Templepatrick Cricket Club are preparing for one of the biggest moments in their 56-year history this weekend, as they make the short trip to Moylena to kick off their first-ever season in the NCU Premier League.
After years of steady growth both on and off the field, the Ballyclare-based club capped a successful 2024 campaign by winning Section 1 and securing promotion to the top flight. It’s a significant milestone for a club that has built its identity around sustainability, development, and community connection.
At the heart of that progress has been Andy McCrea, the club’s Development Officer. We sat down with him to discuss Templepatrick’s rise, the importance of youth development, and what lies ahead as they take on the region’s elite.
Premier League Campaign
Templepatrick have made great strides in recent years. Can you give us a sense of how the club has evolved to reach the NCU Premier League?
“There is no doubt we have been making improvements year on year. We found a league table from 1999, and our 1st XI were mid-table in Section 4. We are very proud of how we have done this in a very sustainable, steady manner, just slowly improving what we are doing with regards to our structures in all areas of the club, i.e. coaching structures, facilities, finance resources, administration, etc.
“All that we can ask is that we get a bit better each year, and the Premier League is where it has taken us. A key part has been creating regular Development Plans to map out where we want to go, what we want to do and how we want to do things. They gave us structure and direction. There has been a lot of work by a lot of people along the way, and there have been many members over the years who have played their part.
“We are only 56 years old, which is very young for a cricket club in comparison to other clubs. The first 20 years were very much about just surviving and getting players on to the pitch, and we are now proud that we are a healthy, thriving club and have done it sustainably, building from the bottom through our primary schools programme and then upwards.
“It gives great satisfaction to see what Templepatrick CC has now become after starting out in humble beginnings 56 years ago. Now having our base at The Cloughan in Ballyclare, with excellent practice and play facilities, and now fielding so many youth teams is an incredible achievement. The structures we have put in place mean we are super healthy, and it has all been done from building within and doing things the right way. It does show what can be achieved with ambition, hard work and passion.”
What does it mean to you personally, and to the club, to be playing in the top flight of NCU for the first time?
“We are very excited by the new challenge and under no illusions of the tasks in hand, but we are of the collective mindset that it is the next stage that the club needs to take on to continue evolving.
“We know that not only our 1st XI squad but the whole club, our facilities and our coaching ethos will stand us in good stead, and we are ready to give it a real go to the best of our ability. We look forward to making new friends, travelling to new venues, and giving a warm welcome at The Cloughan. Of course, we will learn along the way and by the end of the season we will do a review of our journey and then get ready for 2026.”
Youth Development
The youth section at Templepatrick is now one of the biggest in the region. What’s been the secret to that success?
“That is very kind of you. We build from the bottom up. We have great connections with 12 local primary schools in our area and we offer coaching sessions in these schools as well as post-primary schools too, with great relationships with Fairview Primary School and Ballyclare High School.
“There have been several key stages since we started our youth set-up just over 30 years ago, which have improved our youth structure. About 20 years ago, we decided to become more of a community-style club, offering our club to as many young people as possible and not just young cricketers. This grew our numbers and increased our profile in the community. A cricket club should not just be about cricket; offering opportunities to enhance people’s lives is far more important.
“Then, about 10 years ago, we decided that winning was not the ultimate goal in youth cricket. The bigger and far more important goal was to provide inclusion and participation. That way, more people get involved in games and more people become better through getting experience, and therefore, more people get a chance to enjoy the game and feel valued.
“Ultimately, we wanted to engender a love for cricket first and foremost, to as many young people as possible. This ethos, without a doubt, improved our youth structure.
“Last year, we had an amazing 35 coaches all coaching with our young players from P1 up to 18 years old. All coaches are qualified from Activator Level up to Level 3, and it is great to see so many coaches want to get involved in our youth structure. We would not be able to offer the amount of cricket opportunities we do without their enthusiasm. It just seems to get bigger each year.”
A Club with Purpose
As a coach, what’s been the most rewarding part of your journey with Templepatrick so far?
“Without a doubt, it is seeing someone sticking with the game for as long as possible, whether that be a player moving up through our ranks to the 1st XI or someone playing regularly for the club’s 4th XI. As coaches, we have hopefully engendered some form of love for the game and given them opportunities for enjoyment.
“It was great to see 1st XI Captain, Ross Bryans, score a big 100 in the last game of last season to clinch the Section 1 League and take us into the Premier League. He started with the club as a 9-year-old, and he typifies what our club is all about in helping young people be the best person and player they can be.
“The fact that 11 players from the squad of 15 that won Section 1 last year all came through the TCC youth system shows that we must be doing something right. We were delighted to add others to the squad who joined us from elsewhere and gelled well, and it was great that they understood the club coaching ethos and are benefitting from it too.”
The hugely anticipated 2025 NCU Premier League season begins on Saturday 26th April. Follow all games on NV Play and look out for club livestreams on YouTube.
Instonians v CSNI
Lisburn v CIYMS
Muckamore v Templepatrick
North Down v Cliftonville Academy
Woodvale v Waringstown