{"id":9541,"date":"2026-01-06T11:12:46","date_gmt":"2026-01-06T11:12:46","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/edgbaston.com\/foundation\/?p=9541"},"modified":"2026-01-06T11:18:43","modified_gmt":"2026-01-06T11:18:43","slug":"warwickshire-welcomes-wicketz-back-with-three-thriving-hubs","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/edgbaston.com\/foundation\/2026\/01\/06\/warwickshire-welcomes-wicketz-back-with-three-thriving-hubs\/","title":{"rendered":"Warwickshire welcomes Wicketz back with three thriving hubs"},"content":{"rendered":"\n<h3 class=\"wp-block-heading\">Just three months after Wicketz returned to Warwickshire, alongside the appointment of new Development Officer Raja Shahzeb, the programme has already made an impressive impact.<\/h3>\n\n\n\n<p>Originally, the goal was simple: to establish one Wicketz hub by the end of 2025. Thanks to strong local support, dedicated staff, and enthusiastic young participants, that target was exceeded far earlier than expected.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>Instead of one hub,&nbsp;three are now up and running&nbsp;at Lordswood Boys, Erdington Academy, and Coventry. Each hub delivers regular cricket sessions, providing young people with positive, engaging experiences in their local communities.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>The Coventry hub is particularly significant, marking the first time Wicketz has operated in the area. Despite some initial uncertainty, the response has been overwhelmingly positive, with attendance and engagement continuing to grow.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>A key factor behind the programme\u2019s success has been the use of&nbsp;local coaches, who bring familiarity and shared experiences. <\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>Coach Qasim Sohail said: \u201cI feel like I can relate to these boys, coming from similar areas and backgrounds. Opportunities like this for kids are amazing. I can see how much they\u2019re enjoying the sessions and how much they\u2019re growing, both as individuals and in their cricketing skills.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>Each session follows a simple structure, warm ups, skills, and games, while also offering workshops on topics young people may encounter in everyday life, such as mental health, vaping, and knife crime. The programme works closely with youth foundations and local police, who regularly support sessions.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>At its core, Wicketz provides a&nbsp;safe, welcoming environment&nbsp;where young people can build confidence, life skills, and a sense of belonging through cricket.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>The hubs are also reaching young people who may otherwise miss out on opportunities like this, including asylum seekers and children in care. <\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>Manraj, a participant from the Lordswood hub, said: \u201cI really enjoy the cricket sessions here. I feel like people look up to me as a bit of a leader now.&#8221;<\/p>\n\n\n\n<blockquote class=\"wp-block-quote is-layout-flow wp-block-quote-is-layout-flow\">\n<p>&#8220;I wasn\u2019t very confident before, I was quiet and shy, but this programme has really helped me grow in confidence.\u201d<\/p>\n<\/blockquote>\n\n\n\n<p>Looking ahead, Raja is planning competitions, trips to cricket stadiums, visits to other cities, and fixtures against other Wicketz hubs. Over the summer months, sessions will also move outdoors, including at Portland Road, Warwickshire County Cricket Club\u2019s Second XI ground.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>Although still in its early stages, the impact of Wicketz in Warwickshire is already clear, creating positive spaces where young people feel supported, valued, and inspired both on and off the pitch.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p><strong>Click <a href=\"https:\/\/edgbaston.com\/foundation\/wicketz\">here<\/a> to find out more about Wicketz across Warwickshire and Birmingham.<\/strong><\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>Just three months after Wicketz returned to Warwickshire, alongside the appointment of new Development Officer Raja Shahzeb, the programme has already made an impressive impact. Originally, the goal was simple: to establish one Wicketz hub by the end of 2025. Thanks to strong local support, dedicated staff, and enthusiastic young participants, that target was exceeded [&hellip;]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":71867,"featured_media":131402,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"_acf_changed":false,"footnotes":""},"categories":[20,23],"tags":[53,66,78,79,81,82],"class_list":["post-9541","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-street","category-wicketz","tag-warwickshire-cricket-foundation","tag-wcf","tag-wicketz","tag-warwickshire-and-birmingham","tag-birmingham","tag-lords-taverners"],"acf":[],"yoast_head":"<!-- This site is optimized with the Yoast SEO plugin v27.6 - https:\/\/yoast.com\/product\/yoast-seo-wordpress\/ -->\n<title>Warwickshire welcomes Wicketz back with three thriving hubs - Edgbaston Foundation<\/title>\n<meta name=\"robots\" content=\"index, follow, max-snippet:-1, max-image-preview:large, max-video-preview:-1\" \/>\n<link rel=\"canonical\" href=\"https:\/\/edgbaston.com\/foundation\/2026\/01\/06\/warwickshire-welcomes-wicketz-back-with-three-thriving-hubs\/\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:locale\" content=\"en_GB\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:type\" content=\"article\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:title\" content=\"Warwickshire welcomes Wicketz back with three thriving hubs - Edgbaston Foundation\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:description\" content=\"Just three months after Wicketz returned to Warwickshire, alongside the appointment of new Development Officer Raja Shahzeb, the programme has already made an impressive impact. 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