Pathways must stay: Speak

NEW Geelong coach Nick Speak has backed the clubs to step in and ensure the survival of Cricket Victoria’s pathways programs.

With the Youth Premier League facing an uncertain future in the wake of mass job losses at CV, clubs are poised to take over the running of competitions such as the Dowling Shield.

Speak, who coached Dandenong to a premiership in four seasons and was a mentor at Melbourne for eight years, supported a move by the clubs to save the YPL.

“I think if they (clubs) have to take the lead, they must, they should,” Speak said.

“I think the pathways system is not being compromised because of a lack of faith, it’s just purely logistics and funding. It’s cascading down from Cricket Australia to Cricket Victoria, but I think anything that changes will be short term.

“I’m sure the goal will be to return to status quo as soon as we get through this, and if it means the clubs pick up that slack this year and maybe next, it has to happen.”

A former Victorian Futures coach and the current coach of Cricket Victoria Academy under-19s (country) squad, Speak said it was vital the competition remained in its current format.

“We need that link,” Speak said.

“I’ve been involved in the under-19s program for the last three years and it’s integral, the whole YPL and Dowling Shield. It’s really important and it has to happen.

“We’re not talking about club cricketers here, we’re talking about 14, 15 and 16-year-old cricketers and what they aspire to do and that is a bridge to Premier cricket.”