Keen as mustard - youngsters in the youth section at Chelston & Kingskerswell CC

CHELSTON & Kingskerswell have unveiled a five-year plan to expand the youth section at the club.

Last season’s under-14 side, which nearly folded at one stage, will re-emerge in May as an under-15 team.

New for 2017 is the Mini Kings for youngsters aged between 7-10. They will play friendly and festival cricket until old enough to join the South Devon Youth League.

Team managers have been appointed – they are Richard Leighton and Vivek Kulkarni - coaches recruited and parents enthused for the summer ahead.

And players in the under-15 squad have stared fund-raising the £1,000 needed to buy new coloured kit for the league season ahead.

Pat Duke Pat Duke, director of youth cricket at the club, said in five years Chelston & Kingskerswell want to be running sides across the age groups.

First they have to put the building blocks in place to support the new set-up.

“The plan for the next two years at least is to train some of the younger players as qualified coaches and to create a girls’ cricket team for the first time as well as a third age-group team,” said Duke.

“We intend to create a clear framework for youth cricket at the club that has two main aims.

“The first aim is to provide technical coaching with the intention of producing cricketers who can play at the highest level.

“We plan to run a coaching session every week in the summer months for both age groups. “We have found an approved coach and have the volunteers in place to manage both teams and support the coach.

“The second aim is to model social values that young people can follow.

“These will be values such as working together, supporting others, discipline, planning, enjoying cricket and working to achieve goals.

“Success to us will look like two groups of young people who have played competitive cricket.

“They will have had the opportunity to attend 18 well-organised and structured coaching sessions.”

Duke said the fledgling colts section almost folded in 2-16 due to poor organisation and a lack of adequate facilities and equipment.

Sponsors such as DFR Roofing have come forward to assist with equipment, and grant aid from the David Shepherd Cricket Trust has helped create the coaching programme.

“We have raised enough money to fund a coach and purchased a catching Kanon so far,” said Duke.

“It is important to us that our young players feel they are worth having the right equipment and that every effort is made to maximise the time with a qualified coach.”

Former Premier Division cricketer and Devon spin bowler Paul Harding will be running the coaching sessions.

Parents Alison Karrsens and Judith Kearney are looking after the admin side of the your section and keeping an eye on the coloured kit fund raising.

“If they have new kit, it will undoubtedly raise confidence and promote working together to get what you need,” said Karrsens.

“It is important to the players that they create an environment that mirrors Twenty20 cricket they see on TV.

“This includes bright coloured clothing, flashing stumps, pink balls and their choice of music played between wickets.

“They want something they can feel proud of which is laudable.”