Western Bay of Plenty Cricket is running a new cricket awareness programme aimed at Year One to Four pupils in hopes of growing player numbers in the Bay.

When Western Bay Cricket Administrator Don Warner was asked to grow the game in the region as one of the targets of the WBOPCA planning – he burst into action with the new programme.

Western Bay Cricket Administrator Don Warner at Katikati Primary School.

The local cricket administrator, who is also a NZ Cricket level two coach, made contact with Sport BOP, who on the cricket association behalf distributed a flyer to all Western Bay Primary Schools.

'We had unbelievable by-in from the schools which has kept me flat out for six weeks leading up the school holidays.

'We have tried to keep the skills real simple such as catching and throwing a tennis ball and have incorporated plenty of fun and games in each forty minute delivery”, says Don.

The success of the program has seen Don deliver the first steps in cricket skills to more than 2500 five to eight-year-olds, at schools between Katikati to Pongokawa. There has been overwhelming acceptance of the program by schools, with the Western Bay Cricket organisation picking up all the costs, associated with the program delivery.

There has been plenty of excitement at the end of each forty-minute course when the goody bags have been handed out.

Included in the information on HAG (Have A Go) cricket courses to be run during term four and Saturday junior cricket information, are a set of Black Cap player cards, which are always hugely popular with the youngsters.

The cricket awareness program works on the premise that if sport can grab a child's attention and interest in their formative years, there is a very good chance that they will follow the game for life.

Western Bay Cricket has an outstanding junior pathway, which kicks off with the HAG courses and Saturday soft ball cricket.

A junior Western Bay representative program can lead to Bay of Plenty representation (and further) with current Black Caps Kane Williamson and Trent Boult graduates of the Western Bay junior pathway.