University News Last updated 21 March 2024
探花直播 (BCU) will continue to break down barriers in cricket by partnering with the sport鈥檚 national governing body and a number of leading UK charities to make the game more accessible for players from Black and Asian backgrounds.
Having already demonstrated its commitment to inclusion in the game with its pioneering work with the South Asian Cricket Academy (SACA), BCU plans to expand its influence by launching a new research project backed by听the听English and Wales Cricket Board (ECB).
The aim of the initiative will be to听create听more equal听cricket talent systems听that support young Black and Asian athletes across the UK, especially females.
鈥淭o create more effective and efficient systems, we need to听understand how to work with more diverse groups within cricket,鈥� said project lead Dr Adam Kelly, a talent development expert from BCU.
鈥淚n order to widen the pool of potential, we听also听need to understand how to attract more British South Asian听girls and women into the听pathways, as well as retaining and transitioning them into higher playing levels.鈥澨�
As well as BCU, ECB and SACA, the project will involve听Take听Her Lead and ACE, two charities who work to provide more opportunities in听cricket for underrepresented groups across the UK.
Chevy Green, Director of Programmes for ACE, said: 鈥淲e want to create environments where young people can be themselves in a space that accepts them.
鈥淚t鈥檚 great to be part of this project to diversify talent pathways to include more South Asian and African Caribbean cricketers, as well as other unrepresented groups.
鈥淐ricket as a sport hasn鈥檛 supported听these听unrepresented groups.听Diversity is a fact. Inclusion is a choice.听We鈥檙e deciding to include everyone.鈥�
Dr Kelly said:听鈥淚t鈥檚 brilliant to be working with these organisations.听Together, we can impact policy, make a difference for children playing cricket, and encourage more individuals to get involved.鈥�
The project will be supported by two dedicated BCU听PhD students, Hina Shafi and Omar Green.
鈥淚鈥檝e experienced sport not being seen as a secure career for a female within my own culture,鈥� said Hina.听鈥淚 want听to see听more women and girls in the game, as well as an increase in diversity across the board.鈥�
Omar听added: 鈥淚 want more players to feel more comfortable within the system, so I鈥檒l be looking at how we can create more culturally aware talent pathways.鈥�
The听project, named听BESTA,听will be one of the driving projects for the new Research Lab for Athlete and Youth Sport Development (RAYSD Lab) at BCU, which launched in January 2024.听
A听Senior Lecturer in Sports Coaching and Physical Education at BCU,听Dr听Kelly said: 鈥淚t鈥檚 great timing. The听RAYSD Lab connects all the work听we鈥檝e been doing听to support youth within sport and听help every young athlete听to听achieve their potential.鈥澨�
The BESTA project also听builds on the听work of Dr Tom Brown, a former听PhD听student听at BCU. His research听led to the creation of the highly impactful SACA programme.听
Dr Brown,听now听Managing Director听of SACA, said: 鈥淚鈥檓 excited to be involved in the project. There are some brilliant people around the table. Not only can they provide valuable expertise, but they鈥檙e听also the right people听to influence practice. That鈥檚 the most important thing for me.听
鈥淏y building on existing research, we can address gaps in knowledge and achieve our goal to make cricket the most inclusive sport in the country.鈥�