The Don Rowan Memorial Trophy

The Don Rowan Memorial Trophy for Surrey School / College

The Surrey School / College considered to be the most outstanding in using cricket to help those with special needs

2024 The Park School, Woking

This award, with its trophy, was established in memory of Don Rowan.

Initially, The Cricket Society and Surrey CCC nominated “the Primary School considered to be the most outstanding in promoting cricket in the Surrey Area.”
 
Today the focus has changed whereby the award goes to the Surrey School/College judged outstanding in using cricket in its programme for children with special needs. The winning School/College embodies the love, enthusiasm and commitment to cricket that is at the heart of The Game.

Cricket has been instrumental in developing learning for students at The Park School for many years.  Not only has the school seen a significant improvement in skill level amongst its students as a result, but more importantly, cricket has enabled the students to have fun, learn to work well together and become more and more confident in so many ways.  

The ongoing support from Surrey CCC (who are represented by Jon Gale today) delivers fantastic sessions to the students in both table and standard cricket.  Both formats have enabled students to access the game, regardless of their individual limitations, while allowing them to develop a genuine interest, enthusiasm and love for cricket.    

The beauty of both these versions mean that the less physical and confident students can play, compete and enjoy the game at their level, while more active and assertive students can play a more competitive, standard version to suit what they are able to do.  The Park School has subsequently invested in its own table cricket set and cricket has become a solid and favoured part of the summer PE curriculum.   

Students at The Park School have represented the school at the annual Disability Day at The Oval, The SSSSA's (Surrey Special Schools Sports Association) Table and Indoor Cricket competition at Epsom College, as well as the Table Cricket Tournament run by Surrey Cricket in March last year.  They have recently forged links with Pyrford Cricket Club in Surrey who kindly allowed students to make use of their excellent ground and nets during PE lessons.

Cricket has enabled The Park School’s students to be determined, participate in sport in a positive way, work as part of a team, as well as knowing how to cope well with unfamiliar surroundings and feelings of anxiety. 

The Park School is therefore the worthy winner of the Don Rowan Memorial Trophy for 2024 and we thank Katie Rowan for her continued support of this award. Please could Becky Perry, Head of PE, Trevor Flores, PE teacher, and Joan Wilson, Learning Support Assistant come and receive the award.