Victorian Player Pathway
Cricket Victoria has confirmed its new Player Pathway Model that will provide young players from all over the state opportunities to showcase their talent.
The streamlined model is designed to support and develop future Australian and First-Class players while also ensuring young cricketers form a lifelong connection with the game.
Take a look at this video which explains the Victorian Player Pathway in more detail.
Victorian Player Pathway Model Infographic
A cricketer’s pathway to Cricket Victoria’s Emerging Players Program will transition through three phases: ‘Be Exposed’, ‘Be Challenged’, ‘Be Prepared’.
For a young male player, their first foray into representative cricket in the ‘Be Exposed’ phase will occur at under 14 and under 15 level through the Victorian Metropolitan Cricket Union’s (VMCU) Russell Allan Shield, the Victorian Sub-District Cricket Association’s (VSDCA) JG Craig Shield and the Victorian Country Cricket League’s (VCCL) Junior Country Week for regional players.
At under 16 level, male players from across the state will advance to the Youth Premier League in the ‘Be Challenged’ phase. This program will be overseen by Cricket Victoria’s Coaching and Talent specialists and can lead to further opportunities in the under 17 Emerging Players Program.
The ‘Be Prepared’ phase sees the return of the Dowling Shield with under 17 players linking with a Premier Club. This is the pathway’s finishing school and will aim to ensure players are ready to transition to senior cricket. This will align with the under 19 Emerging Players Program.
Female players will follow a similar pathway with representative opportunities beginning at under 14 level through the VMCU’s Julie Savage Shield and the VCCL’s Junior Country Week.
The Youth Premier League will be open to under 15 players and align with Cricket Victoria’s under 16 Female Emerging Players Program. The final step will be an under 18 Premier Competition where players will link with Premier Clubs and earn opportunities in the under 19 Female Emerging Players Program.
We’ve answered some of the most common questions in relation to the updated Player Pathway Model introduced in the FAQ section below.
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