Last Friday was supposed to mark the start of the second half of the Home Hill Cricket Association's Junior Cricket season, but the North Queensland wet season had other plans.
When the season does get underway, the programs cater to children as young as 5 years old and up. The youngest age group, Rookies, meet at East Ayr State School on Tuesday afternoons from 3:30 pm. These sessions are for 5-7 years of age and aim to teach the basics of cricket in a fun, engaging way using soft balls.
Next in line are the Challengers, for 7-10 years of age, who play at the Nutrien Ag Solutions Cricket Complex in Home Hill on Fridays at 5pm. These games still use soft balls, but the activities focus more on game-based learning.
In Home Hill, there are also two groups for "hardball" cricket (Blue and Gold), which take place on Fridays starting at 4pm. The Blue Group is for players who have just moved up from Challengers, and the rules are modified to make the game more enjoyable and accessible for them.
The Gold Group plays with essentially normal cricket rules, as the players in this group typically have higher skill levels. Training for both groups takes place on Mondays, where the focus is on developing more technical skills under the guidance of accredited coaches.
Older juniors compete in the senior Home Hill competition on Saturdays, and there is also the opportunity for players to trial for North Queensland and beyond, as some of the juniors have done in previous years.
It’s not too late to register for the Junior Cricket season. Simply visit www.playhq.com and search for Home Hill Cricket Association to join in the fun!
Contributed by Home Hill Junior Cricket.