Who We Are
Lisburn Cricket Club is the oldest cricket club in Northern Ireland and the third oldest in Ireland, with a rich history dating back to 1836. Celebrating our 188th year in the 2024 season, we have become a cornerstone of our community, fostering a love for cricket across generations. We proudly engage over 350 youth members, aged 6-19, in our youth pathway and summer schemes, with a growing focus on girls' participation. Our club has made significant strides in youth development, winning 4 out of 6 All-Ireland youth trophies in the last two years, and being the first in Northern Ireland to field a 3XI team in formal leagues.
Cricket at Lisburn Cricket Club is more than just a sport; it's a means to empower young people, particularly women and girls, by providing them with opportunities to develop essential life skills in a team environment. In 2021, we made history by establishing our first Women and Girls' section, which has since grown rapidly, reflecting our commitment to inclusivity and equal opportunity.
Why This Project Matters
At Lisburn, we believe that cricket should be accessible to everyone, regardless of gender, background, or ability. For several years, we have worked closely with local primary and secondary schools to ensure that young people have the opportunity to experience the game. Continuing and expanding this initiative is vital for the future of our club, especially as we aim to develop the next generation of female cricketers.
To support this growth, we urgently need more qualified coaches and volunteers who can help us deliver high-quality training and matches. Our goal is to provide accessible, inclusive cricket opportunities that will inspire more women and girls to take up the sport and develop their skills. We are committed to keeping our membership fees as low as possible to ensure that cricket remains affordable and accessible to all.
Our Project
In the 2025 season, we aim to have 150 women and girls actively participating in our pathway, making Lisburn Cricket Club one of the largest women's cricket sections in Ireland. To achieve this, we need to ensure that we have the necessary equipment and coaching resources to provide a quality experience for all our members. Our project is focused on improving our coaching ratio, which will increase the amount of contact time our members receive, thereby enhancing their development and enjoyment of the game.
In addition to our regular training sessions, we will be introducing girls-only secondary morning sessions for the first time. This initiative is designed to build a strong foundation for girls' cricket in our community, helping younger players transition smoothly into club cricket, excel for their school and further strengthening our school-club links. We see women and girls' cricket as a critical area of growth for our club, and your support will help us achieve our vision of making cricket accessible and enjoyable for all.
The Lisburn Cricket Club Winter Programme represents a new initiative, distinct from our regular day-to-day activities. Traditionally, our club's focus has been on seasonal outdoor cricket, with most coaching and matches taking place in the spring and summer months. This winter programme, however, marks a significant expansion of our offering, aimed specifically at providing year-round engagement for women and girls—many of whom have had limited opportunities in sports historically.
Here’s how this new programme will address those traditionally excluded from participating in sport and physical activity:
Year-Round Support for Women and Girls: Cricket has often been seen as a male-dominated sport, with fewer opportunities for women and girls to play and develop their skills. Our winter programme will provide structured indoor cricket sessions, offering women and girls a dedicated space to learn and improve their game in the off-season. This ensures that they have the same continuous opportunities for development as their male counterparts.
Focus on Inclusivity: Many of the participants in our programme come from backgrounds where access to sports is limited—whether due to socioeconomic barriers, gender biases, or a lack of local facilities. The winter programme will specifically target these groups, offering subsidized fees and free access to equipment to ensure that financial limitations do not prevent anyone from participating. Additionally, we will run women and girls-only sessions to create a safe and encouraging environment for those who may feel excluded in mixed-gender settings.
Coaching Development and Mentorship: The winter programme will also involve targeted coaching development for female coaches and volunteers, helping them become role models and mentors for younger participants. This will create a pathway not just for players, but for women to take on leadership roles as coaches, officials, and administrators within the club—areas where women have historically been underrepresented. We recently ran a free Lisburn only 'Coaching Kids 5-11 Course' which included 14 women and girls. This was the first steps in our coach education programme we have started internally. Over the winter we hope to have guest coaches running masterclass sessions focused on their particular skillset to help improve the knowledge of our female coaches and players.
How You Can Help
Your support will enable us to:
Run a Quality, Inclusive Programme: We plan to deliver a comprehensive winter programme for our women and girls' teams, ensuring they receive the training and support needed to excel in the sport.
Expand Participation: We aim to field 8 women and girls' teams in NCU competitions in 2025, providing ample opportunities for competitive play and skill development.
Promote Lifelong Friendships and Values: Through our cricket programme, we hope to instill the values of teamwork, discipline, and resilience in our members, while fostering friendships that will last a lifetime.
Run morning cricket sessions in partnered secondary schools: Delivering winter coaching to those girls at partnered secondary schools to help further their development opportunities.
Lisburn Cricket Club is dedicated to creating opportunities for all, especially those who have traditionally been excluded from participating in sport. Our project aligns with Sport NI's "Creating Opportunities" programme by focusing on women and girls, a target group that is underrepresented in sports. We are committed to levelling the playing field by making cricket accessible to all and ensuring that everyone, regardless of background, has the chance to play, coach, and lead in our club.
Thank you for considering supporting the Lisburn Cricket Club Women and Girls Programme. Together, we can create a brighter future for our young cricketers and our community