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Coaches to deliver fair play lessons in school

19 April 2013

Cricket coaches in Gloucestershire will deliver lessons on fair play after a survey revealed that two-thirds (64%) of pupils in the UK are cheating during school sport due to the pressure they feel under to win.

The research carried out by Marylebone Cricket Club (MCC) and the Chance to Shine cricket charity also found that 75% of the 1002 children aged eight-16 surveyed believe their teammates would cheat if they could get away with it. 

To combat this, coaches working on Chance to Shine projects will present assemblies and lessons on good sportsmanship to around 400,000 children in 4,500 state schools across the country - including 143 primaries and 10 secondaries in Gloucestershire. These sessions will be part of MCC Spirit of Cricket scheme.

To watch a piece about this story that appeared on BBC Breakfast featuring Gloucestershire community coach Ralph Hardwick click here

Gloucestershire Cricket Board clubs and programmes officer Eric Woodmason (pictured) said he welcomed the new initiative.

He said: “I think it is important to have good sportsmanship running through every session and it is something I actively encourage in all the schools I visit. When I see a chance to talk about an element of fair play I always take the opportunity to bring it up with the children.”

Chance to Shine’s aim is to get more children playing cricket in state schools and to encourage them to join local clubs. This summer more than half of Gloucestershire’s clubs with youth sections – 48- will benefit from the project.

Eric said: “I feel it is part of our duty as coaches to ensure that when we introduce new people to the game we make sure that they keep upholding the standards of fair play that cricket is known for.”

And despite the worrying statistics, Eric says the picture in the county is much brighter than the research suggests.

He said: “I am pleased to say that the findings of this study don’t seem to be reflected in what I have seen in Gloucestershire. In the vast majority of schools I visit the attitude of the children is fantastic - they want to win but don’t overstep the mark.”

In a separate survey of 1004 parents of children aged eight-16, nearly two-thirds (65%) believe that cheating by high profile sportsmen and women is adding to the pressure on young people to copy them.

Wasim Khan, Chief Executive of Chance to Shine said: “It is a real concern to us that so many youngsters struggle in this ‘pressure cooker’ to win at all costs. We teach children the importance of playing sport competitively and fairly whilst also respecting the rules and the opposition.”

This summer children will have also have the chance to compete for their very own Ashes Urn as 1,500 replica urns are distributed to Chance to Shine schools around the country thanks to the partnership with MCC.

To view the MCC and Chance to Shine study in full visit the media section of chancetoshine.org.

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