Andy Macmillan has stepped down as Head of Junior Cricket due to work commitments, but 2014 will see Roger Lewis build upon the hard work that Andy has put in over the years. We'd like to thank Andy for for all of his efforts over the past few years in helping to take the junior section onto the next level. Andy will remain as a coach for the 2014 season and beyond.

A message from the new Head of Junior Cricket, Roger Lewis:

As a parent, my first Saturday morning memories of junior cricket at Eversholt are a coach happily surrounded by kids and multi-coloured cones, the summer smell of mown grass, the village church bells in the background and a parent's warming cup of tea in an Eversholt mug. It was clear, early on, that this was a place where people cared about the game they loved, and wanted children to learn to love it just as much. And what a setting in which to do it.

In 2014 I am delighted to be able to tell you that Eversholt Juniors will be the beneficiaries of significant funding from last season's successful celebrity Lashings visit. As I write we have six new coaches embarking on funded qualifying courses. I particularly want to thank these new coaches (parents, players, past players, friends and girlfriends) for their enthusiasm and commitment. The Club will also benefit from new rain covers, to protect the playing square, and some refurbishment of the umpire's changing facilities and scorebox. How lucky we are to host such an event as Lashings every other year, not just to see ex professionals like Courtney Walsh and Andrew Caddick at Eversholt, but also then to be able to reinvest funds in our Club.

As well as some new faces in the coaching team in 2014, parents can expect to see updated coaching plans for their offspring, also with fresh input from newly appointed junior batting and bowling coaches. All exciting stuff.

A quick word of thanks before finishing with dates for your diaries. Andy Macmillan had led the junior section with commitment and enthusiasm, and is responsible for most of us (parents and children) choosing Eversholt as our place to play and coach. Thank you, Andy.

The following key dates are when junior cricket at Eversholt will get under way this spring:

- Sunday 6 April : Eversholt Junior Cricket Pre-season Open Afternoon Drop In (Eversholt Village Hall, 2.30-5.30pm) - stop by for some tea + cakes and hear about our plans for the new season. There will be some games for the kids to play and coaches on hand to answer questions. Come for as short or long as you wish. If you are new to Eversholt CC Juniors, and thinking about bringing your son or daughter along this summer, please do come and say hello. You can introduce yourself to Roger Lewis (Tel. 0782 448 2389) or any other junior coach present. For the regulars, this event replaces previous years' registration evenings, so do come along if you can.

- Tuesday 22 April (6.30-8pm) first outdoor evening coaching for both under 12 (school years 6 and 7) and under 14 (years 8 and 9). This reverts to its more regular Monday evening the following week.

- Saturday 26 April (9.30-11am) first outdoor coaching session for under 10 (school years 5 and below). We are keen to increase our junior cricket email network.

If you have friends who may be interested in Eversholt junior cricket, particularly in school years 5 and below, please forward this email on to them. If at the same time you copy it to Eversholt Cricket Club's email address we can then include your friends on future Eversholt Junior Cricket information messages.

See you all soon!

Roger Lewis