Swansea Cricket Club’s junior and senior teams are looking forward to an exciting summer at St Helens thanks to a new partnership approach with Swansea Council.
The Club and Council have been working together on a new licence for the St Helens Cricket Ground which will allow the club’s senior and junior teams to enjoy even more use of the famous ground and has seen new investment in off-field facilities and a new artificial wicket.
The Club have also been proactive in working with the Council to secure much needed funding for its growing junior section through the National Lottery Community Chest and formed close links with the Sports Development Section enabling its junior coaches to learn new multi-skills games approaches to use in their sessions.
Chairman Mike Hayden said “These are exciting times for Swansea Cricket Club. We have been training all winter benefiting from the first class cricket experience of new Head Coach Brad Wadlan.
“Our junior section is thriving. We now have five age group teams including over 30 children in the under 9s squad alone, and a growing girl’s squad, one of the first in the area, who play both mixed games and girls matches.
“The focus is very much on ensuring the children have fun while also learning new skills and helping them to improve their concentration, fitness and athleticism. The Club has really benefitted from its excellent relationship with the Council both in the playing facilities we have available, and the off-field support we have received”.
Cllr Robert Francis-Davies, Cabinet Member for Culture, Tourism and Major Projects, said: “St Helens has a long and proud history of hosting some of the world’s best players in cricket and rugby and of course its most notable achievement was witnessing for the first time ever six sixes being smashed by the great Sir Garfield Sobers 50 years ago this year.
“So it’s fitting that the council and the Swansea Cricket Club can enter into an agreement that will allow future generations of girls and boys to follow in his footsteps and other more modern day hero’s playing for Glamorgan.”
Swansea Cricket Club run two South Wales Premier League adult sides (1st and 2nd teams) and a third team in the West Wales Cricket Association. There are junior sides at Under 9, 11, 13, 15 and 17; and the Club will continue to run the ECB All Stars Cricket scheme for 5-8 year olds at St Helens.
If you are attracted by playing at St Helens or watching your children take their first steps in the game on the famous old ground, new senior and junior (aged 5+) players of all experience are always welcome. For more details, please message the club on Twitter or Facebook by following @SwanseaCricket or visit www.swanseacricketclub.co.uk
