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New research shows charity’s success in boosting underrepresented talent in cricket
Dr Thomas Fletcher, Reader in the School of Events, Tourism and Hospitality Management, co-led the research with Dr Tom Brown at Birmingham City University, focusing on the impact of the ACE programme between its launch in 2020, and 2022.
The aim of the evaluation was to seek insight from coaches, players and parents involved in the London, Birmingham and Bristol hubs on why they feel ACE is needed, what they feel ACE is doing well and what could be developed further.
Dr Fletcher explained: “We know that sport, and cricket especially, is surrounded by stubborn inequalities. At the time of our research, at Board level, there was zero representation of African Caribbean communities and 1% or less of participants at the grassroots of the game come from African Caribbean Communities.
“Moreover, over the last two decades, the number of African Caribbean professional players had declined by 75%. The ACE programme exists because the existing ways of doing things in cricket have failed to engage with these communities. I am delighted to be involved in this vital programme.”
The research found that the young people who participate in ACE sessions are becoming closely engaged with cricket and increasing their levels of physical activity – they are doing an average of 60 to 90 minutes more exercise a week since engaging with the programme.
The researchers’ interviews showed that 87% of young people who attend ACE sessions experience a significantly higher sense of personal identity, 10% higher than the national average across all sports, with 77% saying they saw people at sessions they could identify with.
The ACE Programme was launched by Surrey County Cricket Club in January 2020 with the intention to inspire the wider game to support reconnecting with the Black community.
After initially launching in south London, ACE quickly went on to become a nationwide, independent charity in October 2020, when it launched in a second city, Birmingham. It now runs programmes in Bristol, Sheffield and north London and will soon be starting sessions in Nottingham and Manchester. Across the country, ACE works in partnership with first-class counties, Surrey, Warwickshire, Gloucestershire, Nottinghamshire, Lancashire and Yorkshire.
The ACE vision is to be a catalyst to accelerate change, supporting diverse talents from the grassroots to the elite.
Ebony Rainford-Brent MBE, Chair of the ACE Programme, said: “This report demonstrates that by doing things differently we have got different results.
“ACE has started to engage a demographic that were in danger of being left behind by cricket – and has given opportunities to a large number of young people, who are now in the position to make cricket a part of their life for decades to come. Focussing on the whole pathway from grassroots to the elite has been vital to our success.
“We truly believe cricket has the ability to be representative of our society and support young people from diverse and lower socioeconomic backgrounds, allowing them to thrive. The desire from the game is at the highest it has ever been to become truly inclusive, and we are excited to play our part.”