Junior Cricket
Welcome to Junior Cricket
We believe in providing the best cricket coaching possible for our junior players and we will restrict our membership numbers to ensure they they receive this. Where appropriate we will keep a managed waiting list for prospective junior members.
Parents are welcome to attend all training sessions and competitions – we require parents of children in U11 and U9 groups to stay on site during the session. We are keen to try and involve parents in the activities of the Club. If there is some activity or function you feel you would like to contribute to please contact the Chairman, Tom Welch
We appreciate it, if children can arrive promptly and are collected promptly at the end of the session. Parents of all children up to and including U15s are responsible for supervising their children from the stated closing time of the training sessions. If you are going to be late picking your child up, please contact the relevant Youth Team Manager and let them know.
For the safety of your child it is important that the Club is informed of any changes in contact details or medical information. If you would like to talk to someone about this information or your child’s involvement with the Club, please contact the Club Safeguarding officer, Natasha Coates.
Training Details
Training times:
U9: Wednesday 6:30 – 7:30pm
U11: Wednesday 6:30 – 8pm
U13: Friday 6.15 – 7.15pm
U15: Friday 7.15 – 8.15pm
This season the girls will be training with the boys rather than having a separate girls’ only training session.
Please note that there has been an IMPORTANT change to the ECB regulations for ALL juniors playing open-aged cricket (under the age of 18 and at least in year 8). All juniors MUST have written parental consent to train and play with the adults (this includes juniors playing in the women’s squad). A form will be sent out this week to all members and the form must be completed and signed by a parent/guardian before a junior is eligible to play. Open age group training times: Women’s Monday 6.30-8.30pm and Men’s Tuesdays 6-8pm – as per ECB regulations, juniors below year 8 (unless year 7 and in a county squad) are not permitted to practise in these sessions. Please contact our head of cricket, Darryl Woods, using his contact details above with any queries.
Coaches and Managers
holding text
Coach(es)
Manager(s)
U9
James Florey
Fiona Florey
U11
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U13
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U15
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All Stars
In 2017 the ECB launched All Stars Cricket to provide a fantastic first cricket experience for children aged 5-8 years old. On the course, children are guaranteed eight weeks of jam-packed fun and activity because the programme is designed specifically to introduce children to the sport, teaching them new skills, helping them make new friends and have a great time doing so.
At Oxford Downs we ran our first All Stars Programme on the launch date and have been delivering ever since. Making this the 10 th year of All Stars at ODCC in 2026. We typically attract children from the age of 4 and the programme leads beautifully in to our Under 9’s Club Programme. So yes, some children return and do the All Stars Course for 2 or 3 consecutive years. Because the ECB are constantly revising the course and introducing new games and activities, the children never get bored.
The course is led by ECB trained All Stars Activators who all volunteer their time to teach and support the ODCC’s youngest stars! The activator team is supported by other adult volunteers and by a team of teenage volunteers who help at All Stars as part of their school Duke of Edinburgh Award.
As the lead activator for the last 9 years it has been wonderful to see children progress through All Stars and through our Junior Programme, some whom are now playing in our Under 15’s cohort.. and coming back to volunteer at All Stars themselves.
All Stars injects eight weeks of fabulously enthusiastic, organised chaos into the club on Wednesday evenings. With the brightly coloured shirts, the exciting equipment and the large group of little ones dashing around a carousel of wonderful games… the club lights up with fun and energy through May and June every year!
Our Activators this season are Emma Welch, Kate Whetter, Sacha Collins, Dan Lowther, Olly Costar and Andrew Howe. All Stars starts on Wednesday 14th May until 2nd July at 6:15 – 7:15pm.
Details: https://www.ecb.co.uk/play/all-stars
Other Information
Drop off / Collection Arrangements for training:
It is expected that all parents/guardians stay at the club while junior training takes place (for any children in U11s and U9s) and that parents/guardians collect their child(ren) from the relevant coach after training has finished. If you can’t stay for the training session you need to provide the name of a responsible adult that will be present at the ground during the training session.
Medication:
It is mandatory for any child with medication to have their medication with them at training / matches, in case of a medical emergency. Examples of medication (non-exhaustive list), would be: inhalers, epi-pens, etc. The coach may ask to see their medication to ensure they have it and a child will not be able to train if they don’t have it with them. For the same reason, it is important that any relevant medication is kept up-to-date on the membership database by parents. Having paid junior subs, parents should all have access to the membership database to do this – any queries contact Graeme Coates. Email: membership-admin@oxforddowns.com.
Accident Reporting
This season, there is a new system for reporting of accidents that require first aid. Please scan the QR code ‘ACCIDENT REPORTING’ that is available around the clubhouse or on the club website.
Play area
It is the responsibility of parents/guardians to supervise their children in the play area. No glasses/bottles are to be taken onto play area. Children are also not permitted to climb on the top roofed area of the play park or containers.
Dogs
Dogs, with the exception of assistance dogs, are not allowed on the club grounds on Wednesday junior training sessions.
Finally…
Our club is run by a number of volunteers and we welcome offers of help from all members, and hope that as you feel part of the club you will feel able to get involved. Please do consider helping out if you can – please contact Paul Fowler or Meg Potter if you are able to do so!
All members are reminded of the club’s code of conduct for members and guests, the parents’ code of conduct and the code of conduct for children, which can all be found on the club safeguarding board in the entrance lobby to the club. All the information you need can be found on this board and on the club website; including how to report accidents or safeguarding concerns (including QR codes for reporting), a list of qualified first aiders, and club policies. Please take some time to familiarise yourself with the information posted on the safeguarding board or visit https://www.oxforddowns.com/club/club-policies/.
We do hope that you and your child(ren) enjoy being a member of Oxford Downs Cricket Club, and if you have any concerns, do please let us know.
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