In conjunction with the Devon Cricket Board the University
of Exeter is continuing to develop its children's cricket programme this
spring.
In January the university introduced its Saturday Coaching Camps to provide
young people aged 7 – 10 the chance to experience one of the UKs best loved
sports and is continuing to provide opportunities for the wider community.
Coach Adam Peters is passionate about getting young people involved in cricket, he said: "The sessions are going incredibly well. The group are learning new skills every week and get the opportunity to practice against each other on a regular basis.
Cricket can be a difficult sport to get into due to the expense of kit and lack of public cricket grounds. We want to offer all children an opportunity to learn and improve their cricketing skills in a fun environment throughout the year. We provide all of the equipment and sessions take place in the Devon Cricket Centre so practice is not confined to fleeting summer days that can be few and far between.
Cricket is a brilliant sport for children. It offers the opportunity for children to stay active whilst improving their agility, coordination and concentration skills.
Above all cricket is an incredibly social game. The benefits of working together in a team are well documented and cricket gives children the opportunity to interact with new people and make new friends.
We aim to foster a real enjoyment of the game and hope to get as many people involved as possible. There is no elitism at the Devon Cricket Centre. Anyone aged 7 – 10 can join our cricket club, whether they are a committed cricketer already or just want to try something new.
So far the programme has been very successful and we hope to be able to continue to build the club with the potential to add competitions in the future."
The programme is supported by the Devon Cricket Board, who work closely with the University of Exeter to deliver cricket programmes across the county.
Cricket Development Manager Matt Theedom commented "The DCB supports this excellent initiative to allow children to discover and progress in the game of cricket."
The coaching sessions run every Saturday morning 09:00 – 11:00 and cost £10.00 per child. The sessions are designed to engage the children's interest whilst providing quality coaching by ECB qualified coaches. The mornings will be full of teaching games that seek to improve children's all round game with plenty of opportunities to practice batting and bowling.
If you would like to join the Saturday Cricket Club please contact coach Adam Peters at a.d.peters@exeter.ac.uk or call 01392 725069.