Wanneroo reaps rewards of female cricket academy

WANNEROO is one of only six clubs competing in the Female Premier Cricket Youth League in WA this season.

The competition has provided a playing environment so the girls can develop their skills acquired from the dedicated coaching they receive from Wanneroo’s Mike Hussey Female Cricket Coaching Academy.

This academy, which Wanneroo have developed since its inception in 2010, has nurtured the skills of notable elite female cricketers such as Bhavisha Devchand, Heather Graham, Megan Banting, Ashlee Endersbee and Shanae Reichelt.

All of these players have either represented the Western Fury, Perth Scorchers (WBBL) and some have gone on to gain national honours.

Our current academy has more than 20 girls registered, of which a good number have already been involved in the WACA State program at U12s, 13s and 15s and gone on to play in various national championships.

The girls are part of a strong community cricket pathway, which supports and provides elite girls in the feeder area to Wanneroo.

Greg Williams (Level 3 High Performance Coach) has been the consistent figure behind the academy’s success, supported strategically via the Wanneroo club’s committee.

This year Greg has been joined by a newly recruited female head coach Sarah Clear alongside two further male coaches to ensure the girls continue to receive a high standard of coaching and the ratios of coach to player remain a high priority.

Wanneroo has begun a three and five-year strategic development plan to grow and strengthen female cricket in Wanneroo and to build even stronger links with their Community Cricket partners.

The vision is to eventually develop a senior grade women’s side that will continue to produce inspirational young female cricketers as part of our WACA cricket pathway.

Wanneroo’s female cricketers will play their first game on their home pitch at Kingsway this season on December 2.

READ MORE: Wanneroo hosts first game of the season on refurbished ground at Kingsway