Decision:
Mr Gary O’Brien Secretary and Youth Coordinator for Baldock Town Cricket Club, thanked the Chairman for the opportunity to address the Committee regarding their grant application.
The Chairman thanked Mr O’Brien for his presentation.
Minutes:
Audio Recording – Start time of Item – 14 minutes and 44 seconds
Mr Gary O’Brien Secretary and Youth Coordinator for Baldock Town Cricket Club, thanked the Chairman for the opportunity to address the Committee regarding their grant application.
Mr O’Brien informed Members of the following:
· The Cricket Club had been based at Avenue Park for over ten years;
· The request was very specific and for the development of youth coaching and youth participation. As a result of television revenue being taken from satellite networks cricket participation had been dwindling especially in the last 10-15 years and therefore if children could not see the sport, they did not wish to play;
· In previous years, Baldock Town Cricket Club had a youth organisation which brought through players to the senior teams however in the last 3-6 years’, children had to travel to other towns despite having the facilities and nets at their own club;
· The club would like children to be active and interested in cricket and to be able to participate in sport with their parents;
· In the last two years 9 year olds had been undergoing training. They had also been in a local league in 2018, having made good progress;
· Nationwide, 15,000 children had participated in an ECB initiative called ‘All Stars Cricket. 35 children over the last two summers had attended every Sunday for 8 weeks, took part in all cricket-related activities which also involved their parents. They were provided with a ball, hat, shirt with a monogram bearing their names. Parents and children were therefore able to start playing independent games. Mr O’Brien, was a Level 2 qualified coach and wanted to continue with this and the club was in need of more financial assistance;
· An additional Level 2 qualified coach and also a Level 1 qualified coach were required to assist and help expand;
· Parents had expressed an interest in participation and coaching of both boys and girls;
· Additional equipment was required as many items go missing;
· Expansion of the youth section included under 10’s in 2019 and an under 9’s team, so commitment of league fees through Hertfordshire Cricket and the balls, stumps, etc;
· Income was generated from parents’ through subscriptions but also funded as a cricket club to assist the running of the club;
· Through contacts at ‘Chance to Shine’ and ‘Cricket East’ there was a cricket club representative throughout our local schools in Summer 2018 which increased the scope for participation of both boys and girls in the town;
In response to questions from Members Mr O’Brien advised that:
· Hartsfield and St Mary’s both had ‘Chance to Shine’ cricket lessons which was something they wanted to continue independently. Richard South was a fantastic coach and had represented the club with the All Stars and the club wanted to enable him to reach out to the schools in Baldock and in the neighbouring towns as Cricket East did not have the scope to cover the schools;
· It was unknown whether they attended St John’s School however this was something they wanted to do;
· There had been funding to the youth section however it was thought this was 5 years’ ago. The funding acquired 2-3 years’ ago was to assist with reconditioning of the showers within Edmund Park and was available for use within the Social Club. It was required by Hertfordshire League Cricket to have shower facilities on a Saturday but it was for multi-use.
· The seasonal training had closed but the club was looking ahead for next season and beyond.
· The club would be continuing All Stars cricket which was for children of 5-8 years and then those who graduated from All Stars could consider moving into playing competitive players’ cricket game.
The Chairman thanked Mr O’Brien for his presentation.