CLUB FEATURE – YMCA CC

This week we caught up with Robyn Lewis to chat about her role coaching the youth teams at YMCA. Like a lot of clubs in Leinster, they have a fantastic youth system and leading the club on this front last season were Robyn Lewis and Cillian Mc Donnell. Both are two young, enthusiastic coaches and although only 21 years of age, Robyn herself has plenty of experience both in the international and domestic game.

Part of the coaching team in the club included two current irish internationals in Gaby Lewis and Curtis Campher whilst they also had Tim Tector, Andrew Blair White, Roy Maltby, and of course, who could forget the most experienced coach at the club, Kamal Merchant.

Speaking on the structure Robyn explains, “we have a youth academy in the club which is split into a boys and girls group where each group received a 90 minute session three times a week usually on Tuesdays, Wednesdays and Thursdays which ran from about 10am-1pm. Most of the youth players in the club come from local schools but there was one initiative that really works for the club. We try to encourage each player to bring a friend with them to training sessions and this works really well. Not only is it good for the player as they are playing with their friends but we have gained many more youth members at the club”. It seems a fantastic idea.

Kamal Merchant is someone that must be mentioned when it comes to coaching the young players at YMCA. “Kamal is a club legend” says Lewis. “He spends hours on hours in the club during the summer just throwing balls all day at players. He is highly respected by everyone in the club and has basically coached every player that has made their way to senior cricket both on the men's and women's front.” Robyn reflects fondly of learning from some excellent coaches - the likes of Clare Shillington, Albert Van Der Merwe,  Jeremy Bray, Trent Johnston, Simi Singh and Kerry Tomlinson.

One of the biggest highlights of the season must be the Mens 1st XI winning the senior cup whilst being one of the youngest teams in the whole competition. The Women's teams in the club also had a good year with them also having very young sides. Robyn says she is one of the oldest players on the team and still only 21 years of age.

Looking forward to the coaching activities for the coming summer she says “one of the best things that came out of last season was the enthusiasm of the coaches to get involved with the youth sessions and they are all raring to go again this season. We can't wait.”

Along with most clubs in Leinster, YMCA is a club that invests a lot of time on their youth system and they certainly seem to be reaping the benefits of it.