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Templepatrick Cricket Club

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Templepatrick Cricket Club has teamed up with Holm NI to further the promotion of youth cricket within Ballyclare and beyond.

Officials at the Ballyclare-based club were delighted to welcome Holm NI Managing Director, Kevin Lynch to The Cloughan on Sunday (May 29) for the club’s official pitch opening, family fun day and ‘cricket blitz’ event involving more than 100 boys and girls aged 5 - 11 years.

Holm, the company behind the impressive new Readers Park housing development at Rashee Road, and the long-awaited Ballyclare Relief Road scheme, will sponsor Templepatrick’s youth cricket section, including its Under-15, Under-13 and Under-11 sides right down to the five year old beginners age group, during the 2011 season.

The company’s generous sponsorship package will also help the club continue to expand its youth coaching programme, which already involves 12 qualified coaches and works with schools and youth groups throughout Newtownabbey and beyond.

Club Secretary Peter Shepherd said: “We are delighted that Holm NI has come on board as sponsors of youth cricket at Templepatrick CC. Their generous funding package will allow us to continue to expand our youth section and offer sporting opportunities to even more children and young people of all ages and abilities.”

The club’s Cricket Development Officer, Andy McCrea, who was recently voted European Cricket Coach of the Year, added: “It’s great that Holm has recognised the good work that we do with young people in the local community and that they are keen to be associated with the development of youth cricket in the Newtownabbey area. The funding boost is very much appreciated by everyone at the club, and we hope that this will be the start of a long partnership between ourselves and Holm.”

The sponsorship deal comes hot on the heels of Templepatrick Cricket Club becoming one of only four clubs in Northern Ireland to achieve Club Accreditation recognition from Cricket Ireland & Sport NI for meeting required quality standards.

Speaking after seeing for himself the enjoyment so many children and young people get out of cricket, Mr Lynch said: “We are tremendously excited to be involved with Templepatrick Cricket Club and to support their ambitious plans for getting the young people of Ballyclare and Newtownabbey involved in sport. The hard work and determination of the club over the years has been a credit to the town and hopefully our new partnership will help it continue this success throughout the new season and keep the Ballyclare club at the forefront of youth cricket in Northern Ireland.”

It is understood that new youth team kits incorporating the Holm logo are set to be unveiled by Templepatrick CC within the next few weeks.

For more information about Holm NI log on to www.holmni.com