Schoolchildren take centre stage at Cheltenham Festival - including radio interviews
17 July 2014
More than 500 schoolchildren from across the county took centre stage on day two of the Brewin Dolphin Cheltenham Cricket Festival.
Pupils from 15 schools took part in a mass coaching session on the outfield during the lunch interval of the county’s game against Derbyshire in the LV Championship on July 15.
The day was featured on BBC Radio Gloucestershire.
To hear an interview with GCB communications officer Luke Sellers and young leader Olly Currill visit http://www.bbc.co.uk/programmes/p02203xc and listen from 2hrs 34mins and 20esconds.
To listen to the thoughts of pupils from Longlevens Junior School and Chance To Shine regional manager Stuart Priscott go to http://www.bbc.co.uk/programmes/p02203xk and scroll to 1hr 19mins and 50 seconds.
The children were taking part in the first ever Gloucestershire Cricket schools day to be held at the festival.
It follows a similar event which saw more than 800 children visit the Bristol County Ground last month.
The schools day included free entry to the match and the chance to conduct a question and answer with Gloucestershire players Cameron Herring and James Fuller.
The pupils also received coaching in the Abercrombie and Kent coaching zone and tested their bowling skills in an inflatable bowling cage – complete with speedometer.
The children were also given workbook filled with cricket-related tasks. Activities ranged from designing a new Gloucestershire mascot to working out which of the county’s current batsmen has the best average.
But it was the 20minute close catching challengeon the outfield that caused the most excitement.
Led by coaches from the Gloucestershire Cricket Board and volunteers from the county’s youth teams, the pupils formed a circle around the playing area and took part in a range of close-catching challenges.
Gloucestershire Cricket Board projects and programmes manager Chris Munden, who helped coordinate the day said: “To see all 500 children practicing their skills on the outfield, in front of the crowd was an amazing sight. The children seemed to really enjoy the whole day and created a great atmosphere while the game was going on.
“We have worked hard to create a well-rounded day that offers schoolchildren a chance to watch top class cricket, receive coaching and tie it all in with their academic work. Judging by the response of the children and their teachers it was a great success.
One teacher who was delighted with the day was Kim Budden, year three teacher at South Gloucestershire base St Barnabas primary school.
She said: “It has worked out really well because the day ties in perfectly with our topic “Shaping Up” which is about healthy living. We have also been practicing cricket at school to prepare them.
“For the vast majority of our children this is their first time at a cricket match and they have had a great time. They were also really excited about the workbooks.”
Gloucestershire CCC chief executive Will Brown said: “It looked and sounded like the children had a wonderful time and I had many of our members and ex-players saying how great it was to see them all there.
“One of my main aims as chief executive is to get more children into watching and playing cricket and hopefully days like this will inspire them to do just that.
The day was also supported by the Gloucestershire Cricket Board’s education partners Mezze Restaurants and Chance to Shine as well as office solutions firm Itec who printed the workbooks for free.
The schools involved in the day were:
St John's primary Coleford
Leighterton Primary
St Barnabas CE Primary School
Severnbanks Primary School
Coalway Junior School
Gastrells Primary School
Severn View Primary Academy
Oak Hill C of E Primary
Oakwood Primary School
St Dominic's Catholic Primary School
Longlevens Junior School
