Mollie Robbins champions inclusivity at Bristol Wicketz

Mollie Robbins, reflecting on the experience, stated, “It was brilliant to see the girls with bat and ball in hand enjoying the sport, and all of the teamwork and camaraderie that it comes with. Girls only provision like this is only going to increase numbers of girls at grassroots level, which will feed into more women involved in cricket which will have a knock-on effect in the professional game.”

Local primary school teacher Joe Tett praised the inclusive nature of Wicketz, emphasising its impact on breaking down barriers for both boys and especially girls in cricket. He added, “The idea that it’s free, centrally based in the community at The Park Centre, and all kit is provided; it doesn’t matter what your social or financial background is.”

Participants expressed their gratitude for the session, with one noting, “It was great to have a session with Mollie and get her experience and knowledge. It really made my day.”

Sam Emmott, Wicketz Development Manager, highlighted the success of the girls-only hub and the importance of providing a safe space for girls to express themselves in sports.

“We held a girls only residential at Repton College, Derbyshire, last summer. It brought girls participating in Wicketz hubs across the country together for a few days. What we discovered at the residential was the importance for the girls to have that safe space. This was something identified from the girls themselves. They spoke about some of the pressures they faced when playing in mixed environments too. There are limited sporting opportunities for them in their communities where they feel they can express themselves. Since we’ve launched the hub back in September this year we’ve had a slow but steady growth, but it’s so important that they have this opportunity.”

Feedback from parents emphasised the convenience of local, year-round sessions with engaging and inclusive activities.

Participants expressed gratitude for the positive impact of Wicketz, with one saying, “I would like to thank Sam in particular, I find Wicketz really fun, exciting and a good way to make friends. I feel more confident in myself and I like the teamwork.”