Australian Cricketers help launch partnership for junior cricket development

Australian cricketers Belinda Clark and Michael Clarke today helped launch a Cricket Australia and Australian Sports Commission (ASC) partnership to develop junior cricket programs.

The Federal Minister for the Arts and Sport, Senator Rod Kemp, and Cricket Australia Chief Executive Officer (CEO) James Sutherland made the announcement at Parliament House today.

Driven through the ASC's Targeted Sports Participation Growth Program, the partnership sees $900,000 dedicated to junior cricket development over three years to expand the game's national reach. This is the second year of the partnership.

The funding has been used to strengthen cricket's highly popular MILO Have-A-Go program, as well as assisting to develop a new junior program for young girls called Cric Hit.

Introduced as a pilot program last year, Cric Hit has been very successful in attracting young girls aged 10 to 13 years to the sport.

Its success has been based on a targeted approach to tailor the marketing, skill work and interest to the specific age and gender bracket.

Cricket Australia Chief Executive Officer James Sutherland said the partnership with the Australian Sports Commission was fundamental to keep junior participation in sport high.

"Cricket Australia is delighted to be involved in the ASC's Targeted Sports Participation Growth Program," said Mr Sutherland.

"Both organisations have a vested interest to ensure young children maintain a strong association in sport, and from our perspective, a healthy participation in cricket.

"The funding made available through the Targeted Sports Participation Growth Program has allowed us to strengthen our core programs such as the MILO Have-A-Go program, as well as branch out to develop an exciting new program called Cric Hit.

"Our research shows that girls of that age bracket (10-13 years) tend to decrease their involvement in sport for various reasons.

"But it's important we provide an option for girls to stay involved in sport and in cricket, and the Cric Hit program has been quite successful in that regard in a relatively short period of time.

"The partnership with the Australian Sports Commission adds to an already strong relationship we have with Nestle, who have supported junior cricket in Australia for more than a decade.

"Cricket Australia also acknowledges the support of parents and volunteers, without whom, programs such as these would not survive," said Mr Sutherland.

Participation in the junior cricket programs MILO Have-A-Go and Cric Hit show interest in the game is strong.

Last year, there were more than 30,000 young players involved in the MILO Have-A-Go program, and there are over 1,000 centres registered to run the program this season.

Cric Hit, which was introduced in six centres around Australia in 2002-03 as a pilot program, has continued the growth trend. Nearly 40 centres nationwide will coordinate the program this year.

The Cric Hit program was particularly successful in attracting new participants to the game. A recent independent survey conducted by Sweeney Sports showed 63 per cent of girls who trialled the Cric Hit program last year, had not played cricket before.

The results further reveal that interest in playing regular cricket is high, with the majority of those participants likely to enrol in the program again this year.

The Federal Minister for the Arts and Sport, Senator Rod Kemp says the Australian Government is proud to support the MILO Have-A-Go and Cric Hit programs which offer a great way for Australian boys and girls to take up junior cricket.

"The MILO Have-A-Go and Cric Hit programs are based on modified rules to make it a fun and easy way for young people to play cricket in a safe and organised environment," Senator Kemp said. "The programs will encourage young people to give the sport a go".

The $900,000 program expects to attract up to 75,000 Aussie kids onto the cricket pitch over the next three years.

The Targeted Sports Participation Growth Program is integral to the Australian Government's Sports Policy, Backing Australia's Sporting Ability - a More Active Australia, which provides close to $550 million for the growth and development of Australian sport over four years.