Team Connect uses sport to provide girls with opportunities to increase their confidence and communication skills.
Transcript:
[Margie Oldfield]: Cricket is a unique sport – it offers something in my mind that other sports don’t offer. It’s a remarkably social sport, and it accommodates everybody. It’s a really, really great inclusive sport for kids who are not necessarily particularly sporty. Team Connect helps build stronger communities simply by offering kids who may not have the opportunity – offering them the opportunity to be part of their local community. [Student 1]: I joined the cricket team to make friends and be more social ‘cause I’m usually quiet. I love being part of a team, because I get to learn about teamwork. When I score points, they always come and high-five me. [Student 2]: I just wanted to join a team. I’ve learned through this team, is communication. It’s just talking to people, but how you say things. If you were to mess up, they all just encourage you and say you’re doing good. Everyone’s there to help you practise, especially the umpires are teachers. [Aoife Macaodhain]: I think the program has so many benefits for the girls. It’s a really great way of building relationships with lots of different friendship groups within the school, within my year group. It gives them the sense of belonging, it gives them something to commit to, and they have so much fun as well. [Student 3]: I just wanted to work on my teamwork. It has helped me to communicate more, have patience with others. When you get a wide – they’re still supportive, and when you don’t bat correctly, they’re still supportive. [Margie Oldfield]: The increase in confidence in some of these kids from when I first meet them, two or three games into the season, and the confidence has increased because they’ve realised they can do this, and they realise that they actually do belong to this, and that this is their team and there is a place for them, and that’s really powerful. [Student 3]: You make new friends if you haven’t already been friends with some of your teammates. You get closer with your coaches. You learn how to communicate more with others. Yeah, we may not be the best, but we are the friendliest and the most supportive.© OOTB 2021 made under licence
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