by Booney » Wed Sep 06, 2023 9:18 am
From the WYCCC Facebook page :
As a committee we have set a new guideline that we would be fully transparent and open to our members and as such we would like to bring everyone in on a decision that the committee has made with the long term sustainability of the club front of mind.
Due to circumstances out of the clubs control, we have had a large number of our section 1 side from last years semi-final side, plus one or two other section 1 players, unable to commit to this season and beyond.
The majority of these players have been at the club for quite a while and have helped us through some tough times and we thank them for their services to the club.
As a committee we are not trying to dwell on what has happened in the past but are only focused on the future. The club is investing a lot of resources into rebuilding our junior program (you may have seen updates around this over the past few weeks) and putting focus on creating a good culture for all members of our great club.
This process does not resolve our short term issues however long term will provide us with great benefit.
The reality of this situation is that our depth is being greatly tested with our B grade side down in section 5 and level of cricket played in this section is vastly different to section 1.
With these points in mind and after consultation with current and past members of the club we feel we need a circuit breaking moment and have advised the association of our intentions to not be in section 1 this up coming season but we will still be registering 3 teams this summer and the intention to return to the T20 format.
We believe that this is the best way for us to get our club back to the success of the past but also keep the club around for many years to come. We also believe that by doing this we can rise back up through the ranks (back to section 1) with all teams going up as one to keep the jump between grades manageable.
We are yet to hear back from the association as to what grade that will be entered into but we will make that public knowledge as soon as we find out.
We can understand that our members, players and supporters will have questions in regards to this decision, and we encourage you to reach out to a member of the committee to have those questions answered. This has been a difficult situation to work through as there are many stakeholders within the 4 walls of the club.
Rest assured, even though this has been a less than ideal scenario for the club on the field, the committee are working tirelessly to make sure the club is in the best position possible to build towards being strong both on and off the field for many years to come.
A bitter pill to swallow but one that has felt inevitable for some time. I imagine many clubs have or will experience similar issues in the years ahead as player retention becomes more difficult and the renewed focus on our junior program is a welcoem one for me.
If you want to go quickly, go alone.
If you want to go far, go together.