A school cricket academy is nurturing rising stars to compete on the world stage.
Chris Ward, MP for Brighton Kemptown and Peacehaven, visited the Aldridge Cricket Academy at Brighton Aldridge Community Academy (BACA) last week, to meet students, tour the facilities, and join a coaching session.
During the visit, Mr Ward took part in batting practice alongside students and heard about their training schedules, educational pathways and ambitions in the sport.
He said: "It was a real pleasure to visit BACA and see first-hand the exceptional work being done through the Aldridge Cricket Academy.
"The combination of high-quality education with elite-level coaching is incredibly powerful, and it’s opening doors for young people from all backgrounds to pursue their ambitions, both in sport and beyond.
"I was particularly impressed by the academy’s focus on inclusion, including encouraging more girls to take up cricket, and by the discipline, commitment and teamwork shown by the students.
"Initiatives like this demonstrate the huge value of investing in youth sport as a driver of confidence, wellbeing and opportunity."
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The Aldridge Cricket Academy, the leading state school cricket academy in Sussex, offers students a pathway to combine their academic studies with professional-standard cricket training.
Mr Ward also met head coach Mark Robinson OBE and Gary Wallis-Tayler, community cricket director at Sussex Cricket, to discuss the academy’s approach to player development and its success in producing county, national and professional-level players.
A large number of BACA students have been selected for Sussex Pathway squads, with three recently competing in the World Junior League in Dubai.
The visit ended with a Q&A session giving students the opportunity to discuss leadership, resilience, and balancing sport with education.
Jack Davies, principal of BACA, said: "It was great to welcome Chris to BACA and to our Cricket Academy, and to be able to show him the amazing coaching and facilities we have on offer here.
"We’re really grateful for his support, as our local MP, and it’s been an excellent opportunity for our students to learn more about politics and showcase their commitment and talent to both sport and to their education."
