A national cricket programme designed to increase participation in black communities has marked its third year in Birmingham – and reached thousands of children across the region.
The African Caribbean Engagement (ACE) project, in partnership with Warwickshire Cricket Foundation, run cricket coaching sessions in city primary and secondary schools.
Many schools don’t offer cricket as part of their PE curriculum so the ACE programme is often a first taste of cricket for youngsters.
ACE also runs three regional hubs – in Handsworth, Harborne and Erdington – for children to engage with cricket and develop their skills.
“This year we’ve reached up to 5,000 pupils, many in inner city schools who were picking up a bat and ball for the first time,” said ACE Cricket Development Officer Leron Barker.
“It’s all about having fun and enjoying the sport. We want the black community to fall back in love with cricket as we’ve had a generation where interest has dropped.
“From our community hubs players can progress into the ACE Development and ACE Elite Academies and hopefully into the Warwickshire age group system.
“We’ve had some success: we now have six kids in the Warwickshire youth pathway, doing well, and there are high hopes they will move on to get rookie contracts and who knows into the senior side.
“I want to see one of our players walking out at Edgbaston, representing Warwickshire and then for England. Aim high, why not.”
There are currently 17 children in the ACE Development Academy and 10 in the Elite Academy, both of which are run from Edgbaston’s indoor school.
England Under-19 and Birmingham Phoenix player Davina Perrin progressed through the Birmingham ACE programme.
Chilwell Croft Academy, Newtown and St Patricks & St Edmunds are just two of the schools that have benefitted from ACE coaching sessions.
Chelsea Alagoa, ACE Women & Girls Development Officer, added: “Our schools programme delivers courses for up to eight weeks. But when we leave, if cricket isn’t on the curriculum, there’s a danger the interest we’ve inspired will fade.
“Our hubs keep the momentum going, children can continue playing and receive coaching.
“Handsworth has traditionally been the hub for black cricket in the region but we’re now reaching other areas of Birmingham with a high proportion of people from the African Caribbean community.
“Our aim is to make cricket as accessible as possible. Ultimately we want to find the next generation of black cricketers.”
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