Having kicked off a new football program last month, the college welcomed about 20 promising grade 5-6 boys and girls into its halls for the start of what is hoped to be a long association with fostering cricket talent. 

Exercise physiologist Marcus Burston, who will head up the program with Westbury paceman Jonathon Chapman and Launceston skipper Alistair Taylor, said the program would help to condition young bodies for the rigours of the sport. 

“What we find is that a lot of them get to state teams and squads and they haven’t been conditioned for cricket,” Burston said.

“You get kids getting injuries - especially young fast bowlers, they have some imbalance and start to struggle and drop out because of injuries.

“So the idea is to encompass everything in this program - batting, bowling, fielding but also the preparation physically to prepare them for a season of cricket.”

The program will continue in October with sessions for grade 7-8 and 9-10 students, and organisers hope to extend the number of sessions next year. 

Taylor, who was recently appointed head coach at Launceston, will lead the academy’s batting program while Chapman will mentor the bowlers.

The 23-year-old wicketkeeper-batsman said mastering the basics at an early age was a huge advantage for aspiring cricketers.

“I think it’s a brilliant concept and I don’t think there’s enough of it,” Taylor said of the academy.

“A lot of the private schools have their first and seconds cricket and there’s a fair bit of high school cricket around.

“But an actual academy where you’ve got dedicated coaches coming in and putting the work in with some kids ... it’s something for the future that LC can grow to be really big throughout Launny.”