Cricket is a fantastic summer sport for boys and girls. It is a team sport where players have the opportunity to play in a team and execute other skills as an individual whether as a batsman, bowler, wicketkeeper or fielder. When they first start playing we hope they will try all of the game skills.

The CJCA’s strategic objective is “to provide the children of Christchurch with the foundation for lifelong participation, enjoyment and success in cricket”. There are a number of starting levels based on the age of the child. We provide a number of in-school awareness programs for the younger kids as well as Club days for the older kids looking to see what the game is like.

The most popular program is the Superstar Cricket Academy  Not all clubs run this programme, and schools may operate their own programs which may well follow Superstar Cricket. Ideally, the younger players go through these programs before playing in higher grades the more fun they will have, but this will depend on the age of the player, and when they come to investigate the wonders cricket has to offer.

Where to play?

Deciding where to play is a big part of a child’s enjoyment of the game. In the first instance, we recommend you look to a Club where their friends are playing. A list of local clubs can be found here

A number of schools operate cricket programs at a Primary School level. These are the Super Starter Skills and Super Cricket programs. Ask your local school if they provide these, the can sign up if they don’t, or you can contact your local club or both.

What time is involved?

This is always a question we are asked as the perception is that cricket takes a long time to play. It is correct if the kids play in High School, Senior Cricket, Provincial Cricket or International Cricket but Junior Cricket takes only a small amount of time. Some clubs offer the Super Star Cricket Academy on Friday nights for an hour or the same on Saturday mornings. Other Junior grades are played on Saturday mornings from 9 am to 12:30 pm.

Do parents have to help?

Clubs would certainly appreciate all the help you can provide. You don’t need a great knowledge of cricket to help as the first skills the kids learn are simple catching, throwing and hitting a ball and having fun. At a young age these are the first steps, and as a parent, you can join in. It’s also a great way to spend some time with your child and his/her friends and has a great time doing so.

Still not sure?

If you have questions please feel free to contact us via email