Academy Director, Highly Commended at Leeds Sports Awards

Academy Director, Highly Commended at Leeds Sports Awards, 2023

We're thrilled to celebrate our Academy Director, Ghulam Rafique, who received the Highly Commended award at the prestigious Leeds Sports Awards last night! New Rover Cricket Club (New Rover CC) proudly acknowledges Ghulam's exceptional contributions to our junior cricket section.

"Congratulations to all award winners! We are very proud of Ghulam's dedication and the remarkable progress he's achieved with our junior section," shared New Rover CC. The award is a testament to Ghulam's tireless work over the last five years, during which he, alongside Mustata Rafique, developed a thriving performance program for junior cricket at New Rover CC.

When Gulam joined the club, it had no junior members. Today, through his and Mustata's commitment and expertise, our junior membership has grown to over 100 young players. This growth is a result not only of recruiting young talent but also of fostering skills and sportsmanship at every level. Their success was showcased when our U13 and Ul5 squads reached the finals of the ECB Vitality National Club competition- a powerful indicator of the outstanding junior players Ghulam and Mustafa have cultivated.

This achievement wouldn't have been possible without the unwavering support of our club chairman, Mike Richmond, to whom both Ghulam and Mustafa extend their heartfelt thanks. Furthermore, the development of our young talent relies heavily on excellent playing facilities, and we are grateful to Keith Boyce, our groundsman, who ensures our pitches are always in top condition for our junior players to hone their skills in batting and bowling.

We look forward to seeing the continued success of our junior section under Ghulam's guidance and thank everyone involved in supporting and celebrating this journey