Esmae MacGregor and Ariana Dowse were among 40 professional women’s players to attend a record-breaking PCA Rookie Camp, supported by the Graham Gooch Scholarship at Edgbaston this week.
With a further 29 male players also in attendance, a total of 69 players were present, a new high for the event since its inception in 2011.
This year’s two-day event took place at Edgbaston and the Park Regis Hotel in Birmingham between 26 and 27 February and included guest speakers such as Lancashire’s Keaton Jennings and Somerset’s Sophie Luff.
For the first time, a Pre-Rookie Camp was held for women’s players due to the introduction of the new tiered system and the large influx of new female professionals in the sport.
Sessions included ‘self-awareness in professional sport’ and ‘being an elite athlete’ delivered by former footballer Leigh Nicol and current rugby player Celia Quansah.
Those were followed by an open discussion on the future of the women’s game with PCA Director of Player Rights and Women’s Cricket, Emma Reid, Director of Women’s Cricket at Lancashire, David Thorley, and Director of the Women’s Professional Game at the ECB, Beth Barrett-Wild.
The second day was filled with educational seminars and workshops designed to help young players transition into the professional game. It included various speakers within and outside of the PCA.
Lancashire’s Jennings, who attended one of the first Rookie Camps in 2013, and Somerset Women’s PCA Rep Luff shared valuable insights to the young audience on ’embracing the opportunity’.
New PCA Chair Olly Hannon-Dalby attended his first PCA event ahead of officially starting his new role from next week at the Annual General Meeting.
The Warwickshire seam bowler addressed the rookies with a session on how their voices will be heard regarding any issues both on and off the field.
Rookie Camp also saw engaging sessions from B5 Consultancy on topics relevant to a younger audience like effective use of social media and maintaining healthy relationships from Nicol and former footballer Fraser Franks, alongside the awe-inspiring double amputee Shaun Whiter.
The PCA’s Official Motor Insurance Partner All Sport Insurance delivered a talk in the afternoon session along with a ‘tax made easy’ session from Official Tax/Accountancy Education Partner Clay GBP. Former footballer Scott Davies from EPIC Global Solutions also shared a lecture on gambling education.
The 15th PCA Rookie Camp forms part of the PCA’s Personal Development and Welfare Programme (PDWP), a personalised support service which aims to enable individuals to develop sustainable performance both within and outside of cricket.
“Having a record year with player attendance is fantastic,” said Ian Thomas, PCA Managing Director of Member Services. “We started with the Pre-Rookie Camp session for the new women’s professionals and then Rookie Camp the next day with a wide-ranging agenda.
“There’s been some fantastic engagement with some great questions and we encourage the players to be inquisitive. The aim is always to get the players to understand what we do at the PCA and how we can help them.
“It’s a great education opportunity to reinforce key messages around professional behaviours and trying to protect them from the pitfalls that may face them as a professional athlete.”
Surrey wicketkeeper, Jemima Spence, said: “Rookie Camp has been very enjoyable, I’ve seen lots of friends from the England U19s. We learnt a lot about social media, managing relationships and how to behave professionally.
“The main thing I took from Rookie Camp was how to use social media effectively and safely but also how to be the best professional cricketer possible whilst maintaining a happy mental wellbeing away from the game.
“It’s been incredible to see how many women’s professionals are here and it shows just how much the women’s game is developing. This season we’ll see that in the standard and it will affect how we go out there and show the world what we can do.”
Rothesay County Championship or Vitality WIT20? Or, both?
There is so much cricket on offer in Chelmsford this summer with the Rothesay County Championship getting underway – against Surrey, no less – on Friday 04 April.
England Women are also in CM2 for a blockbuster Spring Bank Holiday T20 against West Indies Women, you can’t miss this one!
And the Metro Bank One Day Cup returns, but this time with Men’s and Women’s competitions throughout the summer.
Tickets for every match are now available via our Ticket Site, so have a browse and get your summer of cricket booked in.
