Leinster Cricket in partnership with Fingal County Council’s Sports Office have appointed Mitchell Thompson to its Cricket Development Team, to support the expansion and development of programmes in Tyrrelstown, Dublin 15.
Fingal County Council have been partners with Leinster Cricket for many years and under the guidance of Brían O’Rourke the Cricket Development Team have developed the game through the work done in schools and clubs and have done a fantastic job, in particular throughout the pandemic and despite restrictions, to assist Fingal cricket clubs to not only grow, but produce safe environments for their local communities to participate in.
This addition should be seen as a sign of the council’s commitment to ensuring sport and in this case cricket continues to grow and is supported in the Tyrrelstown area. AnnMarie Farrelly, Chief Executive, Fingal County Council “Fingal County Council is extremely proud of our relationship with Leinster Cricket and this targeting of resources in the Tyrrelstown area to further develop the game will go along way to support the cricket club in the area and provide further sports opportunities for its residents”.
Thompson, a first-year Sports Management and Coaching student at TU Dublin, YMCA club member, and an exciting young cricketer making his way in the game (he has recently been added to the Munster senior IP squad) knows from personal experience the importance of these community development positions.
“Development coaches helped me take my first step into cricket for which I will always be grateful. I am honoured to have been selected for this new exciting role to help develop cricket in Fingal. I hope to engage as many young people as I can to make that first, llife-changing step into cricket in the Tyrrelstown community”.
Brian O’Rourke, Cricket Development Manager was delighted with Fingal County Council’s ongoing commitment to the Fingal cricket community, and how it demonstrates the growth of cricket since he started as a development coach.
“A lead community coach for Tyrrelstown was a clear step we needed to take to meet the growing cricket culture in the area (the game is the third most popular in the area behind basketball and GAA) and Fingal County Council’s investment, alongside its passion for cricket is a shining example of how a council can help a sport grow in its community”.
Mitchell will officially start his role in May for a six-month pilot period with weekly school coaching visits now arranged with Tyrrelstown Educate Together NS, Powerstown NS & Le Cheile secondary school.