Cricket Tasmania’s annual JMC Community Cricket Blitz kicks off across the state today, with 31 Tasmanian Tigers and Hobart Hurricanes players visiting 30 schools across all corners of the state, including the South, North, North West and East Coast regions.
Nearly 4,000 Tasmanian children are expected to have a taste of cricket added to their school curriculum this week – some who could be introduced to the sport for the first time – with the added bonus of having the opportunity to learn from some of Tasmania’s top players.
The sessions run throughout the JMC Blitz will be based on the Woolworths Cricket Blast program; Australian cricket’s introductory-level program to the sport. Aimed at children aged from five to 10 of all abilities, Woolworths Cricket Blast allows participants to learn the basic skills of cricket in a fun and friendly environment.
Woolworths Cricket Blast programs are held in a range of different formats and environments – from school holiday programs to weekly club-based sessions – with the aim to make the sport as accessible as possible to a wide range of Tasmanian families.
Cricket Tasmania’s General Manager of Community Cricket, Alex King, said that engaging children in cricket from a young age was crucial in terms of their long-term involvement with the sport.
“With over 90% of senior players commencing their cricket journey before the age of 12, programs like the Woolworths Cricket Blast provide the platform for our next generation of players to not only learn the basic skills of cricket, but more importantly, have fun and develop a love for the game.
“Once again, this summer there will be a range of options right across Tasmania that will provide the opportunity for girls and boys to take part in the program at either their school, a local club or in a range of community programs.
“This week during the JMC Blitz, it’s such a great opportunity for so many kids to be introduced to cricket and the Blast program – some for the first time – by players from both our male and female high performance programs, who can be such great role models. We hope will inspire as many students as possible to join their local program to stay as active, fit and healthy as possible.”
More information about Woolworths Cricket Blast – including how to find your local centre and register – can be found here: https://play.cricket.com.au/play/woolworths-cricket-blast.