Our son played under 14 representative cricket last season and did trial for a club’s green shield team for this season. Unfortunately, he missed out but a number of his team mates made the squad.
A few parents of the kids have been persistent with wanting our son to play green shield with them and it’s upsetting him as the coaches of the club have said the squads have been selected.
What should we do to help him?

Its a tough one as I have had 2 sons and at different times one has missed out. It is tough as a parent. At the end of the day, they become more resilient if we give them the right messaging. Discuss how the season provide opportunities to prove them wrong for the next season. Focus on getting good results in junior games over the summer. Be better and stronger. Get them some extra coaching, Spend more time with them in the nest. Until your shoulder gets too sore. In the end one of my boys decided to even by pass the rep stuff as they got older to play good cricket in the seniors. He made this decision himself. Now, he is on the cusp of playing 1sts this coming season. The other one, also just ignored the noise and has already played in the 1sts in the VSCDA competition last year.

Firstly, please continue to encourage your son and let him know he has his whole career and journey in front of him. He is only 14 and as hard as it is to accept, it sounds like he will have another opportunity to play green shield next season.
The most important people to listen to at the club are the coaches and selectors of the green shield team. The green shield competition is a very competitive competition in NSW Premier Cricket and each club is managed and have coaches in positions who know cricket.
Make sure you ask the coaches for feedback on what your son needs to work on to improve his game. It may be quite simple, and he may have missed out on the squad for team balance and therefore not his ability.
I suggest it might be wise to listen to other parents with caution. If they’re not part of the management of the club, a coach or selector and despite what are hopefully good intentions they have no influence over team selections.
Follow the direction and advice of the coaches and club. They’ll be willing to help.
There will always be other teams your son can play in to score lots of runs, takes lot of wickets or dismissals if he’s a wicket keeper. He might be a bit nervous playing with new team mates but cricket always has good people involved and he’ll soon start to enjoy himself.
Please harness his desire to play, improve and enjoy his cricket. If you need further advice or guidance, please don’t hesitate to make contact.
All the best to you and your son. Good luck.

Seek feedback from the selectors on why he wasn’t selected and areas he can improve so he might be selected next season. Work hard on improving in those areas over the next 12 months so that he is in a strong position to be selected next season. Kids develop at different rates and the stars at 12 might be the has beens by 16. There are also lots of stories about players that weren’t selected in rep teams and went on to have very successful careers. It’s only on team and one season. Encourage your son to be determined and prove the selectors wrong next season with strong performances during this season and improvement to his game. Good luck!

Hi Tim, as a dad of 2 boys who were lucky enough to play GS, gaining too much advice from a variety of sources about what to do next can be just as confusing as missing selection.

You haven’t mentioned what team your boy trialled for however a general run of thumb could be applied - where did your GS team finish last year and where did the U15’s reps in your location finish - it gives you a guide on how that GS team might fair this year and a rough level of improvement required to make that team next year.

If your 15’s won reps, the majority should make that GS squad, if they run last and struggled, then that side should be a bit easier to make. Eg. Parramatta won GS and U15 reps last year, naturally most of that U15 team will be in their GS side and should be super competitive.

Also the Academy age groups gives a guide of the “power’ bases in Sydney junior cricket, this can assist as to where to consider trialling next year.

Coaches in less than successful areas will need to be more across the potential candidates from outside your area to “boost’ the playing talent in that team.

That can bring more of an opportunity to play.

Also every club will have a different approach, some will want to win, others will be more about the experience and getting a basic understanding of what playing at the entry level to grade cricket is like.

If you are trialling for a “gun” GS side making that team might not be realistic- every triallist would be of a very high rep standard so to make any side is tough but some sides are definitely harder than others to make.

The simple question “how do you think you went” is never more accurate - did he face the best quick or spinner there or did he bowl to the likely opener and or some of the top 6 batsmen.

If he got bowled a few times or got smashes around - There’s your answer, he’s got a bit to work on - if he thought he did really well, that’s awesome but unfortunately the coaches just can’t fit everyone in.

Naturally most GS teams will select the boys in the U16 age group with a possible sprinkling of younger boys so selecting a squad of so many batters, bowlers, keeper or 2 + the 2 country boys is not easy getting the balance right.

Like any sport, every team has a goal of winning the title but as we know that is not realistic. Think of our footy team we follow. do we expect them to compete for the title or are we happy with top 8.



Making a team might be the highlight of a players career so use the non selection as a chance to self reflect on what he can do better.

One thing to remember- though it is junior cricket, every team is not filled with 15 juniors from each local area - triallists at every GS trial nowadays are from all over Sydney, I would ask did his mates trial elsewhere before hand.

Does he have a desire to only play for his local club, great if he makes it but again each club only picks 15 so it’s good to be realistic if your very area/location is super strong.

Trialling at other clubs next year would definitely harden his game in the winter so the focus to just keep improving your skills should always be the key.

Good luck.

Hi Tim,
As a former Green Shield player & captain myself I like a lot of the comments above that may assist you.
Paul Ryan mentioned that being an U/14 last year he would be eligible again next year for selection & that listening & talking to the Club & Club Coaches & not to much of the other comments from say other Parents that have no influence whatsoever.
Keep encouraging him in scoring runs, taking wickets or dismissals if he’s a keeper but most importantly to enjoy himself. That’s the key, enjoying the game & the rest will fall in place.
I would definitely be keeping in touch with the Club & Club Green Shield Coach or Coaches this year with a view of trialling again next year & knowing the path he needs to tread before then.
The Green Shield to me is the best Junior Competition in NSW which is the steppingstone to Grade, that’s what it was when I played now Premier Cricket I think is what they call it that can lead to bigger things at Senior level.

Hi Tim,

GS isn’t the ‘be all and end all’. A majority of GS players don’t even go on to play premier cricket. And, historically there are many players that have played 1st grade and first class cricket that didn’t play GS. Training well, scoring runs and or taking wickets and enjoying time with your teammates is all that matters. Hope he goes well.