Young Umpires Programme

Overview

Hampshire Cricket Board is implementing and developing a programme for Boys, Girls and Disabled cricketers covering the areas of Umpiring and Scoring, Coaching and Volunteering.  There are awards for achievement at Gold, Silver and Bronze levels of attainment.

This is aimed generally at all participants in the game but mainly at those who are unlikely to progress to county standard through playing the game but will remain the core of the recreational game at club level.

The umpiring and scoring elements of the total plan involve at least 32 girls aiming to achieve the base level of Bronze.  It additionally includes up to 16 girls who participated in previous years in the Girls Umpiring and Scoring project who are aiming to achieve Silver. This includes a pilot for disabled players  

Each project has been developed separately although the “toe in the water” for disabled participants has been included with the girls.  Consideration has been given to running the sessions as mixed sexes but at this stage it has been decided to keep them separate.  There may be opportunities to amalgamate some sessions, but this will be decided on an as-and- when basis.

Girls Umpire and Scoring Project

What we are trying to achieve

• To identify and train 11-15-year-old girls in cricket umpiring and scoring. The opportunity will also be offered to disabled participants.
• To offer Stage One umpires course to those who show a positive interest in umpiring
• To provide opportunities for umpiring experience to those who wish to ‘put their toes in the water’ at Festivals and inter district matches
• To provide positive follow up and coaching in match management by mentoring those interested in match situations
• To provide a positive link with Hampshire Cricket Regional Performance Centres (RPC) and the Southern Vipers development programme

What we are doing

• To offer girls from Hampshire Cricket clubs and schools the opportunity to attend introductory scoring and umpiring courses. This is aimed at those who have a real interest in the game but maybe do not have the playing talent to progress beyond club cricket
• To offer girls attending the Hampshire Cricket Regional Performance centres the opportunity to attend introductory scoring and umpiring courses
• Looking to engage regularly with 50 girls from clubs and RPC’s around the county
• To offer Stage One umpires course to those who show a positive interest in umpiring
• To offer Stage Two courses both from last year’s participants and those showing great interest from the Stage 1 course.
• To offer Stage One and Stage Two candidates an opportunity to umpire at inter district, festival and club matches and take part in active mentoring of performance.
• To reward attendees at Introductory courses an orange Vipers Champions T shirt sourced from Serious Sports
• To reward those completing the Stage One Course an Umpires Jacket with the HCB ACO logo sourced from Serious Sports
• Their overall performance in Umpiring, Scoring, Coaching and volunteering will be awarded the appropriate Gold, Silver or Bronze award from HCB
• To regularly review the scheme progress to evaluate the scalability for other first-class counties
• To run alongside with the boys’ programme but not at this point joined up with the boys