Photo Credit: Cricket Netherlands
Two years ago, the KNCB started developing the Cricket4KIDS program. Today, project leader Margo Cornelissen was the first on behalf of Cricket4KIDS to receive the certificate ‘Partner in Versatile exercise’ from the Knowledge Center for Sport and Exercise.
Cricket4KIDS is an exercise program for children from 6 years old aimed at broad motor development (BMO). Cricket is the second-largest sport in the world, but it is still a relatively small sport in the Netherlands and you don’t see much of it in sports promotion activities. The Cricket4KIDS program has been developed with the emphasis on making the sport more accessible and more accessible for both the child and the teacher.
The ‘Partner in versatile exercise’ certificate
To receive the quality mark, Cricket4KIDS had to pass the MET yardstick. Here we look at the following three parts: BMO Development, accessibility for every child and implementation. Margo Cornelissen, project leader Cricket4KIDS: “We ourselves have added; can the activities of Cricket4KIDS be organized both indoors and outdoors? Cricket is a summer sport and is played outdoors, but of course we would like to be able to play cricket all season long. We also looked at the social aspect. Within cricket we say ‘ a friend made in cricket, is a friend forever’ . Friendship and having fun together is very important.”
Get to know the sport and the program
The Cricket4KIDS program is currently being rolled out to the clubs and the KNCB is taking drivers and trainers along in the interest of BMO. This will be done by: Sharing the successes, organizing meetings and distributing the digital Cricket4KIDS magazine among the clubs. The KNCB supports the clubs in the start-up of the Cricket4KIDS offer and in local collaborations with, for example, education and out-of-school care.
In the past year many Cricket4KIDS activities have been organized. For example, cricket was present at the Olympic Festival, during the National Sports Week and many activities were given in primary education. Great examples of success for introducing more children to cricket and getting them to exercise.
