Black and Minority Ethnic Cricket

There are many opportunities for the development of young, black, minority ethnic cricketers and those from Inner City areas in Yorkshire, some of which have already been described in the YCF pages.

Thanks to specific funding streams, 14 BAME/Inner City Development Centres have been established in Bradford, Dewsbury, Batley, Halifax, Huddersfield, Hull, Keighley, Leeds, Rotherham, Sheffield, Wakefield and Middlesbrough.

The most promising youngsters are provided with the opportunity to partake in full county trial systems and/or District Cricket and to join the Pathways to Excellence scheme. Other players are linked to local clubs.

BAME cricket has grown significantly developing existing, and providing new opportunities across Yorkshire. Each of the BAME community cricket initiatives educates and creates opportunity and life skills to help participants improve quality of life. New junior sections, coaches and facilities have been developed throughout the year ensuring cricket is increasingly accessible to the BAME community and creating the next generation of players for many areas.

Results

• 14 Development Centres have delivered 264 hours of coaching in 2010
• 483 regularly attend the Development Centres
• Batley, Dewsbury and Leeds have delivered 35 hours of CitiCricket coaching and reached 71 pupils

Case Study: Bradford

A sports and business dinner was held at the Karmand Community Centre in partnership with the YCB in October 2009, to launch the development of a new cricket facility at Barkerend Road in Bradford. There were over 230 guests in attendance.

The special guest speakers included ICC Umpiring mentor and former Test Umpire John Holder and the then sports minister Mr. Jerry Sutcliff. There was representation from YCCC, the YCB and West Yorkshire Sports Partnership.

The Karmand Community Centre has been working in partnership with the YCB BAME Development Forum, creating opportunities for youngsters in the community and feeding cricketers into local clubs. The new facility will be completed in May 2011 and will act as an Academy for cricket in the community.

Case Study: Wakefield

The BAME Centre at the Light Waves Leisure Centre, has made good progress and increased participation figures. The programme is multiracial and has links with 6 cricket clubs. One of the main drivers of the centre has been Mohammad Mahboob, who has been presented with an award for his services to the development of cricket in the community for more than 30 years.

Case Study: Community Cricket Coaching

The Outer East Leeds Area Committee (OEAC) has been working in partnership with the YCB for the last 6 years and this year has seen an increase in participation within the communities’ schools and cricket clubs at Methley CC, Kippax CC, and Whitkirk CC. The programmes involve coaching visits in 12 primary and 2 secondary schools, a winter programme at Temple Moor School between January and April, followed by summer holiday schemes at the three clubs. This year’s attendance at the summer camps has attracted over 400 youngsters including a number of girls.

Case Study: Interfaith Day

• Sunday 27^th June - FPt20 Yorkshire v Leicestershire
• 2 tickets per household for those from BME Development Centres that registered

• U11s Indoor Cricket Competition for BME Development Centres at Headingley Carnegie Cricket Ground ahead of the match

• Top 4 teams to play in final on the outfield at Headingley Carnegie Cricket Ground on 27^th June
• Cricket Fun Sessions for all BME Development Centres from 11.30-13.30 in Indoor Cricket Centre (allocated 30min time slots, 4 teams at any one time)

• Six of the 14 Development Centres attended the match
• YCCC provided 224 complimentary tickets

 2011

It is expected that the event will continue to grow and the U11s competition will be organised earlier in the year to ensure more centres can participate. A minimum of 8 teams will be required to take part in the U11s competition.

Case Study: Leeds Interfaith Project

The Leeds Inter Faith four year Strategy was launched on 20th June 2008 at the Inter Faith Family Fun day held at Leeds Caribbean CC.

The purpose behind the four year project is to use cricket as a vehicle for bringing together communities of different faiths and those from a disadvantaged background in order to break down perceived barriers and encourage friendships.

The project encourages friendships and community cohesion between different faiths including males, females, single people, low income families, disabled, young, unemployed, inner city areas and those living in rural areas from the Jewish, Christian, Muslim, Sikh, Hindu and other religious communities.

The main focus is:

• 6 annual Flagship Development Days; 2 at Headingley, Leeds, 4 in local communities
• Legacy coaching sessions within the communities with a view to have “Inter faith” Leagues in the future at various age levels
• ECB Young Leader training for identified young people across the communities to help deliver the development days and coaching

“We value this project because it helps to break down the barriers that unfortunately exist between the Muslim and Jewish communities.” 

Keith Ackerman, Leeds Jewish Rep Council

“This programme has given us the tools to reach out to the wider communities across the city of Leeds, to create dialogue, and build partnerships while developing cricket skills.”

Tony Bowry, YCB Development Manager-West Yorkshire & Diversity

 Summary of key achievements in 2010:

1. Sunday 22^nd November 2009, cricket day, at YCCC Indoor Cricket Centre, Headingley. 60 young people, 6 ECB qualified cricket coaches, and 8 volunteers, of the Muslim, Sikh, Christian and Jewish faiths attended. They enjoyed training in cricket skills and small-sided games in mixed faith teams. During the lunch break, a team building project was facilitated to encourage the young people from different faiths to interact and communicate.

2. Sunday 10^th January meeting with young people interested in joining Youth Leadership Team.

3. Tuesday 16^th March - Leadership training with 14 young people mainly from the Muslim and Jewish communities of Leeds. The event was held at the Jewish Community Centre and was a very successful start of a process designed to build a strong mixed faith leadership group for the project.

4. Sunday 21^st March - Cricket event at the Indoor Cricket Centre, Headingley. 70 young people, 6 ECB qualified Cricket Coaches, and 8 Volunteers attended. The event had a mix of skills training and games with a focus on facilitated exercises to encourage dialogue between the different faiths.

5. Sunday 28^th March - Youth Leadership Day looking at issues of identity and encouraging debate. Strengthened the embryonic youth leadership group whose main task is to help to organise the Inter Faith cricket festival planned for the Caribbean Cricket Club on 20^th of June 2010.

6. Wednesday 7^th April - ECB Cricket Young Leaders Course, 17 young people qualified.

7. A team of 9 young leaders from the Jewish community of North Leeds and the Muslim community of South Leeds organised a family cricket event on June 20^th at the Leeds Caribbean Cricket Club. It was a very successful day with 40 young people and their families enjoying a mixture of cricket skills training and other activities including, basketball, an inflatable assault course and Sumo.  The day culminated in a cricket tournament. The O2 cup was awarded to the team who participated best in all the events.

8. Monday 9^th August - The project was presented with 10 sets of Cricket factory cricket equipment at the headquarters of Xiros. These kits will be presented to our key project partners.