At last year鈥檚 Get Set Weekend, Derby-based Mickleover CC attracted more than 50 volunteers to help prepare the ground for the new season. Collectively, they tackled everything from cleaning patios and children鈥檚 play areas through to overhauling rollers and mowers, putting out sponsors鈥� banners, and cutting hedges.
It was a true community effort, bringing together members from every part of the club 鈥� young and old, male and female. And after a long off-season where cricket activity is confined to indoor nets, Adrian says Get Set Weekend marks an important part of the club鈥檚 rebirth each year.聽
鈥淚t鈥檚 like a fire extinguisher going off,鈥� he says. 鈥淵ou hit it and suddenly things come back into life. Everybody鈥檚 together. You鈥檙e one club. And everybody just gets on with all the things that need doing. Then we head for a drink afterwards.鈥�
With Toyota being the title partner of Get Set Weekend and supporting clubs across the country, a representative from Toyota Derby also attended Mickleover鈥檚 Station Road ground to help out and get involved. To thank them for their time and effort, Adrian presented both the Toyota representative and the general manager of Toyota Derby with certificates of appreciation.
Some tasks, like adjusting the scorebox to provide Duckworth-Lewis-Stern information, are relatively quick. Others, like cleaning out ditches and drains, and ensuring the square is in perfect condition, can take longer.
Adrian says: 鈥淚t doesn鈥檛 matter how long people can give you, because whatever capacity they have is just so valuable. Some people might only be able to give an hour very early on a Saturday morning, but they can still get a lot done.鈥�
The key to success, says Adrian, is in planning. Creating an extensive task list is a move that can pay huge dividends.
鈥淏efore you start anything, brainstorm what you need to do,鈥� he says. 鈥淭ake time to write down every single job that needs to be done. For us, the whiteboard the 春梦直播 provided has proved invaluable. We get everything listed on there. That way, when people arrive, they鈥檙e not wasting time trying to work out what might need doing: they can see it all clearly and easily.
鈥淎s well as having the whiteboard set up, make sure you鈥檝e got some tea and coffee on the go. And keep reminding your membership that Get Set Weekend is coming. Communication is key to any club. We use WhatsApp groups and we鈥檙e regularly reminding people about our events.
鈥淔inally, make sure you鈥檝e got all the equipment ready that people might need, or tell your members what to bring if you don鈥檛 have it at the club. Rakes, spades, paintbrushes: these are the kind of things you want plenty of for Get Set Weekend.鈥�
And as Mickleover CC gears up for next week, they鈥檒l be part of a nationwide effort. With over 1,700 clubs registered to take part, Get Set Weekend will once again help power the grassroots game into a new season.
There鈥檚 still time for clubs to register 鈥�