Enniskillen Cricket Club are preparing to host their end-of-school term Kwik cricket tournament once again due to take place on Tuesday, June 4.

The annual event has taken place most years since the club’s youth development officer Kenny Maxwell started coaching in the local schools in 1996.

Kenny admits it has been at times a rocky path but his burning desire to keep cricket alive in his home town was the catalyst for him to start this.

“With the demise of the Enniskillen team that took part in the old Tyrone and Fermanagh mid-week league, there was no town team,” explained Kenny.

“But the local schools continued to play Kwik cricket and it became more and more popular with new schools entering the programme every year.”

Kenny continued: "It was plain to see how the kids enjoyed the game but unfortunately after they left primary school there was no pathway within the town to involve them in hardball cricket, due to the lack of an Enniskillen senior team and club.”

However, with the reforming in 2021 of Enniskillen Cricket Club there is now an opportunity to provide this.

“We have taken the first small steps to implement this with several youth nights which we hope to make a more regular occurrence.”

Kenny also stated that the transformation from soft to hardball cricket was a big step but one which he believes most children enjoy taking.

In primary schools there is an autumn and winter skills programme being run with most schools also running a block of sessions where budding cricketers can hone their new found skills to partake in the Kwik cricket finals day in June.

“So many good young cricketers have come this path and disappointingly most never go on to play the game at hardball level.

“But it's an issue we would like to address as these kids are the future of our club. You can't build a club on sand as it will collapse and fold.

“If these youngsters come in and gradually through the years filter into your senior squad then it becomes a very strong club mixing both experience and youth.”

Mark Bloomfield, P.E. coordinator at Fivemiletown Primary School said the school was delighted to have Kenny at the school again this year for cricket coaching.

“The children thoroughly enjoyed the sessions and were able to develop their skills in batting, bowling and fielding.

“They are starting to appreciate the range of skills involved in the sport of cricket and the twists and turns of fortune in this wonderful game!

“We hope that these sessions will foster a love of cricket and lead them to play the sport at their post-primary schools and then feed into Enniskillen.”

The Fivemiletown pupils are eagerly looking forward to the tournament on June 4 where they will test their new skills against other local primary schools.

Enniskillen Cricket Club is only too well aware of the work and commitment needed to achieve this and the fact that three of the current first-team: skipper Stephen Maxwell; vice-captain Chris McVitty and Paul Ramsay were all coached by Kenny in the past shows it can work.

Stephen Maxwell is also a qualified coach and coaches in local schools as well.

“It is great to see the enthusiasm that the kids have for the game and a lot of squad members took time to come up and assist with their coaching with the ultimate aim being to form a junior Enniskillen team but that is still quite a bit away.

“Let's just get the kids playing cricket and enjoying it, the rest I believe will take care of itself over time,” Kenny concluded.

As well as coaching in schools, the club also hold youth nights. David Cadden, Enniskillen Cricket Club Chairperson said the club were delighted to be able to host the first youth night in early May.

“It proved to be a very popular and successful event resulting in many parents asking for details on further dates. 

“Youth development will continue to be a vital component within the club, especially where cricket perhaps doesn’t get the same recognition as in more city-based schools.

“Special mention goes to our Youth Development Officer, Kenny Maxwell who has also been at the forefront of Primary School coaching throughout Fermanagh over many years and is widely regarded as a key figurehead in both youth and Senior cricket locally. 

“Creating opportunities for young players at grassroots level roots level is the cornerstone of supporting sustainable growth for clubs like ourselves in order to remain strong and competitive.”

The work will continue with further youth events planned which will be advertised as they are organised on the club's Facebook page and other social media platforms.