COVERED 2024 Spring

31 @TRENTBRIDGE wall to pepper the batters with quick- fire deliveries. Meanwhile, Patrick’s attention is brought to a new face, Eva, who is trying cricket for the first time. The only girl at this session, it could be a daunting experience at first. But with a warm welcome, Patrick is quick to throw her into the deep end and sends her into the queue with a ball in hand. Sometimes, there is less need for talk and more need for exposure – Patrick knows what helps children thrive in this kind of environment. Introducing young people to the game, especially those who might not other- wise have the financial means to play what can undoubtedly be an expensive and time-consuming sport, requires foundational work before all else. “What gets young people into playing sport in general is just enjoying it,” he says on the sideline. “These kids don’t need me to talk at them all the time, these sessions are about letting them get a feel for the game and enjoying what cricket is all about.” Patrick will step in when needed – the odd bowling action demonstration here, a batting tip there – but his priority is letting interest grow organically under his guidance. From grassroots sessions like these, there too comes an opportunity to identify talent. Many, Patrick says, come from non-cricketing families. He tells of his success story with local Year 4 students Ethan – of British- Nigerian descent – and Kacper, who hails from a British-Polish family. Neither had picked up a bat or ball before experiencing the ACE Pro- gramme’s school sessions and, with both demonstrating a knack for batting and bowling, they moved onto the ACE Hub community programme, an evening training programme in St. Ann’s where skills and passion for the game are further harnessed. Whilst the main objective is to produce an upturn in cricketers of African- Caribbean heritage, ACE is open to children regardless of race, social class or status. “We are providing an avenue for kids to play a sport that they might not have played or known about at all,” Patrick says. “At the same time, we are identifying that talent and those who have potential to play to a very good standard of cricket.We aim to give those individuals the opportunity to play for county age- group teams and the possibilities are endless from there.” He also tells of exciting plans to further expand the ACE Programme when Trent Bridge holds trials for the East Midlands’ first ACE Academy; an opportunity for aspiring cricketers of African-Caribbean backgrounds to earn a scholarship for bespoke training and opportunities to compete in a team across the summer. “It is really exciting,” Patrick smiles. “The Programme is growing and whilst I’d like to see even greater numbers taking part this year and into next year, I think we can already be happy with the progress we are making.” Farewells and fist-bumps exchanged, Patrick debriefs with session partici- pants. He visibly loves his job, even in the dead of winter when confined to the cold of school gymnasiums. Whether two, twelve or twenty, the happy faces are a reminder of these incremental steps toward a better game for all. ACE PROGRAMME