This document has been produced by Hampshire Cricket to help aid the understanding of the new performance pathway throughout the county. It will also assist with spreading the word on

our future assessments to ensure that

promising young cricketers can be nominated

to attend.

The new performance pathway was agreed

and implemented – after a year of planning

and consultation with players, staff and

parents– with a live start date of the 1st

October 2015.

Each section of the pathway is explained within the following pages to allow you to see how the different areas fit together to form the Player Pathway and provide a platform for all players to reach their full potential. If you know of any promising young cricketers

with the potential to join the Hampshire

Player Pathway, please do nominate them for

an assessment. Likewise, please do circulate

this information to relevant people within your

school or cricket club so we can see as many

talented young cricketers as possible.

Best wishes,

Hampshire CCC’s Performance Department

The existing district format has been replaced with four Regional Performance Centres (RPC) managed and delivered by

Hampshire Cricket at some of the premier cricket venues across the county.

A Regional Performance Manager (RPM) will lead their relevant RPC and be responsible for the organisation and delivery

of practices and the summer programme.

The RPC’s have been created to ensure that more players – throughout the county - get the opportunity to access high

quality coaching whilst also maximising access time with players. The four RPMs will be managed and report to the

Hampshire Cricket performance coach to ensure that all players have a high quality environment to learn within.

RPCs’s will run at the U9 – U15 age groups with nominations accepted for players born from 1st September 2007 (Under 8

age group). Players will receive an amount of hours appropriate to their age in a low player: coach ratio environment.

Assessments will be held outside – when possible - with sweep up trials taking place indoors.

The major change to County Age Group cricket is the disbanding of the Under 10 (immediately) and Under 11 (October

1st 2016) age groups. Players within these age groups now train within RPC’s with increased contact time and access

points. Under 12 is the first year for representative age group cricket with nominations coming from the previous years

best performing players at RPC’s alongside new nominations passed on by the RPM. All age group sessions will be held

at The Ageas Bowl and will be run by Age Group Coaches, the Performance Coach and Specialist coaches.

Access time for County Age Group players has increased in line with the changes to RPCs to ensure players receive in

the U12-U15 bracket receive the chance to access high quality cricket coaching at 18 access points throughout the year.

The summer programme will also be boosted with outdoor age group training days to ensure that players are able to

utilise their coach’s expertise all year round.

The skill development groups were introduced to provide additional opportunities to high potential players alongside the

Emerging Players Programme. The specialist groups include;

Spin Bowling with Darren Flint

Fast Bowling with James Tomlinson

Batting with Jimmy Adams

Skill Development Group players are nominated/scouted by County Age Group coaches, the Performance coach and RPM’s.

Qualifying players have shown attributes to excel within their discipline with the help of specialist coaches. The Emerging

Players Programme aims to provide further opportunity for higher potential players from the development groups with the aim

of preparing them for Academy and Professional cricket.

As with the U9-11 age groups Regional Performance Centre nominations will come from existing RPC/CAG coaches,

clubs and schools. From Under 12 onwards nominated players will fall into one of the following three categories; 1) CAG

Winter Training nomination – Players will be invited to attend a CAG assessment day, if the player is unsuccessful

they will become a Category 2 player 2) RPC selection – inclusion in relevant RPC programme or 3) Continue with

club/school – feedback given and player recommended to continue with club and school cricket.

County Age Group nominations come from previous year’s selections – RPC or CAG – alongside additional category 1

players from the Regional Performance Centre assessment days. CAG squad sizes will be around 18 players, however

numbers may vary dependant on the potential and/or attributes of nominated players.

Regional Performance Centres will not provide a training programme for those in the Under 16/17 age group. Nominations

for the development squad (previously Under 16’s) and Under 17’s will come from previous County Age Groups alongside

players identified by RPC coaches as having potential to continue within the pathway, this can include players recommended

from surrounding counties. Winter places in Development squads and Under 17’s are limited due to the provision of high

potential players in the Under 14/15 & 16 age groups.

Players are nominated to attend the autumn Regional Performance Centre assessments by their existing RPC coaches, club or school. Selected players will then take part in the winter programme across eighteen weeks before beginning the summer RPC programme which will include training days and match days – against other RPCs - adopting a new eight-a-side format. At the end of the season, selected players will then have the opportunity to play in an XI against opposing counties. Squad sizes may vary depending on circumstances (maximum 32) but will generally be larger than older age groups. This is to ensure as many players as possible, who are considered to have the necessary attributes and potential are involved.

All parents, players and nominators should understand that by attending an assessment, two outcomes are possible. Players

will either be selected into the Hampshire Cricket pathway, or not. All involved should understand that decisions, at times,

are difficult. We operate an open-door policy on selection and will be very happy for players not selected on one occasion to

attend future assessments. Players develop at different rates and have the ability to improve over time, which we are keen to

be made aware of. Our programme encourages all players to develop a love of the game and stay involved in the sport for

as long as they can, whatever level of cricket their potential takes them to.