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'Chance to Shine' Returns to Local Schools

The Alnwick Cricket Club “Chance to Shine” coaching programme returns to local schools this week as the 2008 cricket season begins in earnest. Community Coach Stephen Boyd will once again be delivering four hours a week over the entire Summer Term to Year 5,6 and 7 pupils at Thomas Percy, Dukes, Lindisfarne, Seahouses and GlendaleMiddle Schools.

 

“Chance to Shine” is the biggest grass roots sports coaching initiative ever to be delivered in this country with 1800 schools taking part in 2008 and consists of a combination of curricular, extra curricular, schools club link and holiday camp coaching. The outcomes of the scheme, which is ran by the Cricket Foundation Charity, is to promote competitive cricket within state schools so that by 2015 over a third of schools are engaged in regular competition. Participation levels within local clubs also receive a boost as was the case at clubs such as Alnwick C.C. Alnmouth and Lesbury C.C. and Wooler C.C. in 2007.

Leisure Alnwick District and Northumberland Cricket Board Coach Stephen claims that “Chance to Shine” is having a major impact within the local cricketing community. “In one week over the Easter holidays we ran two coaching days for 7-14 year olds with 41 cricketers attending overall, a day for our District Girls side and a indoor 6 a-side clubs based competition involving over 30 cricketers. This level of cricket activity just hasn’t happened in our District previously”.

Some good summer weather is owed to the schools this year with much of the 2007 scheme being taught either indoor or in cold and wet weather. “It certainly makes the job of promoting cricket a little easier with the sun on your back out on the field then chasing balls around the sports hall."

Stephen is encouraging all pupils he comes in to contact with this summer to do as much physical activity as possible, especially with after school clubs and in their own spare time. “Cricket is a fantastic way to express yourself, build confidence, have a good time and improve your fitness and hopefully this summer, cricket will make a big impression on local children”

If you would like any information on cricketing opportunities locally, then please contact Stephen on 01665 714385 or at stephen.boyd@northcountryleisure.org.uk