Mia began her Wicketz journey in October 2024, when she was just one of three attendees at the newly launched Exeter Wicketz Hub! Since then, Mia's commitment to the sessions has grown alongside the numbers attending the Exeter Hub, which is now our most popular weekly Wicketz session with over 20 regular participants.
Mia's mum originally saw Wicketz advertised on Facebook and thought it would be great for her children to try it out. Mia's weekly sessions involve spending time playing her favourite sport while being with friends, developing her cricket skills during her time attending the sessions.
Mia shared that she has worked on skills such as perfecting her straight drive, playing pull shots and learning to bowl in different areas to challenge batters, describing Wicketz as a “great way to learn new skills, play lots of fun cricket, and meet new friends while also having really supportive coaches."
These fun, yet skills-focused, sessions are for children who are new to cricket or who have had small exposures to the game, enabling further opportunities. For Mia, these further opportunities include attending the MCC Foundation Hubs, which include an introduction to playing hardball cricket, and joining the Devon Cricket Performance Pathway, being put forward by Wicketz coaches who are always looking out for the participants' progress.
It's not just Mia's cricketing skills that have developed since joining Wicketz. She has also acquired new leadership skills, with her PE teacher challenging her to lead a group of Year 6s playing cricket at school, inspiring fellow classmates to play cricket and join her at Wicketz.
Mia expresses that cricket "makes her feel great," as she is "very passionate about it," which shines through when she attends the weekly sessions.
Along with other participants, Mia has had plenty of opportunity to play outside of the usual sessions. Not only with her hardball cricket opportunities, but also with beach cricket and Wicketz residentials, her favourite experience!
We are pleased that Wicketz has played a role in Mia's personal and cricket-based development. With well-rounded sessions and plenty of opportunities, it is clear that Wicketz can aid progression in many areas of life.
Funded by Lord's Taverners, Wicketz sessions run weekly in Exeter, Barnstaple and Plymouth, and provide fantastic provision for children who are new to cricket.
Contact
For further information about Wicketz, please contact our Community Manager, Helena Simpson:
helena.simpson@devoncricket.co.uk
07498 751414
