Hampshire cricket’s new disability cricket development officer, Michael Powell has committed the past 20 years to representing Hampshire in Super 9’s cricket, led as captain for many of those, and coached for Lord’s Taverners Super 1’s and SEND Schools programme. 

By Evie Ashton, ECB Reporters Network

Now, determined to give back to the community, Powell hopes to see Hampshire’s disability cricket programme become recognised as the best in the country.

“Throughout college and university, my drive and ambition, whether it’s cricket or not, is to make the world for disabled people a better place,” Powell said. “That’s become my motivation as I’ve gone into the role. Ultimately, how can we make this more accessible?

[Hampshire Cricket] wants to be at the top of the tree of disability cricket. We want to be leading from the front and be the driving force behind making the sport popular within the disability community.”

As Hampshire Cricket Board’s first physically disabled employee, who has quadriplegic cerebral palsy and uses a powerchair, Powell also boasts a wealth of lived experience that is certain to make attaining this goal all the more likely.

“I’ll never forget the first question they asked me when I entered the room, ‘What makes you the best person for this role?’ I’m sat there in my powerchair, and I just looked them dead in the eye and said, ‘you’re looking at it. I’m sitting in it,’” he said earnestly. “I’ve lived with a disability my whole life; from the day I was born. I know the obstacles and barriers at play.”

“[Growing up] I was extremely frustrated because my friends would play sports in the playground and although I’d try and find ways to get involved, I couldn’t be like them.

Even though I had a desire to play sport, it was finding something that was accessible.”

Finally, at age 12, Powell found just that in softball disability cricket, known as ‘Super 9s’ at what was then the Rose Bowl, now known as Utilita Bowl.

“It was a great social outlet for me. It was a massive bonus from a physical point of view too. I was getting exercise from bowling balls and swinging bats. It was good fun,” he says. “From a social perspective and making those relationships, I’ve understood what it’s mean to others too.

Having this opportunity as Hampshire’s disability development officer has been transformative for me. It’s the first full-time position I’ve held for nearly a decade.

Access to employment for disabled people, equally as much as access to sport, is incredibly difficult. So, I’m extremely thankful for this opportunity to transform a space I’m so passionate about.”

Having devoted over half his life to the cause so far, Powell has no time for empty promises, and, as such, is looking to increase opportunities to take part in, and awareness of, the programme.

Currently, there are eight disability cricket hubs across Hampshire with over 120 disabled participants.

There are four county setups delivering competitive disability cricket, including D40 Hardball, D40 Development in partnership with Dorset, and a Super 9s first and development team with a combined 50 participants.

“My three core driving forces are inclusion, accessibility and enjoyment,” he said. “All of our participants get something out of it, whether social, cricket or a personal milestone. What we offer goes beyond cricket as a sport.

I’m proud to say that we’re fully inclusive because we have a vast plethora of participants with disabilities, such as amputees, learning disabilities, physical disabilities, and invisible disabilities.”

However, Powell emphasises that he is not alone in his vision, working alongside a dedicated team of supportive coaches, and many other counties making a difference in their respective communities.

“I’ve seen first-hand the massive impact our programme has on not just one individual, but a whole family,” he said.

“The player may be quite shy at home but skip forwards six months and they have a great relationship with their family. They’ve got external friends. They’ve got volunteering job opportunities.

There are so many counties on board with disability cricket. It has the potential to skyrocket with the right support, right backing and the right exposure.”

To find out more about Hampshire Disability Cricket contact michael.powell@utilitabowl.com or visit https://utilitabowl.com/cricket-board/disability/.

See also: UK Disability History month, via: www.ukdhm.org

Photo courtesy: Hampshire Cricket Board