Young people from youth clubs and community groups throughout Belfast have experienced cricket for the first time thanks to a new initiative from Belfast Community Sports Development Network (BCSDN).
A celebration event was held this week at Queen’s University Physical Education Centre for the culmination of the city’s first Street20 course – a new fast-paced version of cricket – which was rolled out to six youth organisations by Active Communities coaches. The event is just one of hundreds of community sports events run every year by the Active Communities Programme in Belfast, funded by Sport NI and managed by BCSDN on behalf of Belfast City Council and Active Belfast.
Six Multi-Sports Active Communities coaches were trained by Cricket Ireland to deliver Street20, an exciting six-a-side version of the game that can be played indoors, on 3G pitches, in playgrounds and in the street. The coaches, co-ordinated by Active Communities Cricket Coach, Simon Johnston, ran a four week course in the six youth clubs.
Simon said: “Street20 is cricket’s version of five-a-side football. Each team bowls 20 balls per match and the game takes about 20 minutes to complete. It is a new concept we are bringing to young people. “The schools play a game called Kwik Cricket but it has been difficult to get the youth clubs and community centres to embrace cricket. Street20 is easy. There are not as many rules and kids really have fun with it.
“Cricket Ireland is looking to expand their work in youth clubs and so are very excited about it as it will help further develop a sport that has really taken off in popularity in Ireland in recent years.”
Despite the inclement weather, the young people, aged eight to 13, had a great time at the Queen’s PEC, playing on the 3G pitches. At the end, a cup was presented to the winners, Phoenix Youth Centre from Springmartin in West Belfast.
The other groups who took part in the coaching were: Sixth Belfast Scouts; Dee Street Community Centre; Donegal Pass Community Centre; Loughside Recreation Centre and Highfield Community Centre.
Now that the pilot project has been so successful, the plan is to introduce the game to other youth organisations throughout the city. Simon added: “This new game provides a great opportunity to get cricket into youth clubs and community centres that haven’t offered cricket before. Irish cricket has been on the up and this will help expose more young people to the sport.”
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