Shining the Light.
Never make the mistake of laughing at Nicola Saunders when she says she will do something. Last time that happened, something quite dramatic occurred at Tickhill Cricket Club. It turned from a traditional, male-dominated club, where the main role expected of women was to make the teas, into a club with one of the strongest women’s sections in Yorkshire. Nicola has been the driving force behind growing women’s soft ball and hard ball playing offers, bringing four women onto the committee, and developing 11 new female coaches. They have taken over All Stars and Dynamos and even now have a woman as the head of junior cricket.
“We need the kids to have something to aspire to. We have some class players coming out now, and we want the tots going into All Stars with the confidence that as girls they will be accepted into a mixed team. They can go onto Dynamos, then at 11 they can have the choice of playing with the juniors or moving across to join the ladies.”
Nicola is achieving something clubs across Yorkshire are aiming towards; creating pathways and options for girls who play club cricket. Her main advice to others is to Make It Fun. Another important aspect is to delegate roles and encourage women to get involved, be that as umpires, scorers or fundraisers.
“If you pick out people’s strengths and give everyone a place and position, they will keep coming back for more.”
Story by Katie Stewart
k.stewart@yorkshirecb.com
@katieycb
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