Chase was quiet and shy before his first Chance to Shine Street cricket session.
Now, he’s a bright, articulate, confident individual who has grown into a phenomenal leader and role model for his teammates – all because he picked up a bat and ball.
“I get to play cricket every week when I come here,” said an energised Chase following another fun session. “It keeps me busy, gets me off the street playing with bad people, it’s helped my mental health, and helped my confidence with meeting new people.”
Through the free weekly sessions Chance to Shine provides, Chase has tackled his diagnosed mental health issues. “I’ve seen a change in him since coming here,” said his mum, Christina.
“It’s nice to see his confidence growing. He’s found something he likes that he’s good at.”
It’s hard to believe that before attending Chance to Shine sessions, Chase had little opportunity to play cricket. But after joining Haydn Road Street Club, in Nottingham, everything changed.
According to one of his coaches, Ian Dipaolo, “it was evident that he had some cricket talent. The coaches noticed that, and his confidence has grown and grown and grown.”
But what makes Chase standout isn’t his own development, but instead how he supports his peers. “If you support your teammates, they’ll be more confident in themselves and more confident to play and try and get better and get better.”
“He helps out his teammates,” said Hasnat, a fellow participant. “He wants to help them succeed.”
The next step was to play in the annual Street Cricket Finals over the summer, where he helped his team to a runner up medal.
The competition brings together participants from Chance to Shine’s Street programme all over the UK, with three separate finals days in Nottingham for girls, young adults and youth sections. The tapeball format is fast-paced, exciting and full of fun.
Chase’s hero is Afghanistan’s spinning king Rashid Khan and after an encounter with South African professional cricketer Colin Munro, he had a dream realised.
“He met Colin Munro at the National Finals,” explained Dipaolo. “Chase chewed his ear for about 10 minutes about Rashid Khan and by chance the next day we had a ‘Train with the Rockets’ session.
“Colin Munro was there and took Chase off to the team bus to meet Rashid Khan!”
Chase epitomises the profound impact Chance to Shine sessions can have on a child. He has learned the importance of teamwork, grown in confidence and knows how to encourage his peers.
“He’s a key part of the sessions,” said Dipaolo. “If he’s already inspiring people at age 11, then who knows where he’ll be in future”.
