By Jill Stocks
In the second of our series on the Heart of Horsforth Awards we meet the winner of the Volunteering Award (for over 21’s), cricket coach Jen Lewis.
The award was given “for the work she has done to transform cricket for women, with hard work and dedication”.
Jen, who coaches at Horsforth Cricket Club is a hugely popular figure in the community and a respected coach who has had a love of the game since a young age.
“I’ve been around cricket from childhood, playing in the garden with my dad and brothers, rarely allowed to bat! No opportunities to play in a girls team when I was growing up.
“Cricket has been such a good way to meet people as I moved about with work, eventually settling in Yorkshire and playing for Pateley Bridge, North Riding and Yorkshire second XI.
“I stopped playing cricket when the children were small, their sporting activities took priority and re-connected with the sport when my son started playing junior cricket for Horsforth CC.
“I created a team at Horsforth CC in 2023 to join the 2nd year of the West Yorkshire Women & Girls Softball Cricket league. It was a huge step into the unknown but our local teams and league were so supportive, we loved it.
“From our original women and girls team in 2023 we have built the female section at the club and are delighted for the 2026 season to be fielding three women and girls team, and junior girls teams and running a girls’ Roses/Dynamos programme.”
Jen’s teams have gone on to see great success under her guidance.
“I head up and run the Women and Girls section at Horsforth CC. Since expanding our women and girls teams and introducing the junior girls section, we have shared out responsibilities between our female players.
“We’ve had an incredible run of success from a results point of view, winning both the Leeds outdoor softball cricket league as well as indoor Winter league.
“But it’s the wider success that’s more satisfying and ensures we build a long-term future for the club: creating the right environment for new players to have a go; coaching them to develop their batting, bowling, fielding skills and seeing them implemented in a game; the growth of our league, it’s becoming more competitive every year but continues to be supportive and encouraging between the teams.
“More recently some of our female players trained to be Activators for our first girls only Roses/Dynamos programme which has led to two girls teams for the season ahead. To have that commitment in the women and girls squad to grow and sustain our section in the club is the best measure of success.”
Jen was keen to stress that she felt the award was a joint effort but one she was very pleased to accept.
“I was so surprised when the e-mail came through and somewhat embarrassed to be honest.
“There are so many people that have a share in the award: Horsforth CC have been so supportive of the women & girls section and helped us expand; our amazing players who have made the expansion possible, particularly coaching and running the girls Roses/Dynamos programme. On their behalf I was delighted to accept the award.”
Claire Atkinson, a long-time friend of Jen’s, told us how loved she was in cricketing and the wider community.
“I’ve known Jen for about thirty years and she is a diamond.
“She is good at looking after people, making people grow as players, supporting the community, so it’s good that she’s bringing cricket to Horsforth and getting people involved.
“She gives up all her time to make people better.”
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