6th August 2014
| Mallory Gray
Cricket Wales has appointed a specialist researcher in a
unique new role to provide vital insights which could help shape the future of
the sport.
Estyn Jones has joined Cricket Wales as insight and innovation
officer, and is working to discover why some players quit the sport and what
can be done to address the issue.
“Almost all sports suffer a drop-off in participation at a
certain age,” said Estyn,. “In cricket, we see people tending to leave from
around 14-25, and I’m looking at why that happens, and what we might do to keep
those people playing.
“We have found that for some young players, it can be
intimidating moving into senior cricket; and, unless, they are among the most
talented, who feel they have a potential career in the sport, they may find
they no longer enjoy playing.”
His role is believed to be unique in Welsh sport and is
unusual in the wider UK context.
One of Estyn’s priorities is to identify the reasons for the
drop-off and potential ways to keep people in the sport. This may include new
formats of the game, or playing at certain times.
A graduate of product design at the University of the West
of England, Estyn – originally from Bala in Gwynedd - is working on a Knowledge Transfer Partnership
(KTP) project through Cardiff Metropolitan University, funded by Sport Wales
and the Welsh Government.
As well as analysing thousands of survey responses and
conducting individual interviews with players and others in the sport, Estyn will
be interviewing lapsed players to identify exactly what turns people away from
the sport at certain ages.
Another aspect of his work is to help rejuvenate the Cricket
Wales club affiliation programme. “There are around 230 affiliated clubs in
Wales, but many aren’t even aware of the benefits they are getting from Cricket
Wales,” Estyn explained.
Cricket Wales chief executive Peter Hybart commented:
“Cricket remains a hugely popular sport throughout Wales for boys and girls,
men and women, and in a wide range of formats, but in common with all sports,
we face challenges.
“Since appointing Estyn, we are now gaining vital insights
which will leave us well-placed to get more people involved and retained within
cricket, and having a fun, enjoyable experience in the sport.”
Rôl newydd yn rhoi dirnadaeth
hanfodol i geisio gwella criced yng Nghymru
Mae Criced Cymru
wedi penodi ymchwilydd arbenigol i rôl newydd unigryw er mwyn rhoi dirnadaeth
hanfodol all helpu i siapio dyfodol y gêm.
Mae Estyn Jones wedi ymuno â Criced Cymru fel swyddog dirnadaeth
ac arloesedd, ac mae’n gweithio i geisio
canfod pam fod rhai chwaraewyr yn rhoi’r gorau i’r gêm, a sut i fynd i’r afael
â’r broblem honno.
“Mae bron pob
camp yn gweld cwymp yn y nifer sy’n cymryd rhan ar ryw oedran arbennig,” meddai
Estyn. “Ym myd criced, gwelwn fod pobl
yn tueddu i adael y gêm rhwng tua 14 a 25 oed, a dwi’n edrych ar pam fod hyn yn
digwydd, a beth allai gadw’r bobl hynny yn y gêm.
“Rydym wedi canfod y gall symud ymlaen i griced hyn godi
braw ar rai chwaraewyr ifanc, ac oni bai eu bod ymhlith y mwyaf talentog sy’n
teimlo bod ganddynt yrfa bosib yn y gamp, gallant ganfod nad ydyn nhw’n mwynhau
chwarae bellach.”
Credir bod rôl Estyn yn un unigryw ym myd
y chwaraeon yng Nghymru ac mae’n anarferol yng nghyd-destun ehangach y Deyrnas
Unedig.
Un o’i flaenoriaethau yw canfod y rhesymau am y cwymp mewn
niferoedd, a ffyrdd posib o gadw pobl yn y gêm.
Gall hyn gynnwys fformatau newydd, neu chwarae ar adegau arbennig.
Mae Estyn, sydd â gradd mewn dylunio cynnyrch o Brifysgol
Gorllewin Lloegr ac sy’n enedigol o’r Bala yng Ngwynedd, yn gweithio ar
brosiect Partneriaeth Trosglwyddo Gwybodaeth
trwy Brifysgol Metropolitan Caerdydd, sy’n cael ei
ariannu gan Chwaraeon Cymru a Llywodraeth Cymru.
Yn ogystal â dadansoddi miloedd o ymatebion i arolwg a
chynnal cyfweliadau unigol â chwaraewyr ac eraill sy’n ymwneud â’r gamp, bydd
Estyn yn cyfweld â chwaraewyr sydd wedi cefnu ar y gêm i ganfod beth yn union
sy’n gwneud i chwaraewyr o oedran arbennig roi’r gorau iddi.
Agwedd arall ar
ei waith yw helpu i adfywio rhaglen gyswllt clybiau Criced Cymru. “Mae ‘na oddeutu 230 o glybiau cyswllt yng
Nghymru, ond mae ‘na nifer o’r rheiny sydd ddim hyd yn oed yn ymwybodol o’r
budd a gânt o Criced Cymru,” esbonia Estyn.
Meddai prif weithredwr Criced Cymru, Peter Hybart: “Mae criced yn parhau i fod yn gamp hynod o
boblogaidd ledled Cymru ymhlith bechgyn a merched, dynion a menywod, ac ar
amryw o fformatau gwahanol, ond fel pob camp arall, rydym yn wynebu sialensiau.
“Ers penodi
Estyn, rydym yn cael dealltwriaeth hanfodol o’r sefyllfa, fydd yn caniatáu inni
gael mwy o bobl i gymryd rhan a dal ati i chwarae criced, a chael profiad
difyr, pleserus o fewn y gamp.”