“They come to us loving cricket, but they leave with qualifications and experience that will set them up for the rest of their lives”

The Cricketer learns about life at Yorkshire Cricket College, the government-funded educational institution where 16 to 18-year-olds are shown pathways into a career in cricket

It is no secret that schools cricket provides students with transferable skills that they can take with them into future employment.

Not every pupil is going to go on and enjoy a professional career, but their experiences within a team, of decision-making and strategic thinking equips them for life outside of the classroom.

Yorkshire Cricket College are no different in this regard, but in addition to providing students with invaluable life skills they are also offering a direct route into a career in cricket. This could be via university, apprenticeships, or directly into the sport.

“We are a further education institution so we are classed as a college. Our students are all 16 to 18-years-old and arrive with us after doing their GCSEs,” Nick Robinson, education manager at the Yorkshire Cricket Foundation, tells The Cricketer.

“The programme is 100% based at Headingley and we currently run two qualifications, the NCFE Level 3 Extended Diploma in Sport, and Level 3 BTEC in Business.”

Importantly, there is no tuition fee to attend the college, while training kit has a subsidised cost.

^{Cricket-playing students have training sessions built into their timetable}

Young people can be forgiven for occasionally glancing out of the window while at school or college, but with the college’s classrooms in the pavilion, one look out of the window reminds students why they are there, with the Test match ground showing them what they can achieve.

“We are lucky enough to have a balcony which, as and when we are allowed, we can watch the cricket when Yorkshire are playing,” Robinson continues.

Covid, of course, has meant that watching Gary Ballance and co. during lessons hasn’t quite happened yet but it won’t be long before these classrooms regain their most unique feature.

While the playing surface might be the centre of attention on the other side of the window, it is important to remember that the college is not just a factory for talented players. Access to the Headingley facilities and top-quality coaching does make the college one of the premier educational institutions for cricket in the country but professional sides need far more than players to be successful.

“Students are with us for two years and the Level 3 qualification is equivalent to three A-Levels so the progression routes are really good. The majority of our graduates go to university and study at degree level, some study sports-based subject but we have had students go to do finance and marketing. The qualification here may be in sport and physical activity but that doesn’t limit the students.

^{Wednesday matches are played against local clubs and schools, as well as the annual MCC fixture}

“Clearly, they’re all sporty students but some have different aspirations and the qualifications here give a few different options.

“During the Ashes and World Cup in 2019 we had students helping the Headingley groundsmen, working on the ground and marking out the pitch. There are so many different roles at an international sports stadium that you don’t just have to be a player or coach to have a career in sport.

“We work with all the different departments at Yorkshire to give our students great insight.”

As well as groundskeeping, students can obtain work experience in marketing, physiotherapy and plenty of other areas. It can be tough for young people today who are often pressured to specialise on a career path before they even realise their own ambitions. However the college helps students gain valuable experience.

“Essentially, the whole package here is the education, the cricket and the work experience, which all leads towards helping students take their next steps into graduate life.”

As the college understand and promote to students, there is much more to the game than the playing side but the offering for those who are eyeing up a playing career is unrivalled.

Recent success stories include three recent graduates who are part of the Yorkshire Diamonds academy.

“Being an aspiring cricketer this is a great place to be as you have cricket built into your timetable,” Robinson explains.

^{There are worse classrooms than Headingley}

“Their timetable is more university-style where they are in three or four times a week and have nine hours on their main subjects – with the opportunity to re-sit maths and English GCSE if they need to. Then they have six hours of cricket per week and in the summer they also have matches on Wednesdays.

“The programme is quite assessment-heavy with a lot of coursework, presentations and practical assessments. It gives them a good grounding because pupils have to use their own initiative to get their work done and fit their training into their schedules.”

Along with the three female players, another success story is Sam Wisniewski, the left-arm spinner is now on the full-time staff at Yorkshire, while Cameron Cooper captains the Yorkshire Disability side and is firmly on England’s radar.

The Wednesday fixture list includes clubs, schools, Yorkshire Diamonds and MCC. Last year the college managed to get out to Cape Town for a tour, giving pupils the opportunity not only a beneficial cricketing experience, but a rich cultural one too.

At a time where awareness of the importance of feeling fulfilled in a career is at an all-time high, Yorkshire Cricket College are helping guide students to a life of satisfaction and pride in their work, whether that be on the cricket field or off it.

“They come to us loving cricket, but they leave with qualifications and experience that will set them up for the rest of their lives.”

The Cricketer would like to thank Durant Cricket for their ongoing support of our schools cricket coverage. For more on Durant Cricket, including booking a site visit, please click here