This policy applies to all players, parents/guardians, coaches, managers, captains, volunteers, club officers, employees, contractors and administrators involved with Whitmore Cricket Club.

1. Mandatory Registration Requirements

All players representing or participating in activities organised by Whitmore Cricket Club must complete the required registration processes before taking part in training sessions, matches or any official club activity.

The club operates two mandatory registration systems:

Pitchero – Whitmore Cricket Club Membership System
ECB Play-Cricket – Official ECB Player Registration System

These registration requirements are not simply administrative processes. They are essential safeguarding and player protection measures designed to help Whitmore Cricket Club:

Keep players safe
Hold accurate emergency contact information
Understand and manage relevant medical conditions, allergies or safeguarding concerns
Ensure appropriate parental consents are in place for junior players
Meet ECB safeguarding and child protection requirements
Ensure players are appropriately insured
Comply with ECB and league regulations

Failure to complete the required registrations will result in the player being ineligible to participate.

The club must be confident that all player information has been provided directly by:

The player themselves where aged 18 or over; or
A parent or legal guardian where the player is under the age of 18.

For this reason:

Players aged 18 or over must create and manage their own accounts.
Parents or legal guardians must create and manage accounts for players under the age of 18.
Coaches, managers, captains, club officers, employees, contractors, administrators, volunteers or any other third party must not create accounts on behalf of players or parents.

Failure to comply with these requirements may create safeguarding, emergency contact and data protection risks.

Any individual who creates or attempts to create an account on behalf of another person contrary to this policy may be considered to be acting outside of Whitmore Cricket Club safeguarding and data protection procedures and may be subject to disciplinary action.

2. Pitchero Registration Requirements

All players must be registered on the club’s official Pitchero system.

Pitchero registration is required to ensure the club holds accurate and up-to-date:

Contact information
Emergency contact information
Medical information
Safeguarding consents
Membership agreements
Participation permissions

2.1 Account Creation Responsibilities

To comply with safeguarding and data protection requirements:

Players aged 18 or over must create and manage their own Pitchero account.
For players under the age of 18, a parent or legal guardian must create and manage the account on behalf of the player.
Coaches, managers, captains, club officers, employees, contractors, administrators, team admins, volunteers or any other representative of the club must not create accounts on behalf of players or parents/guardians.

This requirement applies at all times and without exception unless expressly authorised by the Club Safeguarding Officer or Executive Committee in exceptional circumstances.

Any coach, manager, captain, club officer, employee, contractor, administrator, volunteer or other individual who creates or attempts to create a Pitchero account on behalf of a player or parent/guardian, contrary to this policy, may be considered to be acting outside of safeguarding and data protection procedures.

Such actions may constitute:

A breach of club safeguarding procedures
A breach of data protection expectations
A failure to follow club policy and ECB guidance

Any such breach may result in disciplinary action by Whitmore Cricket Club and may also be referred to the Club Safeguarding Officer and/or the ECB where considered appropriate.

2.2 Junior Player Consents

For players under the age of 18, the following consents may be required where applicable:

Parent/guardian consent
Open age cricket consent
Changing and showering consent
Photography/video consent

Players may not participate in activities requiring consent until the relevant consent has been completed and approved.

3. ECB Play-Cricket Registration Requirements

All players must also be appropriately registered on the ECB Play-Cricket system before participating in any match activity.

Play-Cricket registration is required for:

League eligibility
Fixture participation
Official scorecards and records
ECB compliance

3.1 Account Creation Responsibilities

To ensure compliance with safeguarding and data protection standards:

Players aged 18 or over must create and manage their own Play-Cricket account.
For players under the age of 18, a parent or legal guardian must create and manage the account on behalf of the player.
Coaches, managers, captains, club officers, employees, contractors, administrators, team admins, volunteers or any other representative of the club must not create Play-Cricket accounts on behalf of players or parents/guardians.

Any coach, manager, captain, club officer, employee, contractor, administrator, volunteer or other individual who creates or attempts to create a Play-Cricket account on behalf of a player or parent/guardian, contrary to this policy, may be considered to be acting outside of safeguarding and data protection procedures.

Such actions may constitute:

A breach of club safeguarding procedures
A breach of data protection expectations
A failure to follow club policy and ECB guidance

Any such breach may result in disciplinary action by Whitmore Cricket Club and may also be referred to the Club Safeguarding Officer and/or the ECB where considered appropriate.

3.2 Existing Accounts & Transfers

Players who already hold a Play-Cricket account with another club must not create duplicate accounts.

Where required, transfers between clubs must be completed through the appropriate ECB and Play-Cricket processes.

4. Participation Restrictions

4.1 Training & Club Activities

No player may participate in:

Training sessions
Coaching activities
Organised club sessions

until their Pitchero registration has been fully completed.

4.2 Match Eligibility

No player may participate in any friendly, league or cup match until:

Their Pitchero registration has been completed; and
Their Play-Cricket registration has been completed where required.

This applies to all senior, women’s and junior cricket.

5. Membership & Subscription Requirements

All players are required to hold the appropriate club membership.

5.1 Taster Sessions

New players may attend up to two (2) free taster training sessions before membership is required.

5.2 Membership Deadlines

Discounted membership rates apply until 1st May each season.

All memberships must either:

be fully paid; or
have an approved instalment plan in place

by 31st May each season.

5.3 Selection Eligibility

Players who have not purchased the appropriate membership, or who do not have an approved instalment arrangement in place by 31st May, may be removed from selection availability until resolved.

6. Safeguarding Responsibilities

Whitmore Cricket Club places safeguarding and player protection at the centre of its operations.

The registration processes outlined within this policy are necessary to:

Protect children and vulnerable individuals
Ensure appropriate emergency and medical information is available
Meet ECB safeguarding standards
Comply with league and competition regulations
Ensure appropriate insurance cover is in place

Failure to comply with this policy may result in players being deemed unavailable for participation.

7. Data Protection

All personal data collected through Pitchero and Play-Cricket will be handled in accordance with:

UK GDPR
Data Protection Act 2018
ECB safeguarding and data handling guidance

Club officials, employees, contractors and volunteers must not:

Create accounts on behalf of players or parents
Share personal information outside approved club processes
Store personal data outside approved club systems without authorisation

8. Responsibility & Enforcement

Responsibility for complying with and enforcing this policy sits with:

Whitmore Cricket Club Executive Committee
Club Safeguarding Officer
Membership Administrators
Team Managers and Captains where appropriate
Coaches
Employees
Contractors
Volunteers and club officials involved in player administration or management

All individuals acting on behalf of Whitmore Cricket Club are expected to understand and comply with the requirements of this policy.

Any breaches of this policy may be referred to the Executive Committee and/or Club Safeguarding Officer for review and appropriate action.

Any coach, employee, contractor, volunteer, club official or other representative of Whitmore Cricket Club who knowingly disregards or breaches this policy may be subject to disciplinary action and/or removal from their role within the club.

9. Policy Review

This policy will be reviewed annually by Whitmore Cricket Club to ensure continued compliance with ECB guidance, safeguarding requirements and operational needs.