Staffordshire Elite Player Programme
- First Class Academies & England
Assists coaches in talent identification for County Age Group cricket and the Elite Player Programme
Encourages participation
Exposes young players to a structured development and match programme based on the ECB Player Pathway Development Quality Standards
Exposes young players to a competitive environment.

Clubs

There is a very strong junior league base within Staffordshire. There are 5 Leagues with 1 Girls league comprising of some 423 junior teams playing in these leagues and 15 girls teams in the Girls league.

Staffordshire Cricket Clubs

Schools

It all starts in the playground, we have Chance to shine (C2S) a £50million campaign to regenerate competitive cricket in state schools Staffordshire Cricket Board are operating 8 Chance to Shine programmes throughout the County. (Link to Chance to Shine)

In partnership with the Local Authorities and Local Education Partnerships we support School/club links and numerous competitions.

Asda Kwik Cricket
Nat West Inter Cricket
English Schools Cricket Association County Competitions
Lady Taverners Girls Indoor