Trudie Bloor has become a true champion for Women's & Girls' cricket in Shropshire.
She took on the role of Women & Girls Director for the Cricket Shropshire a couple of years ago.
Her sporting background is actually in table tennis, representing England from the age of 10-17 travelling all over Europe playing the game claiming national titles along the way, and she was British Schools Under 19s champion.
But her family has always been involved in cricket, with grandad, dad and uncles all playing while Andy, her partner of 20 years, is also a keen cricketer.
She said: “I’ve been roped in to play at various points in life when teams were short, and Andy my partner even managed to play on the day our eldest son was born thanks to a rain delay!”
She became heavily involved in the game when Andy started playing for Woore and her son Matthew also began to play aged five.
“I took the role of Junior Co-ordinator about five years ago and built numbers up from there, which enabled the club to increase the number of junior teams from four when I first started to the 11 we fielded last season,” she said.
“It’s been a massive team effort with volunteers at the club going along and supporting plans to get as many kids playing cricket as possible and helping run two/three teams each, and mucking in if we’re an umpire short etc, but in my opinion it’s well worth the hard work.
“I’m not looking at slowing down anytime soon either. I love cricket and see the benefits playing sport can do both physically and, more important than ever, mentally.”
She thinks cricket is a great game for youngsters to get involved with ¬– especially girls.
“I love getting kids to play cricket, giving them the confidence and self-belief that they can do it! I Love how the game can offer something for everyone. You do not have to be good at every aspect to play your part within the team.”
As part of the development of the junior section, the club has seen a big growth in its girls’ section.
Trudie said: “The setting up of the separate female coaching night has been really rewarding seeing girls saying they ‘can’t do it’ to seeing them play matches and giving it a go.
“We now see them have the confidence to come along to Friday mixed training and get stuck in, when previously they would just walk round watching.”
She is delighted to see more of the junior players moving through the system at Woore and start to play senior matches.
“We took the decision to get the junior members playing senior cricket and being actively involved in these games rather than just watching the older players do everything,” she adds.
“The sooner we can get them used to the idea of Saturday cricket, the less likely they have been to find other things to take up their time."
She feels it is important that clubs should embrace a Women & Girls section and not treat it as just an ‘add on’.
“Clubs which fully embrace female players, members and volunteers within them and cater for them will, I feel, thrive in the near future.
“Although we have come on leaps and bounds in cricket, there is still this macho culture surrounding sport.
“I feel women always have more to prove in order to be accepted as someone to respect as a player, coach, or official. I hope we can continue to alter this so that in the future we will not even have to ask females within sport whether they feel well supported in their role.”
She is relishing her role with Cricket Shropshire, and enjoyed getting to know the people involved with their clubs.
“The Cricket Shropshire board members and staff have been really welcoming and supportive in getting to grips with the role and helping if I’ve needed a hand with anything,” she added.
“I am really enjoying my role within the Board, and I feel Shropshire is really playing its part in improving female cricket within the county and trying to cater for the wide spectrum of needs within the female game.
“We all have a role to play in continuing to grow the game – players, parents, coaches, clubs can all influence where we are in the next few years and make W&G cricket in Shropshire something to be proud of.”
She says there are challenges ahead to help cricket adapt to the growth in the Women's game.
“Money is still drastically needed to help clubs make more female-friendly facilities to cater for the increase in female players and encourage even more to take it up.”
She is also hoping that more schools start playing cricket again to encourage more youngsters into the game – especially girls.
“The changes Cricket Shropshire are making with the secondary school programme for girls proved popular in the schools that took part last year. Feedback from the players showed they wanted to do more, which proves there is an appetite for cricket.”
She also is keen that clubs allow players to play at the level they are comfortable with.
“If that is softball forever, who cares? As long as they are playing cricket for a long time and enjoying the game, that is the main thing!”
After lock down, she is looking forward to being able spend time with her family including her two-year old granddaughter, and watching son Matthew and daughter Lauren play cricket again.
“The best moments are mainly when my kids have had a great day, as I know how much work they put in and the expectations people sometimes place on them!” she added.
She took on the role of Women & Girls Director for the Cricket Shropshire a couple of years ago.
Her sporting background is actually in table tennis, representing England from the age of 10-17 travelling all over Europe playing the game claiming national titles along the way, and she was British Schools Under 19s champion.
But her family has always been involved in cricket, with grandad, dad and uncles all playing while Andy, her partner of 20 years, is also a keen cricketer.
She said: “I’ve been roped in to play at various points in life when teams were short, and Andy my partner even managed to play on the day our eldest son was born thanks to a rain delay!”
She became heavily involved in the game when Andy started playing for Woore and her son Matthew also began to play aged five.
“I took the role of Junior Co-ordinator about five years ago and built numbers up from there, which enabled the club to increase the number of junior teams from four when I first started to the 11 we fielded last season,” she said.
“It’s been a massive team effort with volunteers at the club going along and supporting plans to get as many kids playing cricket as possible and helping run two/three teams each, and mucking in if we’re an umpire short etc, but in my opinion it’s well worth the hard work.
“I’m not looking at slowing down anytime soon either. I love cricket and see the benefits playing sport can do both physically and, more important than ever, mentally.”
She thinks cricket is a great game for youngsters to get involved with ¬– especially girls.
“I love getting kids to play cricket, giving them the confidence and self-belief that they can do it! I Love how the game can offer something for everyone. You do not have to be good at every aspect to play your part within the team.”
As part of the development of the junior section, the club has seen a big growth in its girls’ section.
Trudie said: “The setting up of the separate female coaching night has been really rewarding seeing girls saying they ‘can’t do it’ to seeing them play matches and giving it a go.
“We now see them have the confidence to come along to Friday mixed training and get stuck in, when previously they would just walk round watching.”
She is delighted to see more of the junior players moving through the system at Woore and start to play senior matches.
“We took the decision to get the junior members playing senior cricket and being actively involved in these games rather than just watching the older players do everything,” she adds.
“The sooner we can get them used to the idea of Saturday cricket, the less likely they have been to find other things to take up their time."
She feels it is important that clubs should embrace a Women & Girls section and not treat it as just an ‘add on’.
“Clubs which fully embrace female players, members and volunteers within them and cater for them will, I feel, thrive in the near future.
“Although we have come on leaps and bounds in cricket, there is still this macho culture surrounding sport.
“I feel women always have more to prove in order to be accepted as someone to respect as a player, coach, or official. I hope we can continue to alter this so that in the future we will not even have to ask females within sport whether they feel well supported in their role.”
She is relishing her role with Cricket Shropshire, and enjoyed getting to know the people involved with their clubs.
“The Cricket Shropshire board members and staff have been really welcoming and supportive in getting to grips with the role and helping if I’ve needed a hand with anything,” she added.
“I am really enjoying my role within the Board, and I feel Shropshire is really playing its part in improving female cricket within the county and trying to cater for the wide spectrum of needs within the female game.
“We all have a role to play in continuing to grow the game – players, parents, coaches, clubs can all influence where we are in the next few years and make W&G cricket in Shropshire something to be proud of.”
She says there are challenges ahead to help cricket adapt to the growth in the Women's game.
“Money is still drastically needed to help clubs make more female-friendly facilities to cater for the increase in female players and encourage even more to take it up.”
She is also hoping that more schools start playing cricket again to encourage more youngsters into the game – especially girls.
“The changes Cricket Shropshire are making with the secondary school programme for girls proved popular in the schools that took part last year. Feedback from the players showed they wanted to do more, which proves there is an appetite for cricket.”
She also is keen that clubs allow players to play at the level they are comfortable with.
“If that is softball forever, who cares? As long as they are playing cricket for a long time and enjoying the game, that is the main thing!”
After lock down, she is looking forward to being able spend time with her family including her two-year old granddaughter, and watching son Matthew and daughter Lauren play cricket again.
“The best moments are mainly when my kids have had a great day, as I know how much work they put in and the expectations people sometimes place on them!” she added.