Fingal sign up Ireland International for Cricket Development Role

Cricket Leinster in partnership with Fingal County Council’s Sports Office has added 20-year-old Ireland international Lara Maritz to its Cricket Development Team, to support the expansion and development of programmes in the North County Dublin area.

Ms Maritz, who made her international debut for Ireland at 16, has spoken strongly many times about the importance of her local Fingal Cricket Club ‘The Hills’ in helping her make friends, feel part of the community, and enable her to fulfil her clear potential in the game.

Having also been the first female selected to the Cricket Leinster Transition Year programme in South Africa when spending an eight-week placement at Menlo Park school in Pretoria, and benefitted from many of the exciting Leinster Youth programmes in her development as a cricketer.

It is this personal experience that Maritz will draw on as a development coach, where her role is to enable everyone and anyone who wants to try cricket can, and it is clear, that Maritz, is excited by the opportunity that Fingal County Council has made available for her to do so:

 “Cricket has done so much for me.  It has helped me develop confidence, make friends, and receive opportunities that I would never otherwise have experienced.  This role is about enabling everyone in Fingal to have the same opportunity to get into cricket, and I am very excited about what can be achieved, given the warmth of the welcome I have already received from partner schools”.

Brían O’Rourke, Cricket Development Manager was delighted with Fingal County Council’s ongoing commitment to the Fingal cricket community, and the importance of the message Lara’s appointment sent to the North County Dublin area.

“The growth of cricket in Fingal is a direct result of the passionate partnership Cricket Leinster has formed with Fingal County Council.  Lara’s appointment is another step in helping even more cricketers to have the opportunity to play the game within their schools, and I commend Lara for her commitment to the Fingal community, while still involved as an international cricketer while preparing to qualify for a World Cup later in the year”.

This latest addition to the Fingal council development team, the second in May following Mitchell Thompson appointment for the Tyrrelstown community, is a statement of the council’s commitment to even greater development, and council Chief Executive AnnMarie Farrelly, was particularly pleased to have Ms. Maritz as part of the team.

“Fingal County Council is extremely proud to not only be expanding its cricket development team, to have appointed one of Ireland’s best young international players but specifically to have Lara onboard, who aged just 20, has chosen to work to support her local community.  This sets a standard that many internationals in other sports would do well to follow.  Good luck Lara on and off the field in 2021”.

Maritz will officially start her role in May, coordinating her role with continuing international commitments with Ireland with weekly school coaching visits already arranged with Scoil Realt Na Mara, St Patrick’s Skerries, Balbriggan ETNS, Milverton NS and St Catherine’s NS in Rush.

In addition, Ms. Maritz will support the delivery of the current series of coaching clinics being held at Balbriggan CC for the local u11 and u13 age groups, as she seeks to support as many cricketers as possible in the Fingal community.

For more information on cricket please contact Brían O’Rourke, Cricket Development Manager – Fingal, brian.orourke@cricketleinster.ie