My journey in cricket began in the early 90’s at my primary school. A Sussex coach came in to deliver a six week programme, so I thought I would give it a go. It turns out I was pretty good, and within six months I was playing county cricket! This is testament to the infrastructure of Sussex back then, as well as unerring support from my parents and headteacher at the time - who made me captain of the team, too, as the only girl.
The decades which have followed have been consumed, in the very best way, by this wonderful sport. Representing and captaining England A, Sussex, Loughborough University, as well as many years at Brighton and Hove CC and Horsham CC have been such a privilege.
I feel so unbelievably fortunate to make a career off the pitch. My roles have always seemed to be about breaking boundaries and stereotypes. I was the first team analyst at Leicestershire CCC in 2006, which culminated in one of their superb T20 victories. At Loughborough University I became Performance Manager and Assistant coach to Graham Dilley and we established the first ever stand alone Women’s UCCE. I then travelled back to Sussex to become the first ever female Director of Cricket at an independent school at Brighton College. My level 4 qualification was completed as I started this role becoming the youngest male or female to complete it at 27 years of age.
My proudest achievement has probably been the project at Brighton Aldridge Community Academy. Sir Rod Aldridge and myself have created an amazing state school cricket academy from nothing to allow anyone who aspires to work hard and be the best they can be, can. No matter their background. When I left to work full time at Sussex I had overseen 200 students through the programme, built a cricket pitch and intern cricket centre, been named in the Top 100 schools for six straight years and taken over 80 students on overseas tours to South Africa, UAE, Sri Lanka and Kenya.
Cricket provides so much more than runs, wickets and wins. The life skills, connections and camaraderie is like nothing else I could ever had imagined. Pick up a bat or ball, give it a go and see where this wonderful sport can take you.