Record Year for New Girls' Sections at Devon Clubs

With the ICC Women's T20 World Cup in full flow and England doing so well, the Devon Cricket Foundation are celebrating a record year for new girls' sections at clubs in the county.

Last year we saw a small growth in the number of new clubs, but still a growth in teams as more clubs created a pathway for girls. This season however, we have seen a record number of new teams both in and outside the league, writes Women & Girls' Development Officer, Ann-Marie Presswell.

It all started in the winter with Upottery and Brixham making the most of the Winter Girls' Dynamos Programme to develop and start their girls' sections. Sean at Brixham has commented on what a transformation this has been for his club:

"The Girls' Dynamos programme at Brixham was a huge success. It grew from us running the programme for the first time, to entering a girls team into the Devon league, we even had some of the parents joining the adults team as they enjoyed watching it so much!"

As the women and girls' game has become more visible and accessible at clubs around the county, it has encouraged other girls and clubs to get involved in the game. As well as Brixham, we have seen Alphington & Countess Wear, Bideford/Littleham/Westward Ho!, Bridestowe & Belstone, Ivybridge, Sidbury, Stoke Gabriel and Whimple all enter girls' teams into the league, which amounts to eight new clubs in total across the Under 11 and Under 13 softball league.

The ICC Women's T20 World Cup has given the Devon Cricket Foundation the perfect platform to raise the game and support clubs this season. The Foundation have run four primary school girls World Cup Festivals at clubs to support clubs to build a girls' section, the latest being at Kilmington, who start their girls only Dynamos on Friday, 19 June (this evening).

As well as the opportunities provided by the Foundation, clubs can also run their own Cricket World Cup events to spark interest in the women and girls' game by hosting a World Cup Festival or ‘Catch the Spirit’ event.

Ahead of the World Cup, Filleigh hosted new team Chulmleigh at their World Cup girls' festival. Provided with bunting and flags, the festival was a great success, giving new girls to the game a chance to play.

Filleigh's Caroline Wilson comments: "A lovely Sunday morning at Deer Park to welcome Braunton and Chulmleigh for our first North Devon girls softball festival. We had a range of ages and played mixed matches.

"It was lovely to see the girls supporting each other and improving with every over. We are all excited about more competitive matches in the future and the ICC Women's T20 World Cup. Thank you Devon Cricket for all your support."

Bovey Tracey, a club who now have a complete pathway for girls' cricket, held their women and girls' community event earlier this month, using the opportunity to give the female community a chance to try cricket!

If you would like to use the ICC Women’s World Cup to ‘Catch the Spirit’ and run an event, then more details of how the ECB can support that can be found here.

Contact

If you would like to find out more about how the Devon Cricket Foundation can support your club to set up a girls' sections, please contact our Women and Girls' Development Officer, Ann-Marie Presswell:

ann-marie.presswell@devoncricket.co.uk
07494 151557