Cricket Scotland has announced a new partnership with Dollar Academy, to create a new centre of excellence for its performance pathway players, helping to develop the national team of the future.
Cricket Scotland’s performance pathwayprogramme includes national age group squads, both male and female, at under-15, under-17 and under-19 level and these players will now benefit from Dollar Academy’s outstanding cricket and sport facilities.
Founded in 1818, Dollar Academy is one of the UK’s leading independent day and boarding schools. Sport is a big part of life at the school with teams regularly winning national rugby and hockey titles, and their reputation for cricket, golf, football and tennis is also growing.
Dollar has more than 200 girls and boys playing cricket each year and the school were T20 National U18 School Champions in 2018 and 2019.
Ian Munro, rector of Dollar Academy, said: ‘Collaboration works best when underpinned by shared values.
‘In Cricket Scotland, I know we have found a partner who are as equally committed to the positive physical, mental and social benefits of sport as we are at Dollar Academy.
‘I am thrilled that Dollar has been chosen as the National Performance Pathway centre of excellence, and we look forward to playing our part in the development of boys’ and girls’ cricket across the country.’
Gordon Drummond, head of performance pathway at Cricket Scotland said: ‘We are incredibly pleased with the creation of this new partnership with Dollar Academy. It will enable us to support development and expand our male and female pathway players and programmes.
‘The collaboration will allow our pathway staff to deliver a more holistic programme with increased time on task utilising the multiple high-quality sports facilities at the school.
‘In addition, the access to indoor and outdoor facilities on the same campus will allow staff to be more versatile and creative in how we deliver our programmes. I’d like to thank Dollar Academy for helping make this happen and having the foresight to see the benefit of such partnerships to both organisations.’
Eddie Pollock from the school’s PE department said: ‘Dollar Academy are delighted to partner with Cricket Scotland at a time when the profile of the game has never been higher, due to the outstanding performances of the national men’s team in qualifying for the T20 world cup main event. As T20 National U18 School Champions in 2018 and 2019, it’s a format everyone at Dollar has a real interest in.
‘We had over 200 boys and girls playing cricket through the difficult lockdown period, and we are hoping that the partnership will give us a real focus to improving cricket at Dollar in terms of both facilities, coaching and player participation.
‘Having a national training centre on the doorstep will be a catalyst for our young players to strive to improve and perhaps break into national squads in the future. There will also be an opportunity to upskill our coaching staff which will have a great benefit to everyone going forward.
‘As a former international player, I am delighted to see the fantastic support Cricket Scotland are offering to the country’s aspiring young players as they work hard to be the best they can be and hopefully fulfil their dreams.
‘Dollar Academy are proud to be a part of this journey and look forward to developing this exciting new partnership in the years to come.’
Among the facilties that Cricket Scotland players will benefit from are both grass and all-weather playing surfaces, indoor and outdoor cricket nets, a fitness suite, strength and conditioning room and two sports halls.​​
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