International Cricketer and ex-Colfeian, Susie Rowe is coaching an ‘introduction to Cricket Course’ for fifteen girls in the school.
Susie made her debut for the England women’s squad for the tour to Sri lanka in November 2010, is a regular T20 player and recently helped England to complete a 4-0 win over New Zealand!
Susie, who left Colfe’s in 2005, has been working hard to promote cricket through the ‘Streetchance’, grassroots sports initiative in Lewisham where she was born. Susie is also a talented hockey player and represented England at under 21 level.
The Colfe’s coaching programme has just been opened to Years 5 and 6 as well. Susie said “It is always rewarding to see young girls become interested and enthusiastic about a sport they haven’t necessarily played before. It’s encouraging to see some of the girls bowl with a straight arm and a natural action. Hopefully they will consider moving from this to play for a club.”
A right-handed batter and medium pace bowler, Susie juggles her coaching commitments with playing for England, Kent and her club, Hayes. The 25 year old says she has had many career highlights. “I think being in the England squad for the last year and a half and being a regular T20 player has to be the highest point of my career so far. And hitting a six in Adelaide, Australia in January 2011 really stays with me as a fantastic moment.”
Susie’s family are sports-mad and her sister Annabelle, who also attended Colfe’s, is a talented Hockey player who plays for the National League club, Maidstone. The Rowe girls are a great success story for co-education at Colfe’s and in the run up to the Olympics, Annabelle was chosen to be part of the Adidas 'Take The Stage' ad campaign and for the last few weeks, her face has been at bus stops across Lewisham. Adidas also flew her out to Holland to train with the Dutch National Team who are reigning Olympic champions and just yesterday Adidas uploaded a video about her visit to their website as part of the campaign. http://discover.adidas.co.uk/goallin/news/2012/05/olympic-trophyroom-annabelle-takes-the-stage/
Susie says “I’m very proud of Annabelle and it’s been great fun to see her face on posters all over Lewisham.”