THE BALMAIN SYDNEY TIGERS CRICKET CLUB

(BALMAIN SYDNEY TIGERS CRICKET) 

HISTORY.

The club caters for players from all ages in both park and grade cricket. From the youngest at age 6 to the oldest at age 50 years and beyond.

The club was reformed in 1995 from the remnants of the Police Citizens Youth Cricket Club. The police citizens had for many years fostered junior cricket in the district and were unable to provide the management to continue on and is in reality the reformation of the "Balmain Junior Cricket Club" (As in junior to the grade club) that goes back to the early 1900's.

Prior to their involvement, the Junior boys were in there own right a part of the wider Balmain Association which included the Balmain-Drummoyne Cricket Association, which has its roots going back to 1903 and the Balmain & District CC (Grade). "Balmain Juniors" was a prominent Club incorporating Juniors from age 14 and on into Seniors. Junior Cricket as in boys, prior to the 2nd WW played mainly at school until you were 14 years of age and then moved to the local Park Clubs or the local Grade Clubs.

The Balmain Tigers Cricket Club is a family association and places great emphasis on encouraging its local Juniors and Seniors to provide healthy recreation in an enjoyable, optimistic and positive environment.

The Club's aims are to foster Cricket in the local Districts in the following categories;

1. To offer the opportunity to Senior men to play competition cricket within their local district.

2. To offer the opportunity to boys and girls to play competition cricket within the local Inner Sydney District, to develop their cricketing skills by providing adequate coaching opportunities and to impart to them the ideals of fair play and sportsmanship and the spirit of the game of Cricket.

3. To offer the opportunity to boys and girls over the age of 16 to play competition cricket within their district and to provide pathways for them into the local Grade Club, The Sydney "Tigers" CC and or the local Park competitions and for Balmain Tigers forming its Shires Connection.

SENIORS.

The Club provides for both local park and turf graded cricketing experiences. It has been a policy to evolve the Club into a full playing entity from juniors through to senior players. To this end since the 06-07 season the club has grown from just promoting juniors to creating pathways for the juniors to move into senior men's and women's cricket. 

From 2010-11 season Balmain Tigers have entered into a program of Development with Sydney "Tigers" CC in managing and Coaching their 6th grade team, comprised mainly of junior players. The team being Balmain's entry level along with the Creer Cup 5th grade to the Shires Competition and to foster juniors into grade. 

The Club has now for number of seasons, entered senior mens teams in the graded local park competition, that play in the Inner West Harbour senior Association, at all Grade levels. It is a scheme to open an avenue for the boy's to continue playing cricket at a semi social level and for senior parents and incoming players to play locally.

In many ways it is a revival of the structure that was in place some 50 years previously when juniors went on to play in the local Balmain-Drummoyne park competion or Balmain District Grade Club.

JUNIORS:

In general;

The Club is acutely aware that gaining the skills to play the sport is of paramount importance for a young person to attain his or her self respect in the game and to participate at any level they choose. 

The Club will continue the policy of developing Juniors in the following categories;

A. 5-8yrs Kids Activities Program, In2 Cricket & Have-A-Go, 5 to 7 years introduction to Cricket Skills,  ( non-competitive group games.)

The program is an entry level to teach kids the fundamentals of playing cricket and is based around an athletic approach to the techniques of the game.

B. 8-9yrs Junior Tiger Cubs with a reduced field and Cricket pitch. A shortened game with soft ball. (non-competitive eight a side.)

C. 10-12yrs full field competition/artificial wickets, smaller hard ball. Reduced overs.

D. 13-16 yrs, Senior Junior program. Structured graded competition within affiliated local Associations, where possible on turf wickets.

E. 17 years and onwards, Senior Program, Park Cricket as a preliminary for Grade Club selection and hopefully in the future for the Club to be a member of the Shires Association. 

Specifically; THE JUNIOR TIGERS CRICKET COMPETITIONS.

A. IN2 CRICKET, THE BASIC BUILDING BLOCK OF THE THE GAME AND CLUB.

To this end, Balmain Cricket begins with the young 5’s to 7 year olds by providing a skills based learning program called In2 Cricket. It is generally played on Saturday’s from 8.30 till 10am at a local park.

The season will begin in mid September with a skills based learning and game program till the school holidays in October. In2 Cricket resumes after the holidays in a similar format until Xmas and then resumes after the January holidays, culminating in a Gala Day in mid February.

It is played in a group as an activity to learn the techniques of bowling, batting and fielding, mixed, non competitive series of games, with modified rules. 
It is run by the club in conjunction with the NSW Cricket Association. It aims to promote participation, skill development and enjoyment among those youngsters who want to play and learn the skills of cricket.

In other words activities include a lot of running to the ball.
Catching and learning how to do do this properly. As much as a 5 to 7 year old can.
Bowling a ball at a target and then at a batsman.
Batting against the bowling of their peers.
The learning of hand eye co-ordination is empahsised.

There will be a orientation day in mid September. It usually is run at Timbrell Park Five dock or in future at Callan park Rozelle.

The program will recommence in mid October and be run at Drummoyne oval until Xmas and then will resume after the holidays for a couple of weeks in February and it will end with a Gala day at Morrison Park in Gladesville.

The kids will gain an understanding of the fundamentals of the sport, running, catching, bowling and batting.
They will play little games of 7 a side and generally having fun.

They also get a t-shirt, a cap, bat & ball to exercise with at home and in play on the day.  

B. The U8's & U9's DEVELOPMENT COMPETITION:

The under 8's & 9's usually begin after the school holidays in October but the club provides an orientation Saturday in mid September. The Competition is played locally where possible, such as Cohen Park Annandale, and depending on the availability of grounds within the Inner Sydney area. The furthest you have to travel is Concord in the west and Ryde in the north. The teams are 8 a side and use a soft ball. The games are played between 8am till 10.30am or 10.30 till 12 depending on ground availability. Some games maybe on Friday or Sunday mornings depending on the ground availability due to the numbers of kids wanting to play.

The games and rules are engineered to allow for a learning period for kids to understand the sport and learn the skills without a full competition mode. Everybody gets to bat and bowl.

The program is centred around getting the kids to correctly handle the ball, to throw and to bowl. The essential building blocks for U8s & 9s. If they can't get the ball on the pitch, they don't have a game. Batting can come later for these boys and girls, as they have a natural inclination want to cross hit the ball with the bat rather than the "learnt" methods of batting. Cutting, Driving etc. 

The players train once a week with an emphasis on learning the art of cricket in being able to handle the ball in field drills and to bowl and bat. 

Emphasis is placed on having fun and learning the game at this young age group. 

C. THE UNDER 10's COMPETITION.

The Under 10's is the first time they begin to play the game in its entirety in a 30 over each side format on a Saturday morning, from 8am till 12pm. They play with a smaller, Red, hard ball and for the first time wear protective equipment, such as pads and helmets. There is still no LBW rule and when you are out you are out. There is an allotted number of runs a player can get before he or she is compulsory retired and they can come back to bat after other team members are out. All kids get to bowl in a game.

D. THE UNDER 11's & 12's COMPETITION.

Begins mid to late September begins in mid September until late December and rejoins in Mid to late January till late March. The under 11's to U12's play as well in the Inner West Harbour Association. This is when they play full cricket rules and the LBW law applies. The smaller red 142gram ball still applies.

Home games are played at Easton Park in Rozelle adjacent to Lilyfield Road, Callan Park Rozelle and on a home-and-away basis, with the furtherest you play is Concord in the west and Ryde in the North. 

THE U13's TO U16's COMPETITION.

like the U10s to U12s, begins in mid September until late December and rejoins in Mid to late January till late March. They play on Saturdays and Sundays within the Inner West Harbour, Canterbury, Northern Districts & South Eastern District competitions. 

The competitions are organised on a home-and-away basis, for the ages under 13's to under 16's. Games are played on Saturdays in the Northern districts as far away as Epping and locally as Callan Park. Sunday games are played in the Eastern Suburbs as far away as Maroubra.

The U16s do play on Turf wickets locally at Birchgrove and Jubillee on Sundays in mostly 36 over one day games, with a few two dayers. 

All venues are Usually 15 to 30 minutes driving time, depending on the day.

COMPETITION PATHWAYS FOR JUNIORS:

As mentioned above, the club has formS out of the previous years under 16's, open age teams, that play in the Inner West Harbour Senior Association competition, at Grade level. It is a scheme to open an avenue for the boy's to continue playing cricket at a semi social level.

OR if they are more talented and wish to play on turf wickets at a higher level, they will play grade cricket with the local Sydney Cricket Club (Tigers) which is our feeder grade club. This we will do as mentioned earlier in managing the Metro Cup team or SCC 6th grade. Some we hope will form the basis of teams that we intend to put into a Shires Competition. From these beginnings we will support a growing seniors club above the juniors.

So the avenues are there for your child to progress through the junior ranks in the club, and then on to bigger and better things, if their Cricket prowess and desire is big enough. A boy or girl in theory can start at In2 Cricket and end up playing for Sydney CC at 1st grade and then NSW and possibly Australia.

TEAM MANAGEMENT

1.Once the teams have been finalised in early September, coaches and managers will then be appointed.

2.Managers and Coaches are usually chosen from the parents, although others with appropriate qualifications will be considered. Persons are welcome to coach a team in any age bracket.

3. The cut off date for team allocation is the 1st. of September. That means what age your son or daughter turns after that date the following year,will be the age group he or she will be placed in.

4.Up to under 13's we encourage young girls to participate in mixed teams. From 14's onwards it is physically prudent to play in their own sex team.

We are presently organising teams in the age brackets 8's through to under 11's and making sure that your child will play with his or her respective friends.
It is, as you can imagine, an administrative battle too place all the children in teams and organise the grounds and competition.

TRAINING TIMES

Training times are usually from 4.30 to 6.30 pm, weekdays depending on the coach's work schedule and within the municipality.
Managers to inform players and assist in providing transport where available.

UNIFORMS

Consists of the traditional white long trousers and white joggers.

Girls are advised to wear either shorts or trousers, due to the type of activity.

Every season we provide caps to each team member, plus a shirt with the club logo on it. The cost to borne by our sponsors and your fees.

Wearing of the cap does give the player a sense of belonging to the
club and builds team spirit.

PARENT PARTICIPATION.

To successfully and efficiently function administratively, junior cricket is dependent upon the help of parents, the volunteers, thus we need the assistance of parents to make it work.
As a rule the club desires that one parent or guardian from each family must be in attendance every Saturday. Your children need your support. Parent attendance lifts their enjoyment of the sport.
We ask parents to indicate whether they can help in scoring, managing a team, Coaching, Umpiring, or assisting in the management of the club.

The club places teams in the local Inner West Harbour Cricket Association and Canterbury –Western Association Competitions from the ages of 8-16’s and the South Eastern Competition Association on Sundays, for the ages of 13-16’s, where we have a large number of boys that go to Private schools but want to continue club cricket and have the opportunity to play Representative Cricket or Green Shield for the various local Grade Clubs.

Where possible the Club requires District qualified Umpires to accompany each each team, plus the Coach to be level 1.
The Club is prepared ro pay the expenses of the tuition to achieve these goals for the teams. This only enhances the teams expertise but raises the level of the participation in the sport of Cricket.

Help where you can in assisting team members to games and coaching.

Cricket is a team sport that helps personal development, working with others towards a common goal. Social skills as well as providing vigorious exercise. 

INFORMATION NIGHTS AND COACHING NIGHTS
For those parents who want too know more about the the game , scoring, the rules and how the competition is conducted, there will be parent information nights in September and October.

These are a must for those people who want to know more about the game and the philosophy behind the Association and the conduct of junior cricket.
There is planned, inservice nights and coaching programs for the Coaches, within the club as well, so we will keep you posted, through your coach and the Web Site.

Core Concepts for consideration in the wider program.

1. Family program.
1.Family involvement with the In2 Cricket , Under 8’s and 9’s, Under 10s to U16s games structure.

2.Appoint a manager and Trainer to each team, from their parent body.

3.Provide them with simplified Manual and in-service evenings for Level1 Coaching programs.

4. Provide Parents with the skilling needed to make the game accesable.

5. Provide a family environment for players and Parents.

2. Player Involvement – SENIORS.
1. Provide a pathway for juniors to move up into senior playing Associations and grade clubs.

2. Make it compulsory for some part time training to Coaches and special clinics for U 8’s, 9’s 10’s 11’s 12’s children.

3. The Club wishes to provide an environment to play the sport for fun and social interaction.

4. The Club endeavours to emphasis the efforts and performance of Players and Administrators within the Club.

5. The priority of the Tigers Cricket Program is to expand the player base, with an emphasis on building up a non-elite structure and the recreational aspects of the sport be given priority.

6. It is targeted at both Men and Women and places an emphasis on participation and the development of basic skills in a fun environment.

7. Provide pathways for Players to move up into wider playing Programs within the Club and the Cricket community for social and Individual skill development.

3. Player Involvement – JUNIORS.

1. The Club Recognises that children play the sport for fun and not be considered as potential elite players but as participants in a team game with goals that match the children’s own abilities.

2. The Club endeavours to emphasis the children’s efforts and performance. Such efforts to be rewarded by recognition of their acheivements in skill development.

3. Balmain Tigers Cricket recognises that young people grow at different paces and that the emphasis on competition be delayed till at least age 10, when full field games can be handled by young legs and minds.

4. The priority of the Tigers Cricket Program is to expand the player base, with an emphasis on building up a non-elite structure and the recreational aspects of the sport be given priority.

5. It is targeted at both boys and girls and places an emphasis on participation and the development of basic skills in a fun environment.

6. Provide pathways for juniors to move up into Senior playing Programs within the Club and the wider Cricket community for social and Individual development.

4. Talent Programs.

1. Pastoral care for above average players but not representative level.
2. Provide training clinics to improve their skills.
3. Provide competition program for them outside of representative teams.

5. Schools program.
As long term objective: Bring schools into club and Association competitions.

At Balmain & Inner Sydney Tigers Cricket Club we welcome any suggestions you might have. It is our continued desire that players and parents alike feel they have joined a wider family.

Please feel free to communicate your thoughts to team managers, coaches and the committee.

We wish you and your child a thoroughly enjoyable season.