any recommendations for cricket coaching for kids?

[crescent]

My slightly under-confident 8 year old son has expressed an interest in cricket, so I'm looking for a cricket club near by.

We had a slightly disappointing experience last summer where he and a couple of friends went on a couple of 'cricket coaching days', where the coaches pretty much ignored kids who were new to cricket, and concentrated on the "good ones" in my son's words.

I am not looking for him to represent GB in the under 10s...and he is a state school kid with limited experience of cricket, so a little concerned that a cricket club with lot of prep school pupils with more experience may dent his confidence even more. (Checks self for inverted snobbery :o). ) I guess I'm looking for somewhere fairly relaxed, where they welcome beginners.

Does anyone have any recommendations? I understand there is one across from the Harvester pub on Dulwich College...anyone have any experience?

Many thanks.

[Peckhamgatecrasher]

Burgess Park run a colts side. Lovely chap called Colin Hunte (07958 284 133).

It is as far removed from prep school cricket as can be imagined!

[legalalien]

It sounds as though you might have tried Dulwich CC and decided you didn't like it? Failing that, the one across from the Harvester is Streatham and Marlborough and the coach is a lovely guy called Mark. I think I have his contact details somewhere. They have training at the club from 5.30 to 7.30 on Thursday evenings - not incredibly convenient, but manageable depending on sibling commitments!

[sillywoman]

OMG crescent!! I was just about to post an almost identical post! I'll be watching the replies with interest :))

The Burgess park one sounds very interesting; do you have personal experience of it PGC?

[Peckhamgatecrasher]

Yup. My daughter attended for a while a couple of years back. She loved it but Air Cadets got in the way so cricket was dropped.

She was the only girl at that time but never made to feel out of place or awkward. Colin is passionate about bringing cricket to kids and a huge inspiration.

Here's the link.

[Queenie23]

I'd like to add Streatham and Marlborough - Mark is fantastic with all kids at all levels. They do primary school training on Wednesdays 5.30 - 7.30 and secondary Thursday 5,30 - 7.30. Plus they are going to be doing a girls only on Tuesday I think. Most of the kids who go there are state school kids and they have fantastic links with surrey cricket.

[Queenie23]

I got that wrong - It is primary school training on Thursdays and secondary school training on Wednesdays.

[iceicebaby]

There is a huge colts section at Streatham and Marlborough.

http://stmcc.play-cricket.com/home/home.asp

http://www.streathammarlboroughcc.co.uk/