Overview
Young Antlers is the start of the Hertfordshire Girls Talent Pathway.
The programme is for girls U10-U12 (School Years 5-7) and is open to all players who have experienced (or are at least ready to transition into) hard ball cricket. Players need to be able to meet all the fundamental skills of cricket (ie bowl consistently with a straight arm) and have a knowledge of the rules of cricket.
Usually, they will have played a season of club league cricket or two seasons of national programmes (Dynamos cricket)
There is no requirement for a club nomination or trial.
Players will be to grouped within sessions based on their age and experience and we will monitor their progress over the course of the winter. Players who join the programme but do not demonstrate the skills required, as defined by the TDF, may not be invited to continue.
Qualification
As Young Antlers is the start of our Talent Pathway players must qualify by playing (for the preceding season) for a cricket club within Hertfordshire which is also affiliated to Hertfordshire Cricket; or live in Hertfordshire; or attend a school in Hertfordshire.
Players are not permitted to be taking part in, or trialling for, any other County Early Engagement programmes (including County Age Groups; Middlesex district / borough; Essex area; Beds Hotshots; Bucks junior Pathway).
Where centres are oversubscribed priority will be given to children who attend a Hertfordshire State School and live within Hertfordshire. This is in line with increasing the diversity of the of the talent pathway; diversity in this context refers to ethnicity, socio economic factors, schooling, and the source of recruitment.
Winter Programme
All sessions last 55 minutes to allow for changeover between groups.
Autumn Term 1- Indoor Sports Halls
- Monday – Leventhorpe School, Sawbridgeworth (6pm)
- Tuesday – Chancellors School, Brookmans Park, Potters Bar (7pm)
- Tuesday – Abbot’s Hill School, Hemel Hempstead (6pm)
- Wednesday – Kingshott School, Hitchin (6pm / 7pm on a rota)
Above is our proposed schedule but this may be subject to change depending upon the number of applications we receive.
Application
Price: £129 includes £20 HCCA Membership for 2025/26
Click here for the girls Young Antlers Application Form
No payment is required at the time of application. If your child is allocated a place you will be sent a confirmation email. We cannot guarantee all applicants will be offered places as some venues are oversubscribed each year; any player we cannot offer a space to due to oversubscription will be place on our waiting list for winter 2025/26.
Financial Support
To support the development of young talented players, to whom the potential cost of being part of Hertfordshire Young Antlers Programme may present financial challenges, the following is available.
Those players who are eligible for free school meals will be able to apply for a full bursary.
Players not eligible for free school meals but experiencing financial challenges can apply to the Early Engagement Support Fund
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Term and Conditions for our winter bookings can be found here
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Hertfordshire Cricket
July 2025
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