Primary school visits continue to be the flagship of the development programme, with the main focus currently on boys and girls in the 8-11 year old bracket. Many `Kwik Cricket' inter-schools tournaments are being run during the summer term, although a lot of work has been put into preparing the stronger primary schools for participation in the `Harry Risk' schools U13 Cup, which is usually geared towards 1st year pupils in secondary schools. Blackrock College and Castleknock College made a return to the Leinster Schools league this year. Both have impressive grounds and attract many young players who have been introduced to the game at nearby feeder schools.

Another very successful ECB/NCTC `Level 1' coaching course was held over the winter, with 18 candidates gaining certificates for their efforts over the nine-week duration. Almost all the participants have been actively involved this year within their clubs' youth section.

The winter coaching programme for Leinster Under Age squads finished in April after 150 hours spent with boys squads from U11s upwards and also the girls U15 and U17 squads since October. All squads have a busy summer ahead of them with the U15s travelling to Kent in July to play against Essex U15s, Kent U15s & Cranbrook school, while the U19s travel to Rugby school near Birmingham to participate in a four team tournament, (Leinster, Rugby, Charterhouse & Malvern School). Warwickshire girls' U15s travel to Dublin in August while the girls U17s look forward to a trip to Wales. In order to provide the best standard of cricket for our younger players, North V's South games have been arranged for U11s, 12s, 14s and U16s.

Many club youth sections have benefited from the services of overseas players in a coaching role during the summer months. All clubs have now been asked to make their overseas players available for a short period to assist in development/coaching sessions during the season. Reinhardt Strydom, Thinus Fourie, Malcolm Stuurman, Sadat Gul and Neil Umplebui have already assisted in the running of schools tournaments and underage squad sessions. The influx of foreign players into the Leinster cricket circle has been a huge boost to the game in recent years and integrating them into the coaching structures during the summer months will no doubt benefit the young players of the future.