Cricketers Push Educational Boundaries With University Scholarships
17 September 2008
Derbyshire County Cricket Club.
As part of the community we have an interest in helping Derbyshire retain the young cricketing talent it’s nurtured
”Hari Punchihewa, University Pro Vice-Chancellor and Finance Director
Young cricketing stars’ long-term prospects are to be boosted by a well struck deal between the University of Derby and Derbyshire County Cricket Club.
The club’s youth academy players are being given the opportunity to invest in their future, and that of the sport, by taking up free undergraduate University degree courses in business and sports management. The three-year courses will teach them skills which would be useful to them as future coaches, managers and leaders of the sport.
Derbyshire fast bowler Ed Jones, 18, will be announced as the first student on the scholarship scheme when it is officially launched today (Wednesday 17 September) at 12.45pm, during the first day of the Derbyshire Vs Gloucestershire LV County Championship at the cricket club’s County Ground in Grandstand Road, Derby. Ed is due to commence his chosen course this month (September).
The new initiative, which will offer opportunities to two to three players a year, has been named the University of Derby Donald Carr Cricketing Scholarship scheme.
Mr Carr, now 81, played internationally for England in the early 1950s and led Derbyshire between 1955 and 1962, before holding a series of senior roles within the Derbyshire club, the MCC (Marylebone Cricket Club), the Test and County Cricket Board, and the Cricket Council. He has given the scheme named in his honour his full support.
By providing real educational opportunities for up and coming players, the scholarship scheme aims to help Derbyshire retain its young talent.
Mr Carr said: “I am very honoured for this wonderful scheme to be named after me and I hope it helps produce many fine young cricketers for Derbyshire in the years to come.”
Ed Jones added: “I am delighted to be the first Academy player to take advantage of this scholarship scheme and I am very grateful, both to the University and the cricket club, for giving me this opportunity. "Although it is my aim to play professional cricket, I am aware of just how important it is to have academic qualifications away from the sport. This scholarship gives me the perfect opportunity to combine the two."
Players will be given time to attend University lectures and study, whilst also developing their sporting skills at Derbyshire’s cricket academy. The usual full time degree course fees, currently £3,145 a year, will be met by the cricket club and the University, paying a third and two-thirds respectively.
Hari Punchihewa, University Pro Vice-Chancellor and Finance Director, said: “As part of the community we have an interest in helping Derbyshire retain the young cricketing talent it’s nurtured.
“The advantage of this scholarship scheme to the student is that they are having their fees paid for, so they will not need to take out a tuition fee loan as is the case with other students. Further, they can continue developing their cricket career whilst obtaining a valuable qualification to help them in the future.”
Derbyshire County Cricket Club Chairman Don Amott said: “Forming a partnership with the University of Derby is terrific news for all of the young cricketers who choose to join the scheme. “We are very proud of our Academy system, which is as much about helping youngsters to improve in all walks of life as it is about moulding them into good cricketers. “Not every youngster that comes through the Academy is lucky enough to become a professional cricketer at the end of it, so gaining qualifications in other areas can only be of benefit to young men such as Ed Jones. “Every professional cricketer is also potentially one serious injury away from being forced to retire from the game. Those who join this scholarship scheme will have another career avenue open to them immediately, should the worst happen to them.”
The University of Derby Donald Carr Cricketing Scholarship scheme is the University’s second such partnership with a local sports team. In May (2008) the University announced that players with the Nottingham Panthers pro ice hockey team would be given the chance to take up certain masters degree courses, fee free.
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For Press access to Derbyshire County Cricket Club’s ground on the day please contact Tom Holdcroft, club Communications and Marketing Executive, on 01332 388125 or email: tom.holdcroft@derbyshireccc.com.
For further media information please contact Press and PR Officer Sean Kirby on 01332 591891 or 07876 476103, or email s.kirby@derby.ac.uk
