Tigers coaching underway at Pollock Park

The cold and windy weather were not ideal conditions to be playing cricket but it did not dampen the enthusiasm of the large number of boys and girls who attended.

This year the Tigers have split their practices over three nights to ensure that all members receive the best possible coaching.

On Tuesday night, primary aged members participated in a range of activities that catered for all abilities.

The youngest members played games of Kwik cricket under the watchful eye of development officer, Graeme Hunter. Kwik cricket uses a softer ball and minimal equipment.

The emphasis is on fun with a little bit of coaching to introduce children to the basics.

The Inter cricket group is headed up by Andrew Bingham. This is a format that was successfully introduced by the club a few years ago to bridge the gap between Kwik cricket and cricket with a hard ball.

It uses a soft ball but includes all the other equipment found in adult cricket, e.g. pads and gloves.

The older members were put through their paces by club professional, Niranjan Godbole and Callum Grieve. The priority for these children is still on fun but more time is devoted to the coaching of specific areas.

The Tigers also have a girls’ group and coaches were impressed with the eye hand coordination that was on show. The influence of Lurgan Ladies was definitely evident in many of the shots.

On Wednesday evening it was the turn of the Under 13s, Under 15s and Ladies groups. On Thursday evening the Under 17s had their first session together.

Over the course of the year Tiger members will have lots of opportunities to play in competitive fixtures against other clubs.

Lurgan currently field two teams in NCU competitions at U11, U13 and U15 age groups. The U17s and Ladies team will also play regularly throughout the summer.

Practice sessions continue each week throughout the summer and during the holidays sessions will also be available three mornings a week for primary aged members and two afternoons a week for secondary aged players.

Some places are still available, so for an application form or for further information please contact the Tigers Membership Secretary, Howard Ingram, on 07752 975948 or visit the Tigers website www.lurgantigers.com