Dear Members,
Wishing you all a belated Happy 2025, with high hopes for another fantastic outdoor season ahead of us.
Last year brought some excellent results, development and renewal for the Optimists Cricket Club (“OCC” and/or the “Club”) with the fantastic successes in the LCF and BCF, the official opening of the new ‘Optimists Cricket Club Pavilion’ and the return of large-scale friendly fixtures. We are hopeful for more success on the field this year, enhancements to the pavilion and other facilities as well as other exciting Club developments.
I’m happy to share some important updates with you all below and ask that you note the important section regarding ‘Membership Application and Subscription’.
Winter Updates from the AGM and the Committee
The Club held its annual general meeting in November 2024. We were pleased to see a good turn-out and were very grateful for members’ help with regards to updating the Club’s statutes. In terms of Committee appointments and roles, Joost decided to step down as Chairman after a successful term with highlights including the new pavilion and his role in ensuring cricket happened during the difficult COVID years. And we extend our thanks again to him and for wanting to continue on the Committee this season. I was honoured to be elected the new Chairman of the Club and look forward to my own tenure and development and successes I aim for it to bring. Other than said change, and the change from earlier in 2024 when Mohit decided to step down from the committee, for personal reasons, there were no other changes and the rest of the committee agreed to continue on. Another development in this space is my intention for Committee to create sub-committees (of volunteers) to help Committee Members with the large array of tasks and work that go into the running of the Club and we look to members for their help and support in this regard (see ‘Club Life and Volunteering’ section below).
A final development that came out of the AGM was an important change to OCC Membership. In recent years, the Club has tried to encourage as much membership as possible via the use of targeted membership options (such as BCF-only, friendly-only, etc.). Although this has brought in some additional members, an unfortunate byproduct of the exercise has been a silo-ing of the various formats and an erosion of the Club spirit that has been built up over many years. OCC is approaching its 50th anniversary and has a fantastic history and for many years it was the only (or one of a very small number of) male cricket club in the country. In the recent past cricket has seen a boom in popularity and we are thrilled to see so many people excited about cricket and the birth of exciting new Clubs. At the time of the creation of the LCF, before which most OCC games were in the BCF or friendlies, practically all cricketers in the country were OCC members. Since then, OCC has entered a team or teams into the LCF, but under the name ‘Walferdange Optimists Cricket Club’ (WOCC). The reason for this distinction made sense for many years but now, as we look to re-foster the OCC Club spirit and identity, the decision has been made to re-name the team that participates in the LCF as ‘Optimists Cricket Club’ (OCC), thereby harmonising our various teams under one banner. We have also removed the targeted membership types for the same reason. This is not to say that members of other LCF sides cannot join OCC. Of course, they can but they obviously will not be eligible to play for OCC in the LCF, unless they transfer to the Club, but they would still be eligible for other formats (such as playing in the BCF squad). Under this new approach, the expectation is that all Club members contribute to a thriving Club Life and are expected to do their part in terms of volunteering and helping (see ‘Club Life and Volunteering’ section below). This is so important that it will become part of selection criteria. This development was unanimously welcomed at the AGM and we firmly believe that this will foster and even stronger sense of ‘Club’ within OCC.
On-field Matters
OCC will be participating in the LCF competitions again (with its 1st XI returning to defend its Division 1 title and Pete Mitchell Cup) with Ed Packard leading the 1st XI again and Andries Venter taking over from Mark Fitzgerald as the 2nd XI skipper. Following their victory in the Pete Mitchell Cup last season, the 1st XI will be playing in the European Cricket League (in Malaga) next week and we wish them the very best as they compete with Europe’s other champions.
In the BCF, following the team’s promotion (after a second-place finish last season) to division 2, the team (led by Pankaj Malav) will be looking to compete well again in this season’s competition against group of challenging opponents.
Following some fantastic friendly fixtures last season, we’re happy to confirm that we’ll be welcoming a number of great teams again this season this season as well as various other more local friendly fixtures such as the Captain’s vs. Chairman’s match.
Membership Application and Subscription
Available in the 'How to join the club' section of the website are the 2025 application and membership renewal forms. If you are a new member then please complete the application form and if you are an existing member then please complete the membership renewal form. Details of what to do, what to pay, etc. can be found in the forms.
Whichever form you complete, please fully complete it and return it to occ.clubsec@gmail.com as soon as possible as well as making the payment by the 31st of March 2025. Please note that if you haven’t submitted a form and made your payment by this date then you may not be eligible for selection.
In both forms you will see a new section - What Cricket matters most to you?’. Please be sure to complete this section as it allows us to understand where demand is for the various formats.
Pavilion & Ground
Following the successful official opening of the OCC Pavilion last season, we are pleased to share that work has continued to make a real home for OCC and its members. We want to encourage members and their families to spend time there and hopefully the changes that members will see when we open up in the spring will contribute to that and give a place to show off the Club and its history.
In terms of the ground and other facilities, we are working to install new safe nets. We cannot, at this time, say when they should be in place, but it is a priority for the committee. Additionally, the ground staff made a change to their machinery arsenal which should hopefully see an even greater field of play on which cricket is played.
The ground set-up day is planned to take place on the 19th of April 2025 and we ask as many members as possible to attend in order to carry out all the necessary work that needs to be completed ahead of the start of the season.
Club Life and Volunteering
Like many cricket clubs the world over, OCC tries to be a club which combines the playing of the sport, the love of the sport and the social interaction that comes with it. The Club welcomes players of all backgrounds and levels and tries to foster an environment that is welcoming and communal. Indeed, the first 3 points of the Club’s ‘Values and Expected Behaviours’ are:
- The spirit of cricket and its values remain the guiding principles of behaviour both on and off the field.
- OCC Members should always treat fellow members, opposition and match officials with respect.
- OCC Members compete on the field and make cricket friends off the field as cricket friendships can last a lifetime.
We rely on our members to live these values and behaviours and firmly believe that this contributes to a thriving and enjoyable contribution to the lives of our members. This is just one of the reasons that the Club has been around for as long as it has and we need to work hard to keep it going and celebrate it too. As mentioned, OCC is approaching its 50th anniversary, next year, and we are already in planning mode to ensure an appropriate celebration of this milestone.
Another side of Club Life is volunteering. OCC is an amateur cricket club and all those on the committee and who help out however they can do so on a volunteer basis. They give up their own time to ensure that the Club and cricket in Luxembourg is as good as it can be for many more people than just themselves. If you haven’t been part of the administration of a sports club, you might not appreciate the huge amount of work that goes into running such a club. For committee members, you can guarantee it is multiple hours per week (if not to some degree each day). In addition to the nominated roles, regular volunteers (such as the ground staff) give up multiple hours, multiple times per week, each week the entire season.
Of course, the expectation is not that all members given up so much time two other points of the Club’s ‘Values and Expected Behaviours’ are:
- OCC Members are expected to help out on match days both before and afterwards and respect the facilities we all enjoy.
- OCC Members should seek to volunteer and help the club develop on and off the field.
These are key aspects to being part of a Club and we assure members that giving your time to the Club can be very rewarding and is always appreciated. With that in mind, we encourage all members to give up as much time as possible to supporting the Club however and whenever you can. Although there is an expectation to help out before and after games, we also encourage members to help out, on an ‘extracurricular’ basis, whether it’s by joining a sub-committee, helping out at an event run (or participated in) by OCC, offering to help with archiving of historical documents and photos. Every little bit helps.
Walferdange Commune – 175th Anniversary Event
The Commune of Walferdange is, this year, celebrating its 175th anniversary and, in order to celebrate this milestone, is organising an event that will coincide with the National Day celebrations on the 22nd of June. Local Clubs are being requested to assist and attend on the day and OCC fully intend to support our Commune however best we can (more details to follow as the event organisation continues) so we will be relying on as many members as possible to put themselves for to help and encourage the entire cricket community to attend as well.
We will be in touch once again soon. In the meantime, some fixed dates for your diary:
- 31 March 2025 – Deadline for payment of membership subscription
- 19 April 2025 – Ground Set-Up Day
- 20 April 2025 – Captains vs Chairmans (First OCC Fixture of 2025 Season)
Richard Neale
Chairman