Cricket Wellington is thrilled to announce the inaugural Women and Girls Club Coaching Investment Fund introduced to ensure all female cricketers receive regular access to high-quality cricket coaching.

Aligned to Cricket Wellington’s strategic priority of more women and girls playing and loving cricket, the investment will help drive Cricket Wellington’s aspirational target of 1,200 female cricketers in the Capital by the year 2023.

The fund will allow senior women’s clubs competing in Division 1 to apply for up to $8,000 in funding to provide a coaching resource for women and girls club cricketers.

The investment will contribute to enhanced coach resourcing for women and girls club cricketers, sustainable women and girls playing pathway, as well as a strengthened Blaze player and coach succession pathway.

“To continue driving success in the women and girls space, Cricket Wellington want to financially invest in cricket club’s with established women and girls programmes to build their respective playing and coaching strength,” said Cricket Wellington Community Manager for Women and Girls’ Cricket Frances Stewart.

“The successful first year of our Women and Girls strategy implementation saw a 30% growth in participation and the delivery of a stable women’s competition, as well as 81% of female club cricketers signifying they were very satisfied with their 2020-21 playing experience.

“We now want to build on these achievements to ensure the women’s cricket club scene continues to be one where current and prospective cricketers can thrive.”

Alongside this investment in club cricket, Cricket Wellington will also continue to focus on the promotion of women and girls’ cricket through ongoing initiatives such as the Young Leaders Programme, Summer Smash and Yeah! Girls.

Cricket Wellington Head of Community Cricket Matt Wills said the Women and Girls Club Coaching investment was a timely injection of support into the women’s game in Wellington.

“With Wellington hosting seven Cricket World Cup 2022 fixtures at the Basin Reserve the time is now to celebrate the women’s game and inspire the next generation of Wellingtonians playing and loving cricket,” he said.

“We are fully committed to continuing to grow women and girls cricket in the region and this investment will ensure female cricketers across the Capital are provided with the best resources to achieve their goals in the game, whatever they may be.”

Article added: Wednesday 04 August 2021