GMCL Junior Review
1st December 2018 at Bury CC
10 junior representative from various geographical areas within the GMCL came together at Bury CC to hold a review of the 2018 junior season. The group was joined by Bobby Denning (LCF) and will now continue to meet, discuss, review GMCL junior cricket to make it the best it can be. The main proposals from the meeting are below, please feedback on the points as requested. This is your opportunity to have your say and will shape the decision making for the coming season. For information the ECB guidelines and insights are attached. We will share the feedback with clubs along with the decisions for 2019 and the team entry form over the coming weeks.
- Communication – Junior contacts to go in the GMCL Handbook. More co-ordinators to help with communication and results administration.
- Under 9s
- GMCL to follow ECB Guidelines, 15 yard pitches, limited boundary size – rules to be amended
- Clubs to be given the option of a later start date to get teams together
- Clubs to be given the option to host 4 or 6 teams for U9s tournaments
- Feedback wanted from clubs about moving U9s to Sunday mornings.
- Under 11s
- GMCL to follow ECB Guidelines, 17 yard pitches, limited boundary size – rules to be amended
- U11 Softball League to be offered in 2019 if there is demand
- Under 13s
- GMCL to follow ECB Guidelines, 19 yard pitches, limited boundary size – rules to be amended
- Clubs to feedback if there is any demand for U13s Pairs, U11 Softball League to be offered in 2019
- Under 15s – Remain the same
- Under 17/18s
- Move from U18s to U17s - U18s was the weakest structure in 2018 and had the highest % of unfulfilled fixtures.
- Proposal to move to move to U17s and actively promote the ECB U19s cup for those club with 18 year olds.
- GMCL keen to see standard days for games
- Monday Under 9s or U11 softball / U15s
- Wednesday Under 11 Hardball and U17s
- Sunday morning Under 9s or U11 softball / U13s
- Champions of Champions Day – Champions East v West on set days for U11/U15s and U13/U17s
- Salford youth league are open to teams at U10, U12 and U14 details to follow in report.
- Summer Cup to continue with optional entry
- Is there interest for a GMCL Girls League? If so what ages?
- Joint teams - If any club is struggling to put an age group out the league are keen to support clubs coming together to provide cricket.
- 2018 Austerlands/Uppermill and Saddleworth/Micklehurst both had joint age group teams, while Glodwick supported Heyside to field teams.
- Some dates for your diary
- December – Feedback form clubs on the above
- December /January - share feedback and decisions along with team entry sheet
- 31st January Deadline for initial team entries
- February – Junior AGM / Presentation 2019 Structure
- 31st March – Final Amendments to team entries
- 7th April – Fixtures announced
- 21st April – Junior season begins
For information the ECB Guidelines for U9/U11s is attached.
Nigel Stock
GMCL Junior Director