Some of the Key Women in North Wales driving the game forward

4th March 2021 | Mark Frost

To celebrate international women's day, Cricket in Wales is pleased to profile some of the women who are driving the game forward at the coalface in Wales.  Firstly North Wales:-

	Tell us a bit about yourself (name, where you're from, background, etc) My name is Cheyenne, I’m from Wrexham and I’ll be 15 in April. I go to a local secondary school, I live with my mum and dad and I have an older brother who lives in Cardiff and I have two dogs and a cat. When and how did you first get involved with cricket? Who encouraged you to get involved?  I was in the womb when my family started cricket, my brother Roman plays for Glamorgan so he has been playing my whole life, I started cricket when I was about 11. What attracted you to getting involved with cricket?  My brother mainly.  What impact has cricket had on your life?  I got to a point in my life where we were involved in cricket that much I decided if I can’t beat them join them. What's your involvement with cricket at the moment?  Nothing at the moment in lockdown. I play ladies cricket for Hawarden Park and I play men’s cricket at weekends and midweek for Marchweil & Wrexham CC. What's been the best thing about getting involved with cricket?  Being able to play a sport I love What's your vision for your involvement with cricket in the future?  Being able to participate and watch women’s games more What's your hope for the game as a whole and specifically for women and girls?  I hope it becomes equally as mainstream as the men’s cricket and that schools involve girls
	Tell us a bit about yourself (name, where you're from, background, etc)  Julie Russell I live in Old Colwyn, I'm Married to Shane, we have three sons. Luke, Matthew and Dan... all cricketers. And Bailey our Golden Labrador who has also been around Cricket clubs for most of her life. We are members of Colwyn Bay CC When and how did you first get involved with cricket? Who encouraged you to get involved?  I first got involved in cricket when Luke and Matthew at ages 7 and 5 wanted to give it a try. They loved it and have played ever since. Both now playing 1XI at Colwyn Bay and Dan has had a Cricket Bat in his hand ever since he could stand. He has had involvement with both Colwyn Bay any age group or level he's allowed to play in. Has played for Liverpool and will be with Lancashire's Development Squad this year. What attracted you to getting involved with cricket?  I personally got involved in 2018 when I decided to start a Ladies and Girls team at Colwyn Bay CC What impact has cricket had on your life?  I have over the years spent so much time travelling around the country with my boys playing all sorts of levels of cricket that it has just become a big part of my life. It has had a huge impact on us, as Cricket has become our way of life as a family. What's your involvement with cricket at the moment?  My involvement at the moment is Ladies and Girls Team Captain at Colwyn Bay CC and Club Welfare Officer. What's been the best thing about getting involved with cricket?  Best thing has been meeting lots of lovely people whilst learning a sport that I really enjoy, keeping fit and healthy and the social side is pretty good too. What's your vision for your involvement with cricket in the future?  I hope to develop the ladies and girls section at the club and encourage as many new players as possible to join us. What's your hope for the game as a whole and specifically for women and girls?  I hope to see cricket develop for Ladies and girls in both soft and Hard ball.
	Tell us a bit about yourself (name, where you're from, background, etc)  My name is Jane Roberts and I'm from Wrexham. I currently work full-time in the Local Authority.  When and how did you first get involved with cricket? Who encouraged you to get involved?  I've been involved with Brymbo Cricket Club for over 30 years, as my husband, Nige, used to play for Brymbo and is currently the Chair of the Club.  What attracted you to getting involved with cricket?  I got involved with cricket because of my husband's love of the game and I grew to love it myself.  What impact has cricket had on your life?  It has had a massive impact, as when Nige was a player, he not only played for Brymbo in league games, but also played in various mid-week games and also for the County (Denbighshire) and Wales. So when our children were younger we spent a lot of time travelling with Nige to watch him play and we loved every minute. Wonderful memories.  What's your involvement with cricket at the moment?  I'm currently the Secretary of Brymbo Cricket Club.  What's been the best thing about getting involved with cricket?  I've always loved watching cricket, especially when Nige was playing, and since becoming Secretary of Brymbo, it's great to be more involved in the development of the Club and assisting where I can.  What's your vision for your involvement with cricket in the future?  The vision for my own involvement in the future is to do as much as I can to support everyone who is working so hard to develop and improve the Club. There's a lot of great people at Brymbo Cricket Club, all volunteers, who want to see it develop into a Club where everyone is welcome and where youngsters can progress through the game and players can become they best they can possibly be, with excellent coaching & facilities in a great environment. We have a Development Plan in place and our focus this year is on junior cricket and building our links with schools in the local community and also launching "Brymbo Bears", offering free cricket sessions in the school holidays to primary school aged children. We are also looking to start a ladies cricket section and working towards becoming a fully inclusive club.  What's your hope for the game as a whole and specifically for women and girls?  My main hope for the game of cricket is that, after Covid-19, we can actually get back to as much normality as possible this year, with more people wanting to play the game too. As far as, women & girls cricket is concerned, we have three excellent young girls currently in our Junior section and, hopefully, with the work we are doing this year we will have many more come to join the Club who will also develop into excellent young cricketers. Starting up a ladies section will bring a new dynamic to the club and will give the young girls a means to be able to progress.
	Tell us a bit about yourself (name, where you're from, background, etc)  Llinos Hill, 18, from Conwy. I play for Conwy Cricket Club I've been playing for 12 years Current university student When and how did you first get involved with cricket? Who encouraged you to get involved?  I first got involved with Cricket when I was 6 because in primary school we did cricket in a PE lesson and I enjoyed it thoroughly so I wanted to join a local team. Some family members were playing cricket at the time and they encouraged me to get involved with the sport What attracted you to getting involved with cricket?  Cricket was a sport I'd only ever watched family members play so I wanted to give it a go for myself. 12 years later I'm still playing it What impact has cricket had on your life?  Cricket has had a massive impact on my life, I've become a more confident player and individual and have been able to help others to take part in the sport. What's your involvement with cricket at the moment?  My current involvement in cricket is - Coach, Captain and Player for the Ladies team at Conwy and a Player for the Conwy 2nds and 3rds What's been the best thing about getting involved with cricket?  The best thing about getting involved in cricket has been the camaraderie of the club and the teams I have played for both past and present What's your vision for your involvement with cricket in the future?  In the future, I want to continue to expand the ladies team at Conwy, encourage more women and girls to take part in cricket and continue playing. What's your hope for the game as a whole and specifically for women and girls?  I hope that more Women and Girls start to play cricket as it is not just a men's sport. Also I hope that Women's and Girls teams can have fixtures against each other to help promote the sport.
	Tell us a bit about yourself (name, where you're from, background, etc)  Hi I am Lucy Norman originally from Cockermouth in Cumbria but settled in North Wales 24 years ago and haven't wanted to leave since ! A keen walker and cyclist having the rolling hills on my doorstep makes it the perfect place to live. I am a marketing professional and have very recently started work at The Very Group. Married to John and mum to cricketers Joe (18) & Will (14). We have a Labrador Ellie who roams the hills and frequents cricket fields with us. When and how did you first get involved with cricket? Who encouraged you to get involved?  It probably goes back to my childhood as my Dad is a huge cricket fan and spent many an afternoon watching cricket on the TV with him. My Sons became interested in cricket about 9 years ago and both started playing at Buckley Cricket Club this is when I really got the cricket bug! Both Sons progressed to playing representative cricket so - cricket fields became my new home for the summer months. What attracted you to getting involved with cricket?  I think it was less about what attracted me to get involved more being asked to join the team! I have been involved in Cricket from a management capacity for the last 7 years at Buckley CC. The club was suffering from lack of investment and desperately needed help with fundraising and setting new direction. I became part of a brand new committee of likeminded individuals who had a vision to transform the club into a sport and social facility that Buckley could be proud of. As a marketing and communications professional I naturally fitted into the role as Club secretary. Over the last few years I have enjoyed being part of a really successful management team which has seen the club massively develop on and off the field. Our membership base has grown and our junior section is now one of the strongest in North Wales – in 2019 our U13’s bringing the Welsh Cup home to North Wales for the 1st time in over 20 years. What impact has cricket had on your life?  Where to start !!! Once you get involved at volunteering at a cricket club you realise that there is always a cricket job to be done ! So I guess volunteering has absorbed a lot of leisure time. I certainly don't have time to watch TV during cricket season ! Volunteering can be incredibly fulfilling and a fantastic way of giving back to the community. At times it can be stressful though and Covid really has highlighted this - when committee members signed up as volunteers we really didn't expect to be responsible for public health. I think last year really hit home to many what a massive part of their lives cricket is - it really was a privileged gift to be able to play July-September. What's your involvement with cricket at the moment?  As Club Secretary I am involved in all parts of the running of the club from managing Club Mark Accreditations, running fundraising events to ensuring the bar is stocked ! In addition in January 2020 I was elected Vice Chairwoman for North Wales Cricket League - this was a hugely proud moment for me to be involved in setting the direction for North Wales Cricket and also to be the 2nd Woman to join the Committee. What's been the best thing about getting involved with cricket?  As a family cricket has had a massive impact on our lives both my Sons fell in love with the game at an early age and have played a lot of cricket! Cricket has taken us far and wide from La Manga in Spain all the way to Cornwall. I have enjoyed watching my sons develop as cricketers and not just the physical aspects of the game but the mental resilience that is required for this tough sport. Cricket people are truly a different breed whatever the ground you will always find a friendly face to chat to we truly are a 'Cricket Family' - I have made so many new life long friendships through the game. What's your vision for your involvement with cricket in the future?  As a mum I am sure I will continue to frequent the cricket fields watching my Son's play and supporting them through the highs and lows that the game brings! From a volunteer perspective I am learning more about League management and supporting Allan Senior in his second season as League Chairman. At Buckley I will continue to play my part a huge focus is recruiting young players through the Allstars programme - I believe the more children that experience cricket though an early age are more likely to fall in love with the game thus increasing long term participation. What's your hope for the game as a whole and specifically for women and girls?  I would really like to see participation levels increase - unfortunately last year through Covid we lost some of the the momentum we were starting to see after the World Cup captured the hearts and mind of the nation but I am sure this can build again ! The investment in the women and girls game is brilliant - unfortunately I never had the opportunity to play cricket in school so we must ensure girls are equally encouraged to participate in our brilliant game.
	Tell us a bit about yourself (name, where you're from, background, etc)  Lara Jones, 21, I play for Alberbury CC, a small village club on the Wales/Shropshire border. Background: Currently play for Alberbury Men's, Captain Worfield's Women's team, and play for Warwickshire Women 2XI. I played for Shropshire for 10 years, and captained all age groups, before moving to play for Warwickshire. In my teenage years, I played for Loughborough Sparks and the West Midlands. I am currently studying Psychology at the University of Worcester. When and how did you first get involved with cricket? Who encouraged you to get involved?  I've played cricket my whole life. My family have always been involved in cricket. Both my Grandads used to play at Alberbury, and my Dad currently plays for the 1XI. I first started attending coaching when I was 8 years old. What attracted you to getting involved with cricket?  When I was younger, I would watch my Dad play cricket at a weekend. His love of the game inspired me to want to play cricket, and I would spend as much time in the nets as possible. What impact has cricket had on your life?  Cricket is my life. What's your involvement with cricket at the moment?  I regularly play cricket for Alberbury's Men's teams, Alberbury Women indoor, Worfield Women, Warwickshire Women 2XI. I have recently taken over as head coach and social media officer at Alberbury CC. What's been the best thing about getting involved with cricket?  Best part about playing cricket, is getting to celebrate with my team mates that I have grown up with. Best part about coaching at my club, is seeing the youngsters enjoy the game and improving every week. What's your vision for your involvement with cricket in the future?  I'd love to continue playing cricket to the best standard possible for as long as I can. I'd also like to continue coaching, and hopefully inspire as many youngsters as possible to enjoy cricket as much as I do. In particular, I'd like to increase and improve Women and girls cricket locally. What's your hope for the game as a whole and specifically for women and girls?  I hope as many people as possible get to enjoy the game. Women and girls - I hope we can work to remove the barriers that young women and girls face when it comes to cricket, so more can get involved and enjoy the game.