Record-breaking year for Surrey Cricket Foundation - Kia Oval
SCF Boosts Cricket In Surrey: 50K Players In 2023, More Females Involved, Per Impact Report
The organization continued to grow following a profitable year, as more than 48,700 individuals of all ages and genders got involved in cricket in various ways. This is an increase of approximately 4.5% compared to the previous year. Throughout Surrey and south London, nearly 15,000 matches occurred through a diverse range of initiatives and contests.
In the year 2023, women and girls' cricket achieved an incredible feat by setting a record in terms of participation. The Foundation's All Stars and Dynamos Cricket programmes, designed to introduce cricket to young children aged 5-8 and 8-11 respectively, saw a remarkable rise in girls' participation by 22%, more than any other previous year. Additionally, there was a consistent growth in the number of players, teams, coaches and matches played in the county for women and girls' cricket.
The SCF is providing support for several sports clubs, including Weybridge Vandals CC. This particular club has made significant strides in their women and girls' section. Throughout the summer, they served as a central location for All Stars and Dynamos Cricket in Walton-on-Thames. Recently, they were able to achieve their long-term goal of fielding their very first team comprised exclusively of girls.
According to Graham Hills, the secretary of Weybridge Vandals CC, starting a section specifically for women and girls was just a hope, plan, and vision a year ago, but now it has become more of a reality. Although there is still a long way to go, the club aims to continue building interest in cricket for women and girls and make it a sustainable part of their organization by 2024.
According to Carol Potter, who serves as the Chair of Trustees at SCF, the club's emphasis on women and girl's cricket has resulted in them being one step ahead of all other clubs in the nation. This is evident through the increasing number of players, teams, and successful matches played.
There are several other significant discoveries that emphasize the extensive efforts made by SCF to expand the game for youngsters, community cricketers, and seniors in Surrey.
According to Chris Coleman, who is the Director of Cricket Participation at SCF, the charity has had an extraordinary year and has seen a lot of development in essential areas such as women and girl's cricket as well as juniors. The county still remains as one of the most prominent counties in the country!
"Our main priority for 2024 is to concentrate on not only the expansion of the game but also guaranteeing equal opportunity for all participants, regardless of their background, to actively participate and thrive."
The CEO of Surrey Cricket, Steve Elworthy, expressed the significance of the Foundation's efforts in south London and Surrey towards maintaining the well-being of the game. He commended the Foundation for consistently improving their standards and contributing towards increasing accessibility to cricket in the county, specifically for women and girls.
At the Foundation, we are incredibly pleased with the hard work and dedication exhibited by our team members, who work tirelessly to bring cricket to the local level, clubs, and the community with great attention and enthusiasm.
For additional information regarding the SCF, please refer to the website http://www.surreycricketfoundation.org/.
