Bristol Wicketz, ACE and Chance to Shine Street Participants Unite for Inspiring May Half-Term Cricket Event
Young people from the Bristol Wicketz, ACE and Chance to Shine Street programmes were specially invited to take part in an exciting cricket development day during the May half-term holiday. The event highlighted the continued commitment of the Gloucestershire Cricket Foundation’s community cricket programmes to provide accessible opportunities for young people to engage with the game and develop their skills.
Held at the outstanding indoor facilities at BOLA, the session focused on developing technical skills whilst bringing together young players from the Gloucestershire Cricket Foundation’s community programmes. The event aimed to encourage older participants to take the next steps towards more regular hardball cricket fixtures.
By bringing together talented and enthusiastic players from multiple programmes, the aim is to eventually establish a year-round hardball team representing the diverse communities of Bristol and providing a clear pathway for continued progression within the game.
The day was made even more special with the attendance of Gloucestershire’s bowling coach, Shane Jurgensen, who delivered an engaging and informative bowling workshop. Participants had the opportunity to learn directly from an elite-level coach as he shared his experiences working within professional and international cricket environments.
Throughout the session, Shane spoke passionately about the importance of resilience, hard work, and maintaining a positive mindset both on and off the field. Many of the young players were inspired by hearing first-hand stories from top-flight cricket and learning what it takes to succeed at the highest level of the game.
The young participants were keen to utilise the relationships they have been building in their weekly hub sessions, some for many years, in a relatively new context of hardball cricket. Throughout the day, they had several opportunities to showcase their newly acquired knowledge and skills and participate in friendly but competitive games.
Sam Emmott, Wicketz Development Officer at Gloucestershire Cricket Foundation, said:
“It was a great day and an exciting time to see a group of players who are ready for their next chapter in hardball cricket. These young people have shown real commitment and enthusiasm through our Wicketz ACE and Chance to Shine Street programmes, and bringing them together demonstrated the potential that exists across our community cricket network.”
