Photo Credit: Professional Cricketers’ Association
Professional Players Federation celebrates achievements and highlights key issues in women’s sport.
To coincide with a number of high profile women’s sport events this summer, the Professional Players Federation (PPF) is hosting PPF Female Athletes Week from 3-9 July, kindly supported by the Tom Maynard Trust.
During the week, the PCA is working closely with the PPF who will be releasing a range of case studies, videos and other resources relating to professional sportswomen. These will highlight some of the issues women face and the support they receive from player associations to enhance their sporting careers and continue their personal development.
PCA Supports PPF Female Athletes Week
A number of PCA members provide their views on life as a professional cricketer as part of Professional Players Federation’s Female Athletes Week…
As part of the week, the PPF will be hosting an event at the Kia Oval ahead of the Vitality IT20 Ashes contest on Wednesday 5 July. Titled ‘Optimising Support For Female Players’, the event will include a welcome from PCA Director of EDI Donna Fraser, a player panel, group discussions while Player Association heads, including PCA Chief Executive Rob Lynch, will provide their views, and networking opportunities for Associations, their members and those working within women’s sport.
The players discussion panel will be hosted by former England netball captain Ama Agbeze and attendees will hear from England U19s and Western Storm cricketer Sophia Smale, former England Red Roses captain Sarah Hunter CBE, Saracens Mavericks netballer Kira Rothwell, Brighton & Hove Albion footballer Victoria Williams and former Jump jockey Page Fuller.
“The PCA is very proud of how it has influenced the progression of the professionalisation of women’s cricket over recent years and this week provides an opportunity to learn from other forward thinking sports whilst also sharing our knowledge to help the wider sporting family.”
ROB LYNCH
PCA Chief Executive, Rob Lynch, said:
“PPF Female Athletes week is an important campaign to show the huge strides women’s sport has taken, especially within cricket.
“The week will highlight the advancements in recent years but also focuses on the increased need to close the gender equity gap. The PCA is very proud of how it has influenced the progression of the professionalisation of women’s cricket over recent years and this week provides an opportunity to learn from other forward thinking sports whilst also sharing our knowledge to help the wider sporting family.
“The ‘Optimising Support For Female Players’ event will take place at the Kia Oval ahead of the Vitality IT20 fixture against Australia in the heart of the Ashes, providing a perfect backdrop to showcase the professionalisation of women’s sport.”
PPF Chief Executive, Simon Taylor, said:
“With the professionalisation of women’s sport, Player Associations are continually looking at how best to optimise support for their female members. PPF Female Athletes Week will highlight the progress made to date and allow players from different sports to share experiences on issues such as welfare, contracts, education and training.”
Former England Red Roses captain, Sarah Hunter, CBE, said:
“I am delighted to take part in PPF Female Athletes Week and I’m looking forward to speaking with athletes and representatives from other sports to see what we can learn from each other and help improve support for the younger generation. Professional players need strong player bodies to represent us when dealing with other stakeholders as they play a vital role in improving our working conditions, helping our personal development, and providing welfare support so it’s important that our voices are heard so that women’s sport can continue to grow for the benefit of everyone.”
Find out more about the PPF’s Female Athletes Week.
Name of Author: Professional Cricketers Association
The Professional Cricketers’ Association (PCA), founded in 1967 by former England fast bowler Fred Rumsey as the Cricketers’ Association, represents past and present first-class cricketers in England and Wales. In the 1970s, the PCA established a standard employment contract and minimum wage for professional cricketers. It also helped create a pension scheme in 1995 and launched the magazine All Out Cricket and the ACE UK Educational Programme in 2002.
