She Plays Cricket
This event is all about you! It’s a celebration of women and girls’ cricket in all its forms, from softball to hardball and is aimed at supporting individuals and clubs to grow and develop their teams. Whether you’re already playing or just getting started, come along and join a vibrant community of players, coaches, and club members who are passionate about pushing the game forward. Expect inspiring talks, real stories from women like you, and practical ideas to help strengthen your softball or hardball team, boost your skills, and create welcoming, inclusive spaces at your club. This is a one-off opportunity to hear from fantastic speakers with real, practical advice to make a difference to your team, your club, and your own journey in cricket.
Provisional Programme
Making It Happen: Starting, Developing & Progressing a Women’s and Girls’ Section – Gemma Barton, Attenborough Cricket Club
Join us for an inspiring and practical talk from Gemma at Attenborough Cricket Club, charting their remarkable journey building a thriving women’s and girls’ section with multiple teams. We’ll hear firsthand how they overcame early challenges, including limited support and resources, to build multiple softball, hardball and cricket teams. Gemma will offer valuable lessons for clubs at the start of their development journey, with honest insights into what worked, what didn’t, and how they successfully transitioned players to hardball cricket while growing community and club support. Whether you’re setting up a new team or looking to expand an existing one, this talk will offer encouragement, practical tips and proven strategies to help you take the next steps.
Cricket for You: Exploring the Playing Opportunities – Jemima Dalton – Chair of the East Midlands Women’s Cricket League
Jemima will showcase the many ways you can get involved and play cricket. Women’s cricket offers an exciting variety of formats and playing opportunities, from softball festivals to indoor cricket to competitive cricket through the East Midlands Women’s Cricket League. Leaning on her many years’ experience as a club player and coach, her work at Nottinghamshire County Cricket Club and her role as Chair of the East Midlands Women’s Cricket League, Jemima has been instrumental in shaping a truly inclusive and year-round playing offer for female club cricketers. The EMWCL launched in 2020 with Jemima as the inaugural Chair, and over the past 5 years the league has grown phenomenally to become the largest women’s cricket league in the country, with 4 different playing formats across 24 divisions. The league structure facilitates both individual and team advancement by providing a clear and integrated development pathway, not just for players, but for umpires as well. Whether you are a softball beginner or a confident hardball player, there is cricket for you.
Coaching Girls to Love the Game! – Joe Ashdown, Joe Ashdown Sports
Coaching Girls to Love the Game explores the critical role that environment plays in encouraging girls to engage with and enjoy sport. This talk emphasises the importance of putting fun first while also developing essential skills, demonstrating that both are necessary for long-term participation and success. It will delve into the impact of coaching language and the type of feedback used, highlighting how this can build confidence and motivation. The talk also covers effective practice design tailored to girls’ needs, and underscores the powerful influence of visible, relatable role models in developing a love for the game.
Driving Change, Breaking Boundaries – Leigh Burns, CEO & Founder, Lacuna Sports
Leigh Burns, CEO and Founder of Lacuna Sports, will present the pioneering Inclusivity Guide developed in collaboration with Her Game Too Cricket and FabLittleBag. This is a practical toolkit designed to support cricket clubs nationwide in becoming truly welcoming, inclusive and ambitious environments for female players. This guide is a direct response to the visible gaps and inequalities in provision and participation that have been highlighted in recent reviews by the ECB and Cricket Scotland. Leigh will walk you through the pillars of the guide and top tips from clubs and counties around the country to help identify some easy wins for your female teams.
40 years in Cricket: Staying competitive through change – Amanda Bacon, Liverpool Cricket Club
Amanda will share how she’s managed to keep her competitive edge in cricket over four decades, despite the challenges and shifts life inevitably brings. She will explore how becoming a parent reshaped her priorities and time, how moving to new areas and changing jobs forced her to adapt to different teams and environments, and how personal losses have tested her mental resilience. She’ll also talk about the habits, mindset, and strategies that allowed her to keep improving, stay motivated, and find joy in the game through every season of life.
From Village Green to International Stage: A Scorer’s Journey Through Cricket – Jane Hough, 1st Team Scorer, Derbyshire County Cricket Club
This talk shares the unique journey of how a love for village cricket evolved into scoring at an international level. Initially scoring at local matches, Jane will reflect on the joys of being a woman in grassroots cricket, her unexpected role as part of the Behind Closed Doors team during lockdown, and how those experiences shaped her passion for supporting and mentoring scorers across the country.
Other Activity
There will be plenty of time to network and meet others, as well as a chance to talk directly to our speakers. Tea and cake will be provided during breaks.
Pop-Up Shop
Lacuna Sports creates bespoke kit designed to fit the female body, so all sportswomen can walk out onto a pitch feeling confident, comfortable and able to focus on their game, not their kit. Visit their pop-up shop at the event where your team can try on teamwear in different styles and sizes.
Date and Venue
The event will be held on Saturday 4 October at Capital One in the centre of Nottingham. This is within easy reach of Nottingham Train Station and nearby car parks. The event will run 9.30am – 1pm.
Address: Trent House, Station St, Nottingham NG2 3HX, United Kingdom
Tickets
Early bird tickets until 1 September £5 (includes tea and cake).
FAQs
Who is this event for?
The event is aimed at local clubs throughout the Midlands area (and beyond). Players (junior and senior), coaches, volunteers and parents would all be welcome and would benefit from attending. Why not bring your whole team and make a day of it?
Who is running the event?
The event is hosted by Farnsfield Cricket Club, based near Southwell.
How do I book tickets?
Tickets can be booked via this website – see button further up the page.
Where is the event taking place?
The event will be held at Capital One, Trent House, Station St, Nottingham NG2 3HX
How do I get to the venue?
The Capital One building is a 5 minute walk from Nottingham Train Station. There are also car parks close by.
Will I get a ticket?
As part of the registration process you will complete a booking form. Upon arrival at the event please provide your name and email address.
Who do I contact with specific questions?
You can email enquiries@farnsfieldcricketclub.co.uk
Thank you to Capital One for supporting this initiative. Once costs are covered any small surplus will be used to support our girls’ teams.