massive £20/13% increase in Spencer Cricket fees for 2022 Post Reply

[readysteadycook]

My husband just got the renewal through from Spencer Cricket and seen they now want £155 per child (no sibling discount either) for the very short season of 13 sessions ( so about £12 a week) if they dont get rained off.

The part that really makes me wonder about who is running that club, is they leave a section to make an additional voluntary 'donation' to the club. Totally out of touch for a children's club I feel.

When compared to the likes of Broomwood football (£85), Ironsides cricket (£100) , Ironsides Rugby £155 (for maybe 30 sessions) and various other local sports clubs, no wonder Spencer is made up of Private school children only. 

 

[AbbevilleMummy]

I think it’s fantastic value for money.
It’s not just the training sessions, my kids have Sunday matches and festivals all through the summer also. We love Spencer Cricket.

[windmill26]

We pay £14 per session for Basketball so I think the fee for Spencer Cricket is about average for this area.

[BFW]

Broomwood and Ironsides are both run by parents while at Spencer have professional coaches so not comparable I think?

Most of the year groups are starting winter nets now in January so it’s not 13 sessions ? Plus all the Sunday matches ? Spencer’s fee had been flat for years so I think an increase was not to be unexpected.

As for the voluntary contribution … it’s voluntary? So don’t contribute if you don’t want to?

My children have been at Spencer for years and their year groups are a good mix of lots of different local schools (private and state)

I don’t want to sound controversial but there are a number of other clubs so if you are not happy it’s easy to move ?

[dinosaur]

I would definitely look into other cricket clubs. Spencer Cricket is notorious for signing up lots of children, taking the annual fee and then nurturing only a few. 

A couple of years back, the 13-year old son of a family I worked with was placed in a team that didn't have a coach (after the annual membership had been paid). The club simply said that a parent would have to step up. Those volunteers who really care about cricket only want to work with the top teams and they want their children (and their children's friends) to be in the top teams. If you are not in the inner sanctum, it really isn't great value for money. Plus, I think the Winter Nets were extra and were not offered to everyone.  The same child joined another club and is now thriving, on a proper pathway. 

I agree that it is not appropriate to have an "additional voluntary contribution"  on the membership form. Perhaps only those that pay it get access to the good coaching? Spencer isn't really a community club like Broomwood and Ironsides. I agree, it isn't very inclusive and needs to change. 



 

[guest123]

I agree with the responses above, Spencer have made significant changes this year with regard to increasing the level of professional coaching so this year will not be comparable to other years.

When compared to other cricket clubs I don't find this extortionate, and with regard to there only being a focus on the top players this differs per year and is down to the parent year group managers, who give their time voluntarily.

Yes there are lots of children in each age group but my children's year group has a real mix of state and private school children.

[BalhamLiz]

Is there another option for a cricket club for primary children? When I looked into it Spencer was the only option I could find for primary aged children of both sexes.

[Hightrees House]

Yes Spencer is very expensive.

Match fees are in addition to the £155.

You should try Sinjuns Colts on Trinty Fields which is much cheaper, smaller and less clique y.

[astro]

Plenty of state schools kids in my sons group so not sure what this poster is talking about.

Yes they ask for parental involvement but no different to Spencer and wayfarers hockey, or other sports that my kids are involved in.

[Pemberley]

Another vote for Sinjun Grammarians CC on Trinity Fields. My 11yo has been playing a couple of seasons with them and is really enjoying it. They’re very inclusive and kids get good exposure to matches/training. They’re very reasonably priced too.

I don’t have any experience of Spencer cricket except when playing against them.

My other son plays Squash at Spencer though and our experience so far of that is very good. £10 per weekly session and plenty of children to play against.

[YummyMummy2022]

I was thinking the same about the fees. Last year we also lots 2 weeks of cricket to rain and my son only played a couple of games. My son hardly progressed and doesn’t want to come back this year.

My husband complains that there is usually only one coach (occasionally 2 for the 80+ boys) and the club expects the dads to help out - which is fine, but none of the dads have been trained in cricket coaching !

If it’s day 100 children in each age group, that’s about £1300 a session that spencer are raking in, not sure how much value is going to our children.

All the winter courses are charged at £15 a session as well. It all mounts up with utility bills rising and inflation. 

I won’t be renewing this year 

[YummyMummy2022]

I agree with the responses above, Spencer have made significant changes this year with regard to increasing the level of professional coaching so this year will not be comparable to other years.

When compared to other cricket clubs I don't find this extortionate, and with regard to there only being a focus on the top players this differs per year and is down to the parent year group managers, who give their time voluntarily.

Yes there are lots of children in each age group but my children's year group has a real mix of state and private school children.

Hi,

what are the significant changes please ? I heard it was just a single new coach and still wonder how one person can train so many children ?

this other post has some points in that are interesting :
viewtopic.php?f=46&t=122825
 

[Goats]

Spencer Cricket is heavily reliant on parent volunteers still and those parents volunteers seem to be declining rapidly in the junior section as Spencer cricket board are so out of touch with reality and dogmatic and bullying in approach to running the club.
It’s fees are slightly above average for a cricket club but it’s the vast numbers of kids they bring in yearly in each age group that’s fees are propping up the senior section.
They have some good coaches there but rely very heavily on volunteers so coaching is not uniform through the groups.
I certainly am not signing up my daughter this year or volunteering after hearing some dreadful stories annuities how volunteers have been treated.
Wimbledon have a fabulous set up. All pro coaches!

[Fullerwoo12]

fulhamcricketclub.com is another good option and they have some training sessions at Emanuel School. You just pay for what you sign up for rather than committing to the whole season.

[stickystick2]

Seems very reasonable to me

Kids courses (eg for a 7 year old) at the MCC Academy are £288 for 12 weeks.
There is a real mixture of kids that go from state and private, from all over the place