Roos readying to fill junior teams

WITH the cricket season set to start soon, members of the Teesdale Cricket Club are hosting a come and try day next month to fill their junior sides.

Aiming to fill their two under 11s as well as under 13s, 15s, and 17s sides, the Roos’ junior coordinator Kalin Chambers said the day will also serve as an introduction for the recently reshuffled committee.

“We’ve got some new leadership structure. I’m still new in the role of junior coordinator as is our new lead coach,” he said.

“At this stage, we’re looking to facilitate for kids coming up into all age groups from our blasters program from five to 10 and up to the main sides.

“They’ll come have a catch and a throw, get a feel for it, and introduce the families to us. I’ll obviously be there. So will Lee [Selkrig], the new juniors coach, and our president Leigh Campbell.”

As well as the expected training and play session, club members will also aim to help familiarise parents with the Geelong Cricket Association’s switch of registration platform from MyCricket to Play HQ during the event.

Last year, the Teesdale and Lethbridge cricket clubs pooled their under 17s numbers to form the “Roosellas” in order to play last season, which Mr Chambers said could be a possibility again.

The club generally sees between 60 and 80 junior players each season, and he said he’d like to see the sides reach closer to capacity.

“The main thing for us is making sure we fill all our teams,” he said. “For the last season or two post-COVID, the interest has been slowly building up.

“I’d say cricket in general for the region has been great though, but all of the clubs here might struggle with juniors at any given season.”

GCA registration fees aside, membership costs for the Teesdale Roos’ juniors will be reimbursed once players have completed their fourth game in the season.

The come and try day will run from 12pm on Sundy 10 September at the Don Wallace Reserve.