Who We Are
Instonians Cricket Club is one of Ireland’s most respected clubs. Founded in 1932 it has a rich history (NCU Senior League winners 2023) and a strong commitment to youth development. Our mission is to use cricket as a vehicle to empower young people, teaching them critical life skills through sport. We’re proud of our success, including our 2024 All-Ireland U13 Championship win, but our focus goes beyond results. We emphasize personal growth, teamwork, and leadership through our unique BRAVE values: Belief, Respect, Actions, Vulnerability, and Enjoyment.
Our youth programme has grown steadily, and we now want to ensure that every child—regardless of gender—has an opportunity to enjoy cricket and develop in a supportive, values-based environment. That’s why we’re launching our first Girls U13 team in 2025 and expanding our existing youth setup to support even more young players.
Why This Project Matters
Our project is focused on expanding our youth section and creating a dedicated Girls U13 team. Currently, there are limited opportunities for girls to play cricket in our community. We want to change that by providing a structured pathway for female cricketers, allowing them to develop their skills in an inclusive environment.
Additionally, we need to scale up our coaching and resources to meet growing demand. Our goal is to support over 200 youth members next year, ensuring every player receives the coaching, guidance, and support they need to succeed. This project also includes the introduction of a Winter Training Programme, allowing both boys and girls to continue improving year-round.
Our Project Goals
1. Establish a Girls U13 Team: Launch a dedicated girls’ side with regular training sessions and competitive opportunities.
2. Expand U9 programme : Allocate more coaching time and resources to our youngest players, giving them a strong foundation in both cricket skills and positive values.
3. Enhance Coaching Capacity: Recruit and train new coaches to maintain a high-quality experience for all players.
4. Winter Training Programme: Provide structured indoor sessions during the off-season to keep our youth engaged and developing.
5. Invest in Equipment: Purchase additional equipment specifically for youth training and the new girls’ team.
How You Can Help
Your support will enable us to:
• Launch our first Girls U13 team, providing young girls with the chance to play cricket in a structured, positive environment.
• Expand our coaching resources to keep up with the growing demand for youth cricket.
• Run a Winter Programme that ensures year-round development for all our players.
• Keep our membership fees affordable, ensuring cricket is accessible to all families.
By supporting this project, you’ll help us create meaningful opportunities for young people and contribute to a brighter future for our club and community. Thank you for considering backing the Instonians Youth Expansion Project.
How you can play your part
There are four simple ways to help us reach our target, and make this project a reality.
1. Make a pledge. Don’t delay if you’re going to support us because momentum is key to our success!
2. Spread the word. Share our project on your social media pages and tell the world to get behind us! The more people we reach, the more support we will get.
3. Offer rewards. Get involved if you are a local business by donating things we can offer to our supporters. We will give you a shout out!
4. Fundraise for us. If you want to run your own fundraiser – maybe a sponsored activity or similar – use the 'contact project' button at the top of our page to let us know. Setting up your own page only takes a few minutes and you won’t need any bank details. Just a fun idea!