Cricket makes me feel “Happy & Powerful” is just one of the responses we received in feedback from participants on the WCB Girls’ Cricket Camp at Dorridge CC during the Easter holidays. The ‘feedback’ poster, designed by the participants themselves, can be seen in full below and provides a wonderful insight into the enjoyable and positive experiences girls can gain from playing cricket.
The three day camp brought together a group of lively young female cricketers for cricket drills, net sessions and cricket matches – fortunately all in glorious spring sunshine. The 18 girls attending the course were of a range of ages and abilities. They were all able, however, to develop different aspects of their game at their own pace, during which their enthusiasm and enjoyment were plain to see. On the final day of the camp, WCB Women and Girls’ Officer Gabby Basketter organised for Central Sparks player Abbey Freeborn to come for a Q&A session with the girls. Abbey was able to provide valuable advice from her experience coming through the women’s game.
During the lunch break on the second day of the course the girls were asked to provide feedback about their relationship with cricket. They were asked to comment on the statements “Why I love cricket” and “How cricket makes me feel.” Rather than being put on the spot and asked to answer the question verbally, the WCB team asked the participants to add their comments to a poster, in any style they wished. Their answers were both positive and insightful, as their poster shows. Not only will these comments enable the WCB to continue gaining valuable insight into understanding the women and girls’ game, but hopefully the feedback will also encourage other girls to get involved in cricket - at a WCB camp or a local club.
Gabby Basketter said, “All the feedback is great, but my favourite comments are about how much the girls enjoy playing cricket and how playing the game gives them the opportunity to make friends and relax.”
Gabby’s favourite comments about “Why I love cricket”
- “I love cricket because it keeps me active and I love how everyone works together as a team and supports each other.”
- “I love cricket because it is a sport everyone can be a part of. It’s definitely my favourite game.”
- “I love cricket because it makes me feel free and I can do what I love doing – to hit the ball with all my power.”
- “I love cricket because you don’t need to be good at it to play it and it’s just so fun to play with friends and your team.”
- “Because when I play I feel different to anything else and that feeling makes me happy.”
Gabby’s favourite comments about “How cricket makes me feel”
- “Cricket makes me feel happy and it also calms me down when I am stressed.”
- “Cricket makes me feel happy and more secure with myself and my actions.”
- “Cricket makes me happy because I make friends from it.”
- “Amazing.”
- “Happy & Powerful.”
An All-Female coaching team
The all-female coaching team for the camp included Emily Farmer, Sophie Buckton and Hannah Rigby. All three coaches have a wealth of experience accumulated through the Warwickshire age groups as players and then as WCB coaches. As well as providing technical advice to the participants, they are also great role models for young female cricketers. All three coaches also wrote their own comments on the feedback poster, about why they enjoy coaching cricket.
- Emily Farmer – “I have grown up playing cricket with my family, so to be able to coach to younger generations and share my love for the game is AMAZING! To have such a popular girls-only camp shows a positive direction for women’s cricket.”
- Sophie Buckton – “I love coaching cricket because I get to see the children enjoying themselves and having lots of fun. I get a sense of enjoyment out of teaching people new skills and mastering them. And I love cricket!”
- Hannah Rigby – “I enjoy coaching because it inspires young people to become passionate about cricket and have fun playing with their friends. It gives kids more opportunities.”
If you have read these comments and been inspired to find out more about Women and Girls’ Cricket in Warwickshire, you can contact [email protected] for more information.
