The whirlwind of women and girls' cricket at Colton

As more cricket clubs in Yorkshire either start their own women and girls’ teams or develop their offering further, there are impressive results out there.

In this article, we’ll hear from Andy Scholes of Colton Cricket Club who shares their journey in developing girls’ teams and then launching women’s softball.

How did it all begin?

Well, there was a dawning realisation in the pre-season of the 2021 season where a core of 8-10 girls were now training at Colton; a club in East Leeds.

As Andy tells it, a couple of years ago, there was nothing yet for girls with the Leeds & Wetherby Cricket League – and the West Yorkshire Women & Girls Cricket League had not quite started.

Any girls want a game of cricket?

So, he put out a speculative email about a girls’ match and within a month, there were mini festivals organised at Colton, Carlton and Collingham.

It demonstrated the interest was absolutely there because each event saw 20-30 girls attend from five or six different clubs.

Andy’s involvement in junior cricket with the Leeds & Wetherby Cricket League led to the start of a softball girls league with 12 U12 girls teams.

Towards the end of 2022, with the formation of the West Yorkshire Women & Girls Cricket League, a semi-serious suggestion to a few of the keener mums about starting a team led to training and gradually a squad of 12 or so.

A softball tournament followed along with a few friendly fixtures and Colton have not looked back. I’m curious to know what the lessons have been along the way?

“I think the main overriding learning is to just give these things a go. If you have even a few girls in your set-up then the section can grow at rapid speed – which is what has happened to us.

Embrace it and consider all the massive positives that it brings your clubs!”

Andy added something that applies to any club cricket really; the need for the right volunteers in place to help run the women and girls’ sections successfully.

Current picture for 2024?

Colton’s evolution is typical of the wider growth across Yorkshire with many more hardball and softball teams and leagues in the last couple of years.

Incredibly, Colton now have four women and girls’ teams all playing in the West Yorkshire Women & Girls Cricket League – U13s Softball, U15s Hardball, Women’s Softball and Women’s Softball Development.

There are 28 girls from U9-U15 signed on to play in Colton’s girls’ teams (that’s 35% of all their signed-on juniors).

Angie Khan and Laura Collins took on the captain’s role initially and are now Level 1 qualified coaches, as well leading the women and girls’ section. They asked professional coach Courtney Winfield Hill to come and run some sessions for them; something that will happen again in 2024.

Plans for the future

While Andy has largely handed over the reins, he has plans to do more strategically; notably a third girls team in 2025 and boost numbers closer to 40 girls. This is the first year with two softball women’s teams so that will need a player pool that increases over time.

Over the next 2-3 seasons, the goal is to think about a women’s hardball team in the league and as a positive sign of catering for different standards, there is now a hardball development league where Colton see they might fit in future.

Apparently, that suggestion is being laughed off at present but then so was the notion of softball cricket at Colton and look what’s happened since! Of course, not all players want to move on to hardball but if there’s the opportunity to try, clubs often find it is snapped up.

Andy tells me: “That’s another bit of advice actually…always plan ahead… have a vision for the future, tell people about your vision and get them on board with it. You will be surprised how many people like the sound of it and will help along the way.”

He added: “Don’t get me wrong… it is hard work at times and can take up a lot of time but if you love your club like I do and you want to see it grow and prosper then there is no better way than to start women and girls’ cricket!”