Fancy being in the middle?

A Level One Training Programme has been arranged for January/February/March for all those who are interested in becoming Umpires and adding to the ranks of NIACUS.

As many of you know numbers of active umpires have decreased dramatically over the past few seasons and this is placing increasing strain on tyhe NIACUS Appointments Secretary as he seeks to accommodate a growth in the number of competitions and commitments at national and international level for Umpires.

We are reaching a point where clubs may have to compete without an official umpire and this is not a situation that as an Association NIACUS would like to see.  There has been much publicity about NIACUS’s plight over recent times and so NIACUS would appeal to all clubs and interested parties to consider attending what is an excellent training programme.

The NIACUS Training Team lead by Keith Smith will provide you with a unique insight into the game and provide you with first class training.  Cost for the programme including an ACO Training Pack and Membership of ACO for one year is £40.  The course will take place at the St Johns Ambulance Training Building at Knockbracken Healthcare Park and commences on 29th January 2013 at 7pm and will last up to eight weeks.

Anyone interested in attending the training should contact Jonathan Lyttle or any member of the NIACUS Executive Committee by Friday 18th January 2013.  NIACUS would encourage clubs to take the lead and demonstrate that they are keen to invest in the local game by supporting Umpiring and committing to the overall future of the NCU/Cricket Ireland.

It is hoped that a weekend course for Level 1a will take place sometime during March and I will keep you updated on details.

Jonathan Lyttle