Leeds high school bowled over by funding to help find the cricket stars of the future

A cricket facility at Cardinal Heenan Catholic High School will be launched to help the cricket stars of the future and, thanks to an £8,500 grant from the Yorkshire Sport Foundation, new indoor nets and cricketing equipment will be unveiled at the Meanwood-based secondary school at a special event later today (Wednesday).

The event will include a cricketing skills masterclass from professional cricket coaches from Pro Coach and a presentation from Nick Robinson, the head of the Yorkshire Cricket College (YCC) - based at the Emerald Headingley Stadium - which provides business and sports qualification for young people aged 16-18 years old.

Dominic Kelly, headteacher at Cardinal Heenan, which caters for more than 950 students, said the new facilities would not only be beneficial for Cardinal Heenan, but also the wider community and encourage more young people to be active.

Mr Kelly said: “Providing a varied and stimulating curriculum and supporting our wider community is at the heart of what we do here. Encouraging our students to develop their skills, increase their physical activities and consider all options open to them beyond school is key to our approach. We are delighted to welcome Yorkshire Cricket College and Pro Coach into school to lead this event and hope that this will be the start of an ongoing programme and collaboration between us.”

The YCC offers two qualifications for students aged 16-18 years old – an NCFE Level 3 Extended Diploma in sport and a Level 3 BTEC In Business. Previously students have been able to take advantage of a variety of unique opportunities offered by the college, including a pre-season tour of South Africa for warm weather training and to play a number of fixtures against Cape Town based teams.

“The Yorkshire Cricket College is pleased to be teaming up with Cardinal Heenan Catholic High School to help promote both cricket and further education opportunities to their students.”

Currently the YCC offers two qualifications for students aged 16-18 years old – an NCFE Level 3 Extended Diploma in sport and a Level 3 BTEC In Business.

Previously students have been able to take advantage of a variety of unique opportunities offered by the college. This has included a pre-season tour of South Africa for some warm weather training and to play a number of fixtures against Cape Town based teams.

Mr Robinson said: “Our students benefit from an education that provides a springboard to university, apprenticeships, and employment as well as the chance to spend six hours a week developing their cricketing ability. Working with Cardinal Heenan is a fantastic chance to demonstrate how combining education and physical activity can inspire their learners as they continue their post 16 academic journey.”