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Youth Cricket Academy
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Youth Cricket Academy

Leading Skills Development

Youth Cricket Academy
Youth Cricket Academy
Youth Cricket Academy
Youth Cricket Academy
Youth Cricket Academy
Leading Skills Development

WELCOME TO THE YOUTH CRICKET ACADEMY

Click here for options for Term 1 2022

Pre-School Cricketers

The parents at the Youth Cricket Academy (YCA) have shown a great deal of interest in getting their younger children involved in the basics of cricket before they get into primary school. As a result, the coaches at the YCA have designed a fun filled way of getting all children ready for cricket before they reach Grade 1.

What Children Will Gain at the Youth Cricket Academy?

The following reasons were given by coaches and parents, for getting children involved before primary school:

• The oldest child in the family seldom has the benefit of playing ball games with siblings, before primary school, and as a result he is behind in his development when he reaches Grade 1. Hand-eye ball coordination is noticeably better amongst children who play games with their older brothers. Children, who are not exposed to ball sports at a young age, often find it difficult to catch up with children who have done so.
• Cricket practices at school can be a very daunting prospect for a Grade 1 pupil, as practices are usually done amongst a large group of classmates. A term at the YCA will ensure that they have the basics before Grade 1. As a result they will be far more confident at school. Nothing breaks a child's spirit, quite like getting something wrong in front of his peers, who at a young age inevitably laugh. Nothing builds confidence quite like being singled out in front of your peers for doing something well, especially sport!
• Parents have also said that they would like their younger son to be taught the basics of cricket so that he and his older brother will be able to play together.
• A term at the YCA will teach young children team work, participation, basic drills and the need to support each other on the field.

The Program

The YCA will focus on three main areas of coordination:
• the ball entering the hand (fielding and catching)
• balls exiting the hand (throwing and bowling)
• hitting balls (batting).

These are very difficult facets of coordination and that is why some children can catch, but not throw well, or others can bowl but struggle to bat. The children that attend the Academy will be divided into groups of 5 or less and will have the same coach for each lesson. This way they will become comfortable with the coach and their new friends.

The size of the group is designed to give the coach enough cricketers with whom to work and do the necessary drills, but also, and very importantly, will keep the groups small enough to ensure that each cricketer will be worked with and skills improved on.

The lessons will run for 45 minutes. Each lesson will involve a fun learning environment, where they will be taught the most basic, yet essential techniques of cricket.

As the cricketers advance, so the drills will become slightly more complex, keeping enjoyment and preparation for Grade 1 in mind. The YCA is situated between 10th and 11th Avenue, Villiers Road, Walmer.

The cricketers must wear white shorts, and will be given a YCA shirt.

Junior School Cricketers

The Youth Cricket Academy (YCA) is well into its seventh summer, and has become a crucial step in a cricketer's development. A cricketer needs two assets to succeed; technique and confidence, and these are the two main areas that our experienced coaches focus on. The best schools manage only two team practices a week, and in a world where sport is becoming more professional daily, this simply is not enough if a cricketer is to reach his full potential.

The Program

• The cricketers who join the YCA will be divided into groups of 5 or less, according to their individual skill and age groups.
• This will ensure that strong players can play to their full potential, and that the weaker players are not exposed to a level of play where they feel out of their depth.
• The weaker groups will focus on the basic cricket skills so that their game will rise to a level of the stronger players.
• The stronger players will be encouraged to learn drills that are more advanced and work on finer points of their technique to ensure that they keep improving their already high standard of play.
• The size of the group is designed to give the coach enough cricketers with which to work and do the necessary drills, but also, and very importantly, will keep the groups small enough to ensure that each cricketer will be worked and improved on.
• Each lesson, grades 3-7 will run for 90 minutes. If the cricketer is in grade 1 or 2 the lesson will be 60 minutes.
• A child may attend more than once a week if he or she chooses. Each term at the YCA will coincide with the dates of school terms.
• Every aspect of cricket will be worked on at the YCA, from batting, bowling, fielding and wicket keeping, to the laws of the game, captaincy and teamwork.
• There will be good quality nets as well as a ball machine and cricket kit available.
• DVD footage of a cricketer's progress can be made if prior arrangements have been made with the coach. The YCA is situated at Heatherbank Sports Club, between 10th and 11th Avenue, Villiers Road, Walmer. Cricketers attending the Academy will be expected to wear their school cricket clothes or other suitable white attire.

What Cricketers Will Gain at the Youth Cricket Academy

The YCA is a cricket academy, not a cricket club, and therefore the lessons will be aimed at constantly improving the young cricketers' level of play. The cricketers will be able to implement their new skills wherever they play their cricket. The weaker players will concentrate all their efforts on mastering the basics before progressing to new skills, while the stronger players' talents will be channelled for best results. The cricketers will become far more confident when playing at school; they will have a better grasp of not only the laws, but also the tactical points that are often overlooked. They will start achieving better results on the field and enjoying the game.

For information on our coaches, fees & weekly times + our online enrolment form – please follow the link to our website on the Contact Us tab.

Leading Skills Development





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