The newly structured NICA Academy 08/09 provided a huge range of skills, drills and guidance for our best teenage talent throughout the winter period. This year following a directive from SportNI the Academy system was reviewed with the outcome of designing and implementing a more slim line focused system with fewer participants receiving more indepth training and education.

Academy members were :

Under 12 (Head Coach Any McCrea)

Ben Kane (Clftonville CC) Matthew Hurst / James Mitchell / Adam Dennison / Craig Kennedy  (Waringstown CC) Jack Beattie (CIYMS) Samuel Wilson (Armagh CC) Ben Mellor (INST) Ryan Brolly (Ardmore CC) Sam Kerr (Limavady CC) Joe Robinson (Donemana CC) Adam Ramsey (Brigade CC) Dylan Waterstone (Brigade CC)

Under 14 (Head Coach Brian Allen)

Jake Mellor (INST) Aaron Kennedy (Waringstown CC) Rishi Chopra (Coleraine CC) Ross Allen (Limavady CC) Mark Adair (Holywood CC) Chris McMorran (CSNI) James McCollum (Lurgan CC) Peter Eakin (North Down CC) Peter Ferguson (Lisburn CC) Andrew Pierce (Eglinton CC) Lee Ritchie (Eglinton CC) Dean Curry (Brigade CC) Aaron Gillespie (Strabane CC) Calum Mc Gregor (Limavady CC) Jamie Millar (Eglinton CC)

Under 16 (Head Coach Ryan Eagleson)

Alex Hagan (Carrick CC) David Barr (Killyclooney CC) Chris Burns (Bangor CC) Ross Adair (Holywood CC) Craig Drummond (Muckamore CC) Callum Atkinson (Lisburn CC) Ben Wylie (INST) Matthew Gillespie / Ryan Haunter / Andy McBrine (Donemana CC) Scott Campbell (Coleraine CC) Andrew Mitchell (Waringstown CC)
Jack Glenn (Strabane CC) Greame McCarter (Killyclooney CC)

The participants were selected in late October 08 from club and school nominations via trial. Performances from the 2008 Interpro series were taken into consideration also in selection of each squad.

The squads began training pre-xmas at the new Bready CC facility and Queens PEC Belfast. Focus was placed upon building athletic ability particularly witin the Under 12 age grouping in order to hone key skills for future performance. Sessions developed in a coherent manner throughout the winter period with participants asked to contribute to their individual coaching profiles (a new innovation to the academy) by stating their aims and charting their training performances.

Possibly the most unique aspect of the Academy programme is the Player Profiles which the coaches responsible for each age grouping have fed into. This is the first attempt to chart the training progress and assessments made by the key coaches at each age group in respect of performers. The thinking behind this is that over the course of 5-8 years a players progress is recorded and shard with the player enabling specific weaknesses in particular to be targetted by various coaches as the player moves up through youth cricket. These profiles are intended to be passed on to the next age group / Academy coach in order to impart individuality into the training of our youth cricketers.

It is hoped that the Under 14 and 16 Academy squads can attain funding for competitive festivals this summer in Scotland and England respectively.