Yorkshire Cricket Board

New for the 2025 season, the Yorkshire Cricket Foundation – supported by Brown & Brown – launched the Yorkshire Young Volunteers Programme for the U13 and U15 YCCC Regional Girls squads.

Designed to equip the next generation of female leaders with skills beyond playing, the programme welcomed 50 enthusiastic girls to Headingley for an inspiring launch day. They took part in taster sessions in Coaching, Umpiring, Leadership and Groundskeeping, learning directly from industry specialists including England International Coach Courtney Winfield-Hill and Headingley’s Senior Groundskeeper Jasmine Nicholls.

Following the launch, participants selected a focus area to develop within their own clubs and communities. Since then, many have been umpiring and scoring at Roses Festivals, coaching National Programmes and most recently a select group had the rare opportunity to shadow and assist Jasmine and the Headingley Grounds team as they prepared the pitch for the Northern Superchargers vs Trent Rockets game.

The girls helped paint the lines on the playing wicket, roll the square and gain valuable hands-on experience at a professional fixture.

Experiences like these spark something lasting. They help young women find their voice, build new skills and realise there’s a whole world of opportunities beyond playing.

By giving these young women opportunities to learn, lead and contribute in different areas of cricket, we are not only strengthening their personal development but also investing in the long-term growth and sustainability of the female game.