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Looking for some constructive feedback on starting a kids cricket programme in London, Ontario. That's Canada, to be clear

The city has just installed an artificial wicket which means we no longer have to fight with a mat and marking lines and all that. Turn up, put stumps it, play. This paves the way for us to get local kids from any and all backgrounds playing cricket.

It's the middle of the season, so I plan to start with the modest aim of just getting a bunch of 8-11yr old boys and girls hitting a ball and running between wickets. Minimal coaching, just basic rules and get them looking forward to playing the game for 90 mins on Sunday mornings. Probably just soft (cricket) ball.

That paves the way for stage two next spring, where we would add a 12-15yr age group playing hardball, and getting proper coaching. We have several members who either have coaching certs or who have grown up in cricket programs in their native countries.

I'm thinking Amazon is the easiest place to get juniors bats and keeping equipment?

If anyone has done this, or has ideas to contribute on it, please chime in.

In reply to Arawak

if you are teaching kids that age cricket dont teach them proper cricket.

just teach them to have fun playing cricket.

maybe have them play windball or tapeball. that will help them develop the mechanics of batting and bowling and also make them fearless when playing.

In reply to Arawak

I should mention one thing which you need to teach them correctly

fielding

teach dem how to field by the book.

In reply to cricketmygame

This is the plan. I saw with my son's soccer when he was that age how much he hated doing drills and exercises... he and his buddies just wanted to play. Now they are 16 they love the game and are doing every drill they can find.

Viv Richards said this once too... first just let them play the game and learn to love it.

In reply to Arawak

sounds like you have the right idea

in terms of equipment Millat always has the best prices for me. PM me if you need help with that.

In reply to Arawak

Great Job By you!

I can relate to this bro....I did something similar when I was in Guyana...coached Baseball and Soccer over here fuh 12+ years starting with my kids being 5 years old...some strategy I used to make it fun are:

1: Try to make your teaching FUN...by this I mean, you think of something you want them to learn and be creative to have them do a few things other than what you intend to teach them...Hitting for example...I used to have cones in the outfield and have them hit the ball off a Tee and each cone area I used to give them a point system....this helps with hand/eye coordination and becoming competitive while having fun.

2: I use to a circle and a stump in the center and have them throw the ball to hit the stump...this help me to teach them the 'step and throw' along with proper gripping of the ball....

There are lots more and I am free to give more information if needed....at the end of all sessions compliment them on a great job and give them encouragement to continue...Pizza once a week for them can go a far way!

In reply to Arawak

This is how it was when I grew up playing street/dam cricket in Guyana. It was 100% pure fun.

The only time we got coaching was when we wanted to play hardball with the older boys. You had to learn proper fundamentals and technique to protect yourself from the ball. But softball is where the love of the game started. Just hit it as hard and far as you can.

In reply to Arawak

Good stuff man. Check out Yashi sports or Qasra sports. Some Walmart stores sell tape ball bats as well. Amazon isn't bad either, as you pointed out. You could always take a little trip to little India aka Gerrard Street.

Btw don't play tennis ball cricket. At least use a tape ball. And get someone to pelt hard so a few of them could feel the sting.

In reply to Devin

Yeah, I think a tennis ball will teach them bad bowling habits. I bought a "soft cricket ball" from walmart.ca which is essentially a weighted tennis ball. A little harder. They also have juniors (4 3/4oz) hard cricket balls, maybe useful in the future.

I think there will be plenty pelting going on, don't worry

In reply to cricketmygame

Yeah, Sheryar is kinda odd to deal with by phone or email... maybe we can talk privately and you can help me order from him.

Funny story... I bought 150 white and red balls from him last year for our league. Inevitably some guys bawled they were bat breakers... these guys buy cheap bats, don't knock them in, and then try to hit fast yorkers for six. Nothing wrong with Millat's balls (although they can swing insanely in high humidity).

So this year I said buy your own balls.

This is what we got

(that's after 25 overs!!)

In reply to WestDem

Some great ideas there, thanks.

In reply to Arawak

In my experience the worst balls are those cheap Indian or Pakistani made balls. The ones where the lacquer doesn't come off even after a 100 overs of beating. The moment I see one of those balls in the nets I switch to my old bat.

In reply to SnoopDog

Unless you got $75+ to spend they are all Indian or Pakistani made. And even then, most of the mid grade stuff comes out of Sialkot in Pakistan.

I have made a practice of cutting old balls open to see what they are made of. Every now and then you see a "bat breaker" which is (a) heavier than normal and (b) has very little string between the leather and the last layer of cork. But it's pretty rare. Mostly it's superstition and cheap/unknocked bats.

But even good bats break against good balls

In reply to Arawak

The Kookaburra, Dukes, or Platypus balls are generally very good balls. Of the Indian balls I find the SG test match balls are of the same quality.

The Indian/Pakistani balls I'm talking about are those ones which have a thick layer of clear lacquer covering that does not come off - period. The lacquer even covers the seam. They are probably a dime a dozen in India and Pakistan and are made for street or village cricket there where they use concrete pitches. The only good use I've seen for them is to put one in a sock to break in a new bat or tie up on a tree limb to practice.

Here's how u end each session....play the `atmost two knocks`! The batter has two strikes to score runs. If he scores a run on the first strike, then he has two balls more! If he or she blocks the first ball, then for him or her to stay at the crease he or she must score a run on the second!!! If u block the two successive balls (no runs!) - next batsman! Remember getting bowled, run out, caught, etc all applies!!! Nice way to send a kid to bed - TIRED! Btw, on Leguan island, the jargon is, ONE TIP, TWO TIPS! Rename it, as I have suggested!