Cricket Success – Rachel Douglas – Parkhall Integrated College year 14 pupil.

Rachel started playing cricket around April time last year when it was first introduced to the girls in Parkhall Integrated College. Her PE teacher Miss Logan asked her to stay behind for the first week of the training to try it out and it quickly became her number one focus where sport was concerned. She played in the first ever Parkhall girls cricket team against Wallace High School, scoring 29 runs and also got a chance to bowl a few overs. Miss Logan along with the Muckamore coach took the school training, they encouraged her to join the local team, Muckamore Bluebelles. She played her first season of cricket at Muckamore over the summer, competing in the Premier League and reaching the final of the Challenge Cup. From then she was then put forward for an NCU (Northern Cricket Union) training programme in October and November of last year. This was something Rachel felt was too advanced for her and was out of her comfort zone. But this was not the case, she enjoyed each session and got invited back for additional training. Following these sessions, she was chosen for the NCU Girls U17 Performance Winter Training Squad. So far, she has been to the strength and conditioning training sessions and undertakes a set programme and she will soon be starting the cricket sessions in Lisburn. She is really pleased to have been selected for this squad and she hopes to continue to train with the NCU leading into the new cricket season. Rachel has been involved in sport all of her life, but this cricket has definitely been her best experience so far.