Yorkshire Cricket Board

Originally written by John Fuller on cricketyorkshire.com:

The Super 1s programme offers young people, aged 12-25, with Special Educational Needs (SEN) or a disability the opportunity to take part in cricket.

It is funded by Lord’s Taverners and runs across towns and cities, meaning that those who attend can benefit from free cricket sessions by specialist coaches.

As one of the key programs which supports the ECB’s aim to make cricket the most inclusive team sport in the UK, its role is a vital one.

Delivered by the Yorkshire Cricket Board (YCB) across our region, I caught up with Brady Saunders who is SEND Development Officer for the Yorkshire Cricket Board to learn about what’s happening across South Yorkshire.

Super 1s are organised into local Hubs including Sheffield, Rotherham and Barnsley. Brady tells me:

“The success of these hubs is down to the strong partnerships we have formed with local cricket clubs, educational institutions and community groups and the supportive & enthusiastic coaches on each hub.”

“All three hubs aim to be inclusive for all, a space where young people can develop skills and most importantly, have lots of fun!”

Sheffield Hub

GOALS in Sheffield city centre is where the Super 1s hub that has been going the longest in South Yorkshire all happens.

Saturday mornings between 9am and 10am sees popular sessions with coach Nathan Pearson, who works for LINKS Sport Partnership. He won an award at the Yorkshire Disability Cricket Awards evening at Headingley over winter for his impact.

Brady shared a development for all those taking part: “The hub will be having their first outdoor session at Hallam Cricket Club later this Summer, in what will be a new hub/club partnership. This will give the participants an opportunity to play on a full size pitch and feel part of a cricket club.”

Rotherham Hub

The Rotherham hub has been running for a few months at Rotherham Leisure Centre, and is being supported by Rotherham Utd Community Trust and Whiston Parish Church Cricket Club.

Brady tells me: “Numbers have steadily increased and the young people are loving the sessions, run by myself and Whiston coach Tony Griffin.

The sessions are on a Thursday evening (5-6). This hub move outdoors from the second week of June, when it will switch to Whiston’s picturesque ground, on the outskirts of the town.”

Barnsley Hub

From a South Yorkshire perspective, the most recent Super 1s hub is in Barnsley and only been running a month or so.

Encouragingly, it already has great numbers and is being organised in partnership with Barnsley College every Thursday (4.30pm to 5.30pm) and Higham Cricket Club, where it moves to in the second week of June for outdoor sessions.

The feedback is that those attending are getting a lot out of the sessions that are provided by coach Liam Dickinson and YCCC disability player Josh Sanders.

Moving outdoors and tackling loneliness

These hubs are all-year-round centres combining an indoor facility with outdoors for the summer months to provide participants an opportunity to feel part of a cricket club community.

Brady commented: “One major issue for people with disabilities is loneliness. Many of the participants at the hubs don’t participate in any of sport or club, so it is a fantastic opportunity to go out and meet new friends and socialise with new people.”

“It is often presumed that they can’t achieve much, especially in sport but I have seen participants playing scoop shots, reverse slogs, one-handed catches and fast over-arm bowling. Participants are surprising themselves and their parents / carers!”

Through other Super 1s cricket interviews over the years, it’s become apparent how inclusive Super 1s is. This isn’t a buzzword but an important focus for those who can often feel marginalised and left behind.

As such, these cricket sessions are adapted to ensure everyone is involved, that might be a larger ball to make it easier to hit or striking from the top of a stump if in a wheelchair.

Supporting each other

As a coach, Brady sees first-hand how everyone comes together: “Participants are supportive of others, if rules need adapting, they welcome this. One of my group struggles to run far so we move the stumps closer or get another guy to run for them. It’s a supportive and inclusive environment for all!”

South Yorkshire has embraced Super 1s with plans for a fourth hub in Doncaster in the future and there’s a potential league for disability cricket in South Yorkshire, so lots to look forward to.

Elsewhere in Yorkshire, Super 1s is also flourishing with Hull, York, Rotherham, Leeds, Skipton and Halifax all having their own hubs.

To find out more about these Hubs, please contact a members of the YCB disability team.