Levelling The Playing Field

The number of professional and amateur cricket players from African-Caribbean backgrounds has drastically fallen since the 1980s. This is unlikely to be a result of declining interest levels – rather, lack of access to facilities and equipment reduces opportunities for gifted players to fulfil their potential. Mark Costin, Head of Girls’ Cricket at Berkhamsted School, is passionate about closing this gap. Previously working in the state sector in southwest London whilst coaching at a professional cricket club, Mark keenly felt the disparity in the opportunities available to his pupils. ‘Some of the pupils at my school had a higher level of potential than those involved in the county age group pathway’, he says. ‘They just hadn’t had the hours of practice and expensive coaching’.

Mark’s belief in levelling the playing field is backed by a personal relationship with The ACE Programme Charity. Launched by Surrey County Cricket Club in January 2020, the programme aims to ‘support underrepresented talent from the grassroots to the elite’. Four years after delivery, the charity is pleased to be an official partner of Sport England and England & Wales Cricket Board, providing opportunities for African and Caribbean heritage children to access cricket across six cities – London, Birmingham, Bristol, Manchester, Nottingham and Sheffield. The programme has achieved significant growth since its inception, most recently seeing two players receive rookie contracts in partnership with The Blaze (Nottingham County Cricket Club) and significant support from Middlesex County Cricket Club.

Berkhamsted has established a strong partnership with ACE in conjunction with the School’s sports scholarship programme. ‘We want to give opportunities to talented people who could come and be educated here’, says Mark. ‘We can help people achieve whatever their sporting dream is because of the standard of our staff and facilities, and the amount of practice we can offer them alongside their studies’.

Striving to put Berkhamsted on the map for aspiring young cricketers, Mark invited ACE to use the School’s facilities during their summer residential camp, where they spent a week training and playing matches on Berkhamsted’s turf. ACE’s cricketers also play against Berkhamsted pupils during term times, and residential programmes continue to be held at the School each year. ‘I love the idea that we can do a bit to help’, Mark emphasises.

Berkhamsted has already successfully inspired an ACE player to apply for a sports scholarship and join the School. A Year 9 pupil on an ACE residential camp approached Berkhamsted about their scholarships after seeing the School’s facilities. Now thriving as a pupil, he is the first Year 9 to play in Berkhamsted’s U18A team and is keen to become a professional cricketer. ‘That’s something I think we should be pretty proud of’, Mark says. ‘He has uprooted everything to come here, and he loves it here. It will help him be better and fulfil his potential’.

The ACE Programme Charity strives to help those from underprivileged backgrounds gain access to top quality cricket training.

Mark is eager to continue forging pathways between ACE and Berkhamsted, hoping to one day see a male and female player receive a sports scholarship each year. In addition to hosting residential camps, however, this year Berkhamsted has offered its facilities for ACE’s newest professional cricket player to train weekly. Troy Henry has been part of ACE since it began and is working towards a contract to play for Middlesex County Cricket Club. As he lives in Hertfordshire, Berkhamsted’s proximity and resources provide an accessible space for training.

Troy has been playing cricket since he was four years old and has always had a love for the sport. He describes ACE as a ‘massive help to get me to where I am now’ as a result of its top tier coaching and access to facilities such as Berkhamsted’s. He recently coached at the summer residential, explaining how it was ‘an amazing experience to see boys and girls, often from underprivileged backgrounds, being able to enjoy themselves and use equipment and facilities they would not have been able to otherwise’. Delighted to have achieved his ‘big break’, Troy can’t wait to start his journey as a professional cricketer. ‘Now this is a reality for me, I’m so excited to keep working harder and push myself to get to the top. This is what I’ve wanted and dreamed of since I was four!’

Troy hopes that the growth of ACE as a charity will be an eye-opener those who might not have noticed the decline in people playing cricket from African-Caribbean backgrounds. ‘It’s important we get that back and have stars on TV that young children can look up to and say, ‘I want to be like them’. That’s massive, and if we can keep building it, it’s going to be even better’.

Offering its sports hall for Troy to train in, Berkhamsted’s relationship with ACE is continuing to flourish and benefit both parties. Mark hopes that Berkhamsted pupils will have a chance to play against Troy when he needs net bowlers or batters, giving them the opportunity to train with a professional cricketer.

‘It’s great to see our partnership go from strength to strength’, says Chevy Green, Director of ACE Programme. ‘It means a great deal to see Berkhamsted School supporting Troy Henry, a local boy, on his professional journey, being able to use the excellent cricket facilities to develop his skills’.

Mark Costin îs Head of Girls’ Cricket at Berkhamsted school.