Feltonfleet's director of cricket Andy Rishton and head of physical education James Thompson waste little time teaching kids the fundamentals of the sport
When George Benson sang "I believe the children are our future. Teach them well and let them lead the way" on his seminal hit 'The Greatest Love of All' it is unlikely he was intending to highlight to the benefits of school’s cricket.
But of the educational establishments to harness that sentiment - since covered by the likes of Shirley Bassey and Whitney Houston - few have taken it to heart better than Feltonfleet, a co-ed prep school based in Cobham in leafy Surrey.
Its director of cricket Andy Rishton and head of physical education James Thompson waste little time teaching kids the fundamentals of the sport and ensure all have a basic set of skills by the time they reach year five.
"The biggest impact we've had this year is into our lower school and pre-prep," Rishton, installed in September 2021, told The Cricketer.
"Year one to year four we've run sessions every week in the winter and they're the only year groups that have had it every single week.
Feltonfleet taking on instruction [supplied]
"That tends to be session programmes based on bat, bowl and field. We have a scheme where, by year five, we aim for them to have a recognisable bowling action, a basic understanding of having a grip and playing basic shots and how to use a long barrier, cut the ball off and throw properly.
"In the summer, local clubs have been able to send us level two and level three coaches to come and take that off our plate and run the sessions alongside us."
Thompson added: "The aim massively is to build from that foundation stage upwards. To make sure we're getting as much cricket into our youngest pupils as possible.
"A lot of that work in the pre-prep, five-seven-year-olds, we've got an aim with technique but we're also aware we've got to make it super, super fun for them."
To help build on this commitment, Rishton has added a three-hour session of cricket every Friday afternoon to the programme. Benefits are not just being seen in the development of skills, but kids signing up for clubs outside of school.
"During the summer we saw the benefits coming through in terms of the number of kids signing up to play club cricket outside of school in those early year groups," said Thompson.
"The standard that comes through in our Under-8s, Under-9s was super pleasing. That comes from his energy and hard work.
"That energy, that enthusiasm that you throw into it they feed off that and that makes a big difference in terms of his love of cricket at a young age. That is really what we're looking for."
Feltonfleet 1st XI [supplied]
Of the school's 502 pupils, at least 470 are engaged with cricket in some way or form every summer. Competitive matches against rival schools begin from year three, with four boys and three girls’ teams per age group. The first XI from both genders play up to 15 matches a summer and travel on a west-country tour to Somerset.
Next summer will see Feltonfleet host a mixed six-a-side tournament for year four, a continuation of their commitment to a united cricket programme. Thompson has been thrilled to see girls push and regularly eclipse the boys and has put an onus on instilling them with confidence.
"It is really interesting what it goes through levels," he added.
"You'll see the girls as they go through absolutely tear it up. We'll play a mini-match and you'll Under-11 County boys bowling at full pace at Under-11 county girls. They're fine and they relish the challenge.
"It has been eye-opening just how quickly the girls can progress and how quickly their confidence builds in that environment.
"Girl’s cricket has been one of the fastest growing sports in the country and we see that here. They explode in terms of development."
Feltonfleet Girls' 1st XI [supplied]
Rishton, part of the victorious England National Counties XI at last year's European Cricket Championships, explained: "Girls are sponges - think they can't but can. Boys are rocks - they think they can but can't.
"That is a generalisation, but because of the age that they're at they're starting from similar positions.
"When they have the chance to play together, they absolutely love it. The level of competition is great. I don't think there is ever a time when either feels hard done by."
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