Get Set Weekend, powered by Toyota signals more than the readying of facilities before the recreational cricket season begins; it鈥檚 also a moment when clubs across England and Wales gather their communities, reset and prepare themselves for the months ahead.
At St Albans Cricket Club 鈥� the host of a showcase event 鈥� Get Set Weekend offered a uniquely clear picture of what community cricket relies upon: a diverse, committed and generous group of volunteers.
The pathway into volunteering
At St Albans Cricket Club, most volunteer journeys begin quietly, often by chance.
For some like Ben Adshead, now Head of St Albans Youth, it begins with familiarity. Having joined the club at eight, he鈥檚 been part of it for sixteen years. 鈥淚t鈥檚 my second home. I鈥檝e grown up here.鈥� His move into coaching and committee work came after a positive 2022 season. 鈥淲e鈥檇 had promotions, everyone felt connected, and when some junior roles opened up, I thought, 鈥榃hy not?鈥� It grew from there into something I love.鈥�
Others find their way in through new beginnings. India Newman, the club鈥檚 Women鈥檚 and Girls鈥� Cricket Coordinator, moved to St Albans in 2022 and saw cricket as a good way to build local connections. 鈥淚 hadn鈥檛 played in ten years,鈥� she says, 鈥渂ut I thought joining would help me make friends.鈥�
While India鈥檚 journey started as a player, she soon became a leader too and has since led three seasons as first team captain and is now responsible for the club鈥檚 development plan for women and girls. 鈥淐ricket is all encompassing now 鈥� in the best possible way.鈥�
Some step in because someone has to. When the club warned parents that All Stars wouldn鈥檛 run without a volunteer, Kate Ball put her hand up. 鈥淢y daughter was on the list, so I thought: well, I want her to have this opportunity. I鈥檒l do it.鈥� She now coordinates sessions for 80 5 鈥� 8 year-olds every Friday. 鈥淭he first year was chaos,鈥� she laughs. 鈥淏ut wonderful chaos.鈥�
And for Molly Green 鈥� a coach and content creator 鈥� cricket arrived at a time when she needed it most. 鈥淚 was homeless at eighteen,鈥� she shares. 鈥淐ricket gave me stability and a supportive community.鈥� Today, she coaches under鈥�11s and under鈥�15s and creates digital content celebrating the women鈥檚 game.
Building belonging and community
Once people start volunteering, most find little reason to stop 鈥� and much of that comes down to the club鈥檚 atmosphere. Many describe Friday evenings as St Albans鈥� social anchor: hundreds of juniors in training, parents gathered along the boundary, the bar busy and conversations flowing.
Nicola Palin, who volunteers as a scorer, first came along to support her cricket-mad son, Eddie and felt the pull immediately. 聽鈥淔riday nights are just lovely,鈥� she says. 鈥淜ids everywhere, people chatting, the bar open. You feel part of something immediately.鈥� Nicola got into scoring to offer additional support to Eddie and his team. She says it was a hands-on experience.
鈥淎nother parent sat next to me and taught me. Cricket looks slow from afar, but when you鈥檙e scoring you can鈥檛 lose concentration. I love it.鈥�
Ian McKinley, St Albans Junior Lead reflects on just how powerful participation can be in building a thriving community. 聽鈥淥n a warm Friday night, with maybe 150 kids across the park, you can literally feel the heartbeat of the club,鈥� he says. 鈥淭hat鈥檚 what community cricket looks like.鈥�
Looking to the future
One of St Albans CC鈥檚 defining strengths is its ability to grow new parts of the club 鈥� not through large-scale programmes, but through volunteers spotting a need and filling it.
Andy Knill Jones, the club鈥檚 Head of Safeguarding, has played a leading part in this.
聽鈥�15 years ago, we didn鈥檛 have girls鈥� teams,鈥� he says. 鈥淪o we set one up. Then we helped create the Hertfordshire Junior Girls Cricket League. There were just a handful of clubs then; now there are dozens.鈥�
The ambition is to keep developing the pathway 鈥� both at the club and beyond. 鈥淕irls go from under 9s to under 15s and then face a huge leap into women鈥檚 cricket鈥�, says India, 鈥渆specially in terms of moving from softball to hardball. Our focus is building stepping stones, so the transition is supportive and confidence building.鈥�
And for Kate there鈥檚 no ceiling to what the club can achieve. 聽鈥淲e鈥檙e looking at how to make All Stars more inclusive 鈥� especially for children with additional needs. The aim is to support them without separating them.鈥�
Why volunteers matter
Delivering growth relies on volunteers investing their time and energy into the game.
As Junior Lead, Ian McKinlay oversees everything from coaching structures to safeguarding ratios, fixtures and communications. 鈥淟ast year we ran 17 junior teams,鈥� he explains. 鈥淭his year it鈥檚 15. On a Friday night, you might have 200 kids on site. Every team needs a scorer, a match manager, DBS checked adults. It鈥檚 a huge operation.鈥�
鈥淚t鈥檚 all about making sure things join up,鈥� says Ben, 鈥溾�ixtures, communications, volunteers.鈥�
That sense of connection isn鈥檛 just administrative; it鈥檚 also cultural. Dan Baylis, St Albans Men鈥檚 XI Captain, reflects on how many people contribute to a player鈥檚 development, and why it matters that senior players stay involved. 鈥淚t takes so many people to get a child from All Stars to adult cricket. I had older players support me when I was younger; now I want to support the next generation.鈥�
And whether it鈥檚 safeguarding or groundskeeping, there鈥檚 always plenty of essential work going on behind the scenes. Phil Caley, St Albans Groundskeeper, has spent more than three decades caring for the square and outfield. 鈥淭he outfield takes four hours to roll,鈥� he says matter of factly. 鈥淧eople don鈥檛 realise. Winter is reseeding, topsoiling, treating the square. There鈥檚 always something to do.鈥� He smiles as he adds, 鈥淏ut it鈥檚 better than sitting at home all day.鈥�
A club sustained by its people
What stands out from the stories at St Albans CC is not a single role or programme, but the collective effect of many people giving what they can. Volunteers arrive with different experiences and motivations, yet their contributions connect to form something coherent and lasting.
In the end, the club鈥檚 strength isn鈥檛 defined by matchday results or bowling figures, but ultimately by the people who choose 鈥� consistently and quietly 鈥� to make cricket happen.