Lighting the fire

While watching the end game pan out between the women of Clontarf and Rush, I came upon a group of Rushians and after the polite hellos, congratulations to the youngsters of each side on recent performances, one of the Rush group mentioned that he had played against me in the first ever Under 13 between Clontarf and Rush. 

While short term memory is very iffie, this is a game that I remember quite clearly. I wasn't aware that the game was a first, just that it was my first ever cricket match.  He reckoned it took place in 1976, which I have to admit I felt was a few years too late, but on checking Cricket Leinster’s centenary history 100 Not out, it turns out that he had it spot on. 

We reminisced for a few moments about the game and while details differed a little (hardly surprising given the maths on how many years ago it was that the game took place), what was clear was that this game had stayed with us for an awfully long time.  I could, to this day, make a decent effort at naming the Clontarf side and I am pretty sure that a Rush XI would have been forthcoming if the game we were attending hadn't abruptly come to an end. 

Earlier in the week, I popped down the Howth Road to watch the great-niece play in her Under 11 final.  The final day of her summer holiday and the climax was a cup final against The Hills on her own ground with a big crowd watching. What could have been better.

The occasion made me realize, once again, just how much I love youth sport, particularly youth sport that is played and led in the correct manner. Where teams go out to play as hard as they can, give their all, but everyone stays on the right side of sportsmanship. A big crowd supporting both teams created a wonderful supportive atmosphere and the whole occasion was a joy, a joy that was clear in all the participants' faces. I had a camera with me. These girls do good celebrations.

Earlier this summer, Clontarf CC sent their development officer to the school where I work. Nothing new in that, it's something that has been going on for years and has resulted in some pretty decent cricketers finding their way to Castle Avenue.  This year there was a new Development officer in Michael Hingston. 

Michael (or more correctly Hinky) came to the club with a CV including Merrion, Malahide, Cricket Ireland as well as a playing career in CIYMS.  I first came across Michael when he was Cricket Ireland's coach education officer, the coaching conference he ran in Belfast was up there with the best the ECB ever ran in Lilleshall years ago and they were brilliant. We crossed paths again when he ran youth cricket in Malahide and I did similar in Clontarf, always a fair man with whom to deal. As coach to the Irish under 13s, the youngest became a fan so when his appointment to the Dublin 3  job was announced, our household was pretty sure that the kids were in good hands.

Coaching in the school yard is a tough gig. You may have a couple of cricketers but the reality (and indeed the point) is that the majority are beginners. For 3 or 4 hours, you coach the same basic lesson. Not every coach is cut out for it. If the technical intricacies of the cover drive are your thing then then coaching school yard cricket is not for you. Michael Hingston describes it as “lighting the fire”.

He told me this as he walked around the yard with a cone on his head. The kids in our school loved him. His organization, his plans but most of all his ability to communicate with the kids made the time fly by.  Staff onlookers wanted to join in.  We realised that he was making an impression when the tennis balls that were brought out at break time were being used to practice bowling across the yard and discussions surrounded the merits of leg break bowling. The fire had been lit.

Enter coach number Two. Cricket Leinster’s development officer wondered if we would like to play a game. Everyone loves Fintan McAllister. An endlessly good natured individual (and a very fine cricketer too), Fintan organized a couple of games for our school which allowed for some of those leg breaks to be put in meaningful action. Won one, lost one but a little experience gained, fanning the flames.

A number of the school team were on the Clontarf under 11s in the final last week, a number were part of the wider squad and who played for the team during the summer,  who came down to provide raucous support.  Last day of summer with school beckoning the following morning the players gave their all and smiled and laughed their way through the game. It was impossible not to enjoy the occasion. Clontarf won, that makes it easier to enjoy, I hear you say. That may be true but both sides played their part in a terrific game which swung back and forward and in reality was in doubt up until the final couple of  overs. 

Cricket Leinster deserve credit for having enough medals so that the supporting squad members were included in the medal presentation and once again President Meena hit the nail on the head with her words, speaking directly to the players not the adult crowd, while also having individual words for the players.

These all might just be small things, but it's the small things that make a difference.

In 50 years time, It would be lovely if two members of the opposing teams found themselves walking around a sports ground, making the connection and remembering the last day of summer 2025.