My cricket journey began as an eight year old, moving house and excitingly my back gate opened onto the local cricket clubs car park. I didn't request to play initially, I just spend my weekends sat with the fondly named 'top bankers' learning what was actually happening and their take on each of the players.
Fast forward 18 months and my passion for the game was growing, requesting to play and getting my first cricket bat! Another two seasons passed me by before I actually got to play a game aged 12. The only female in the side (and at the time the league) but the third to represent my local club Read CC. The playing journey continued onto representing Lancashire at multiple age groups, captaining the County women's side and representing the North West at the Senior Super Fours.
Alongside my playing journey I got involved in coaching from a young age supporting my dad with the Clubmark folder and then completing my coaching qualifications, including my ECB Master Coach Level 4, joining a group of just six other females at the time.
Lancashire Cricket has been a constant in my working life, from a schools coaching role to Women and Girls Manager to Academy Head Coach and now Managing Director of the Foundation.
Cricket is woven into every part of my life, I'm the proudest of driving change at a culture level, seeing clubs develop girls teams, women's teams and supporting females be involved in cricket at all levels.
My message to all those thinking about getting involved would be its more than a sport, it offers so many development opportunities, both formally and informally. The wider benefits of cricket across social interactions, physical and mental health, leadership and confidence development, there are so many different versions of cricket something will appeal to you!