Match Day Guide (Juniors)

Safeguarding

Make sure the pre and post game environment is focussed but most importantly fun. After heavy wins discourage gloating. After heavy losses concentrate on positives and discuss why the opposition were better and how the team can improve.

Ensure safeguarding measures are in place:

1. One adult must be CRB / DBS registered.
2. A minimum of 2 adults should attend a match.
3. For a match of all boys a male adult should be present. For a match of all girls a female adult should be present. For a mixed boys and girls match both a male and female adult should be present.
4. As part of our responsibilities in supervising children, it is vital all players drink appropriate amounts of water to avoid any possible risks of dehydration during matches and practice sessions.
5. You must undertake an adequate risk assessment on all facilities and venues used, regardless of ownership of that facility or venue. This does not include away match venues for leagues.

Organisation

Recommend Teamer https://teamer.net to post fixtures and organise teams.

Get help; have 2 or 3 helpers to assist in organising matches, Teamer and be available to cover for you.

Make initial team selections for first 3-4 matches and then when selecting next round of matches adjust selections accordingly.

Try and give parents / guardians as much notice as possible on selections. Set deadlines for responses.

Confirm home game details with opposition at least 4-5 days before fixture.

In the week before a game email parents to confirm venue, team and meet time.

For home games at Weydon / Frensham Heights make sure opposition know it is on artificial.

For home games at Rec  / Binsted / Edgeborough allow time to remove ropes around square before game. Get boys & girls to help set up and clear away before and after games. Recommend arriving approx. 45 minutes before the game starts for home matches.

Before the match day recruit / allocate a scorer and umpire. Umpires must officiate both innings.

Match Kit

On match day you will need:

• Kit bag
• 2 bats (not plastic)
• 1 pair wicket keeping gloves
• 1 spare box for boys games
• Sets of wooden stumps and bails (for grass wicket)
• Sets of wooden stumps and bails (sprung type with metal base for artificial)
• 2 sets of plastic stumps for warm up
• Minimum 5 hard balls (incrediballs for U9s) for warm up
• 6 cones for warm up
• Coin for toss
• 6 coins / stones to count balls in overs for Umpire
• Player register with emergency contact numbers
• 1st Aid Kit
  
• Ice Packs
• Score sheets, copy of league rules, accident report form, scoring guide, several pens
• Mobile number of opposition team contact
• Surveyor’s tape measure
• White Gaffer Tape and scissors for marking up artificial pitch length if needed
• Boundary markers / flags
• Fold-away table & chairs for scorer
• For home games provide a new match ball of correct size and weight
• For home games provide squash and biscuits for players in between innings. Ask parents to share this task over season.
• Mobile scoreboard if needed
• Large umbrella for scorer

For artificial pitches you will need a surveyor’s tape measure and some white gaffer tape to mark correct yard pitch length (stumps to stumps).

Use same surveyor’s tape measure boundary. Check league rules for distances.

Attire:

RCC Coloured T-20 type tops plus dark tracksuit bottom

Full protection should worn when batting (helmet, pads, gloves, box).

Suitable footwear

RCC qualified coaches should wear RCC coach top plus sports shorts / tracksuit bottoms and trainers.

Rules

Take a copy of the league rules to matches.

Know the match format. League and Cup formats differ.

Agree LBW & wides implementation with opposition.

Match Day

IMPORTANT: For home fixtures all boys and girls should help set up (boundary markers, remove ropes, move covers etc) and clear away before and after matches.

Meet 30 minutes before match for warm up.

Matches typicalls last between 2-3 hours.

Allocate captain to do toss around 5 minutes before start.

Commence warm up 25 minutes before game.

Allow 5 minutes before game for team talk.

Discourage parents from coaching players from sidelines during the match.

RCC has a zero tolerance policy with regard to criticism of umpires decisions.

Do not allow any negative criticisms from player to player or allow boys or girls to offer unsolicited “coaching advice” to each other.

Post-Match

Boys & Girls should do 3 cheers for opposition at end of the game and shake hands.

Boys & Girls  should thank opposition coach, scorers & umpires.

After the game consider aspects of the game to focus on for the next training session – provide feedback to the coach if not present at the match.

Enter results of home games to https://rowledge.play-cricket.com/users/sign_in