Case Study: Jane Proves It’s Never Too Late to Start Your Cricketing Journey
After many years of following the sport as a spectator, Jane Glennie has, through Walking Cricket, finally taken her first steps in to actively playing.
Her passion for bat and ball sports began at a young age, playing rounders and similar games in primary and secondary school. Whilst her family didn’t have a very strong cricket playing background, her father had played a little in the past, and so they began to play French cricket in the garden. This solidified Jane’s connection to the game.
Despite limited opportunities to play cricket during her school years, Jane’s love for the game continued to grow. She found solace and enjoyment in watching cricket on television and listening on the radio, immersing herself in the familiar names, voices, and stories of the sport. “I started watching cricket on tv on my own as background company to my homework and GCSE coursework” she explains. When she passed her driving test age 17, she drove to some county matches in Somerset to enjoy the game live.
As a young adult, Jane took up playing mixed slowpitch softball, a sport that she discovered through watching baseball while traveling in the United States. She started as a complete novice and continued on to play in leagues and tournaments.
Jane’s interest in cricket remained strong throughout her life. She followed the game closely, captivated by the Ashes series in 2005 and utilising internet radio and streaming services to stay connected. “In my 30s and 40s, I was more often home bound with children and chores,” she says. “Internet radio on my phone revolutionised being able to listen to TMS more easily and more often as my background comfort again.”
As she entered her 50s, Jane sought a way to continue playing a team sport that would accommodate her age and lifestyle and the discovery of Walking Cricket through a Facebook ad provided the perfect opportunity for her to pursue her lifelong passion.
Drawn to the gentler nature of the game and the supportive environment, she joined the Walking Cricket team at Camberley CC and embarked on a new chapter in her cricketing journey. “I want to be able to continue to play a challenging team sport for as long as possible in my life” She says, “it’s very exciting because it’s turning a lifelong interest into something I can actually take part in and understand in a whole new way.”
After taking the plunge, Jane’s first season has been a real success; “Camberley Walking Cricket have been very friendly and welcoming to a total beginner and I’m looking forward to the next season.”
Walking cricket is growing in Surrey with 12 clubs now participating across the county – Valley End, Camberley, Chobham, Old Woking, Merstham, Wimbledon, Spencer, Balham & Tooting, Wallington, Cobham, Epsom, Normandy and Pirbright.
Primarily aimed at older participants (50+), Walking Cricket is also open to anyone who might not be able to participate in mainstream cricket due to mobility or other issues. The primary goal is to ensure that older people can maintain their physical and mental health whilst also enjoying a social environment where they can meet new people. Walking Cricket is open to male and female participants and, as proved through Jane’s story, no experience is necessary to get started.
