Sadly, the Summer is drawing to a close. To the delight of parents and carers, the start of the new school year is in touching distance! The final outdoor Training Session takes place on the 6th September, 2019.

The Under 9s final Softball Cricket Tournament of 2019 takes place at our neighbours, Seaton Carew Cricket Club. This is the Under 9s ninth tournament of 2019, with three of the eight tournaments having been won.

Our Under 9s have worked very hard this year, so a massive well done to them! They’ve not just worked hard with their outdoor training, but also with their Winter training too. Consequently, it’s hoped that their hard work is rewarded with some fine performances at Seaton. However, the important thing is for them to enjoy the games and for them to play cricket in the right spirit, with our opponents being respected : win graciously and lose graciously. The Under 9s should be proud of how they’ve progressed over 2019. But more of that at our Presentation Night on the 4th October, 2019 when we take a look back over the cricketing year. Tickets are presently available from Chris Smith. The tickets cost £1.00 each.

Three teams are being entered at Seaton Carew. The great news is that for the first time this season we are entering a girls team, the Does, which will be skippered by Emily Sirs. The Does will feature some girls who’ve not yet played in a tournament. Hopefully, they’ll enjoy the experience. Best of luck to the Does!

The following teams have been selected, with details of their respective group being confirmed, :-

Does : Seaton Sloggers; Sedgefield 1; and Stockton Swifts : Managed by Chris Smith
Emily (C);
Bella;
Matilda;
Paige;
Saoirse; and
Clara.

Stags : Stockton Strikers; Sedgefield 2; and Shildon Locos 2 : Managed by David Thompson and Graeme Coverdale
Benjamin Smith (C);
Sam Blakey;
Noah Thompson;
Callan Coverdale;
Finlay Coverdale; and
Finley Davies.

Silverbacks : Stockton Sixers; Seaton Sloggers 2; and Shildon 1 : Managed by Danny Hawkins and Paul Dickson
Mehdi Ali (C);
Harry Dickson;
George Martin;
Matthew Curtis;
Felix Holroyd;
James Hawkins; and
Hameed Ahmed.

A squad rotation system will apply to the Silverbacks.

Mention must be made of Benjamin Smith, Sam Blakey, Mehdi Ali and Harry Dickson. It’s their final matches at the Under 9 level. Enjoy the tournament before you move up to the Under 11s. They’ve been important members of the Under 9s and have been a pleasure to coach : eager to learn; enthusiastic; and they practice outside of the Training Sessions, which is shown by how they perform. They should have no difficulty making the full time move to hardball cricket!

The final word must go to the parents and carers who have supported the Under 9s this year, both home and away. Thanks for your excellent support. Hopefully, you’ve enjoyed the cricket and watching your Young Cricketers develop their cricketing skills, enjoying many successes along the way!