Ramps Supports Coaching in Schools

24 September 2009

Mark Ramprakash was at Tower Bridge Primary School in Southwark this week to unveil the latest set of playground markings at primary schools around south London.

The programme, funded by Surrey’s Club Sponsor Brit Insurance, has seen fifteen schools to date benefit by having the sports markings – which can be used to play both cricket and a wide range of other sports – added to their playgrounds. The markings are a combination of wall targets and floor markings.

Once installed, the markings allow teams of Surrey Community Coaches to go into the schools and run coaching clinics, introducing cricket to young children who otherwise would have only a very limited opportunity to get involved with the game at a young age.

On Tuesday, Ramprakash – who averaged 90.00 this year before having his season prematurely ended by a broken thumb – joined the team of coaches to show the basics of the game to a group of Year Six pupils and teachers at the Bermondsey school.

Speaking afterwards he said: “Getting involved with the Club’s community coaching programme was a really rewarding experience. When I was young I was lucky enough to have cricket facilities easily available but this is not the case for everybody today.

“The funding of Brit Insurance and the work of Surrey Cricket is trying to give as many young people as possible the chance to play cricket – and from where I stand this can only be a very positive thing.”

He was backed up by Surrey Cricket’s Community Executive Steven Blackwood who added: “Simple things like getting good sports markings in local playgrounds are the essence of community development.

“As well as allowing young people to play cricket from a tender age and receive coaching from our staff, it also encourages them to get physically active and play other sports such as football and basketball. It further helps the school attainment levels by complementing the curriculum and allowing a broader range of activities within planned PE lessons.”