April marks the start of the cricket season — and for clubs running junior cricket programmes, it also means registration drives, coach recruitment, equipment checks, and the countdown to All Stars and Dynamos sessions kicking off.
Whether you’re launching your junior section for the first time or scaling up an existing one, getting organised before the season begins determines how smoothly everything runs. This guide covers everything you need to set up Kwik Cricket and U11s programmes, keep parents informed, and make sure your young players have the best possible start.
What Are All Stars and Dynamos Cricket?
All Stars Cricket and Dynamos Cricket are the England and Wales Cricket Board’s flagship junior cricket programmes for children aged 5–8 and 8–11 respectively. Both run from April through August and are delivered through ECB-registered clubs.
- All Stars Cricket uses Kwik Cricket — a non-competitive, soft-ball format designed to introduce young children to the game through games, activities, and Chance to Shine-style engagement. Every participating child receives a kit pack.
- Dynamos Cricket is aimed at slightly older children who are ready for a more structured cricket experience. It bridges the gap between introductory play and proper hard-ball cricket in U11s and older junior sections.
Both programmes are excellent entry points for recruiting players into your longer-term junior cricket programmes.
Registration Drives: Getting Children Through the Door
A strong registration drive before April is essential for any club running junior cricket programmes. Here’s how to approach it:
- Start early. ECB registration through the All Stars and Dynamos platforms opens several months before the season. The earlier you register your club, the sooner parents in your area can find and book sessions.
- Use school partnerships. Primary schools are your single biggest source of new junior players. Make contact with local PE coordinators in January and February — offer a taster session, supply flyers for book bags, or ask to be featured in the school newsletter. A relationship with two or three local schools can fill your Kwik Cricket sessions quickly.
- Leverage social media and local groups. Facebook community groups, Nextdoor, and WhatsApp parent networks are highly effective for grassroots cricket promotion. Post early, post often, and make registration links easy to find.
- Create a simple sign-up process. If parents encounter friction — confusing forms, unclear timings, no way to pay online — many will drop off. Keeping registration streamlined is one of the most overlooked parts of running junior cricket programmes.
- Coach Recruitment and Qualifications
Junior cricket programmes cannot run without qualified coaches. For All Stars and Dynamos, ECB requires at least one ECB-accredited coach per session, plus appropriate DBS checks for all adults working with children.
- ECB Level 1 is the entry-level coaching qualification and takes one to two days to complete. It covers fundamental coaching techniques, child safeguarding awareness, and planning introductory sessions. Many clubs fund this for keen volunteers.
- ECB Level 2 coaches can lead the full range of age-group cricket and take on more structured training responsibilities with U11s and above.
Beyond qualifications, look for coaches who are patient, enthusiastic with young players, and reliable. Parent volunteers who played the game — even recreationally — often become excellent junior coaches with the right training. Post coach recruitment calls in your existing club WhatsApp groups and on your social channels before the season.
Don’t forget safeguarding. Every adult working with your junior cricketers needs a current DBS check, and clubs should have a named Child Welfare Officer in place before any sessions begin.
Equipment Needs for Kwik Cricket and U11s
Getting equipment right for different age groups is important. Here’s what you need for each format:
Kwik Cricket (All Stars, ages 5–8):
- Plastic Kwik Cricket sets (bat, ball, stumps, bails)
- Agility markers and cones
- Tennis balls and Incrediball soft balls
- Bibs or coloured bands for team games
- Storage bags for kit
U11s hard-ball cricket:
- Hardball batting pads (junior sizes)
- Junior batting gloves and a helmet with grill
- Hard cricket balls (suitable for turf or artificial wickets)
- Junior bats (size 3–5 depending on age and height)
- Abdominal protectors
- Wicketkeeping gloves and pads
Clubs can apply for ECB Capital Grants to fund equipment purchases, and many county cricket boards offer equipment loans for affiliated clubs running junior cricket programmes. Check your county board’s website in January for grant windows.
Session Planning for Kwik Cricket and U11s
Well-planned sessions make a significant difference to enjoyment and player retention — particularly for the youngest age groups.
For Kwik Cricket sessions (45–60 minutes):
Structure each session around the All Stars activity book supplied by the ECB. Sessions typically follow a warm-up game, a skills activity, a game or mini-match, and a cool-down. Keep instructions short, demonstrations visual, and games competitive enough to be exciting.
Typical session plan:
- Warm-up game (8–10 minutes)
- Batting or fielding skill focus (15 minutes)
- Kwik Cricket match (20 minutes)
- Reflection and sticker activity (5 minutes)
For U11s sessions (75–90 minutes):
U11s can handle more structured skill development. A typical session might cover:
- Warm-up and fielding drill (15 minutes)
- Batting technique — pairs or relay batting (20 minutes)
- Bowling skill work (20 minutes)
- Game scenario or match play (25 minutes)
- Debrief (5 minutes)
Keep squads to manageable numbers — 12 to 16 players per session is ideal. If your junior cricket programmes are oversubscribed, consider running two separate groups.
Parent Engagement: Keeping Families Involved
Parent engagement is one of the most important — and underrated — elements of running successful junior cricket programmes. When parents feel informed and involved, children are more likely to attend consistently and progress through age groups.
- Communicate clearly and regularly. Session times, venue details, cancellations due to weather, and match fixtures should all be communicated promptly. Relying on word of mouth or last-minute messages leads to confusion and frustration.
- Set expectations early. At the start of the season, share a simple document covering session schedule, kit requirements, behaviour expectations, and safeguarding contacts. A short parents’ welcome meeting before the first session works well.
- Involve parents where appropriate. Some will want to help as volunteer coaches or scorers; others prefer to spectate. Create clear pathways for both. Parents who feel part of the club are far more likely to stay through U11s and into the junior hardball section.
- How Spond’s App Supports Junior Cricket programmes
Managing junior cricket programmes involves a constant flow of communication, scheduling, and administration. Spond is a free team and group management app built specifically for sports clubs and organisations, and it makes this considerably easier.
With Spond, coaches and administrators can:
- Schedule sessions and matches with automatic reminders sent to parents and players
- Track attendance across multiple age groups and sessions
- Send group messages to All Stars, Dynamos, and U11s groups separately
- Share documents including welcome packs, session plans, and fixture lists
- Manage payments for optional extras such as kit orders or away trips (paid add-on)
Spond is free to use for group and session management. Payments and club websites are available as optional paid add-ons. For clubs running several junior cricket programmes simultaneously, the ability to keep All Stars, Dynamos, and U11s communications completely separate — without the noise of a single group chat — is particularly valuable.
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