HER GAME TOO CRICKET PARTNERS WITH COALPIT HEATH CRICKET CLUB

Her Game Too Cricket are delighted to announce that Coalpit Heath Cricket Club have become the latest recreational club to partner with the campaign.

Located to the Northeast of Bristol, Coalpit Heath CC is a “small family-friendly village cricket club” boasting a large social membership, as well as running four Senior sides, a Women’s Softball team and a thriving junior section.

First established in 1845, the club has a long history and has experienced lots of change: from being disbanded due to - and then reformed following - World War II, fielding an XI to face Gloucestershire County Cricket Club (1979) to establishing a new Women’s section in 2018.

With the aim to “create women's cricketing opportunities in the area”, Coalpit Heath CC formed their Women’s softball team in the summer of 2018. Thanks to a “enticing promise of prosecco”, it was a huge success!

“While a few younger members had prior cricketing experience, many were ‘women of a certain age’ with children playing at the club and no previous cricket background.”

The following year, the Women’s softball team brought home silverware as they entered, and won, the inaugural Bristol Softball Cricket League. The league, which began with only three teams, has since expanded significantly – with around 20 teams now competing for the title.

History was made by the Women’s team in 2024 when they “had the privilege” of playing one of their league matches at Gloucestershire CCC’s Seat Unique Stadium and won – making them the first Coalpit Heath CC team to win at the County Ground. After the game, the Coalpit Heath players had the opportunity to meet the Western Storm team and be flag bearers for their match later on in the day.

In the same year, the Ladies team partnered with two other local clubs in the North Bristol Senior Hub to provide senior ladies with T20 and 35-over hardball opportunities, in addition to the softball offerings at Coalpit Heath. For the upcoming season, the club are aiming to compete in their first-ever Women’s T20 hardball friendly match.

Coalpit Heath also boasts “a talented group of girls” who have been playing alongside the Men’s and Boys’ sides in local Bristol Senior and BYCL leagues, so much so that they have even caught the eye of selectors at the Gloucestershire Girls County Age Group Pathway and local MCC Hub.

With limited chances for the younger girls to experience girls only hardball cricket, an incredible team of volunteers banded together to establish the North Bristol Girls Hub: bringing together players from local clubs lacking sufficient number to maintain their own Girls’ section.

In the Hub’s inaugural season, the U13 team won the Gloucestershire County Cup. Last year, they expanded to and include an U15s team, who won the U15 South League. However, it’s not all about the winning, the main aim of the hub is to provide development opportunities otherwise not open to the girls.

Looking ahead to next season, Coalpit Heath CC are also looking to develop their own U15s girls' team and have entered them into the ECB National Girls T20 competition. Rachel Sheppard, Women’s & Girls’ Co-Ordinator, said the prospect is “tremendously exciting for both the club and the girls involved”.

As the club prepares for an exciting season, it brings the campaign great pleasure to announce that Coalpit Heath CC have become the latest recreational club to partner with Her Game Too Cricket.

Lucy Ford, Co-Founder and Head of Grassroots & Administration of Her Game Too, said: “We’re delighted to be officially partnered up with Coalpit Heath CC!

It’s so important to be working alongside recreational clubs who are actively promoting gender inclusivity and opportunities for women and girls to participate in cricket; Coalpit Heath CC are a prime example of a club who align with our values.

We are really excited to work together and looking forward to what we can achieve as part of this new partnership!”

Learn more about Coalpit Heath Cricket Club via their website.

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