Bay of Plenty cricket is gearing up to give the region's aspiring female cricketers every opportunity to play the game this summer.

The highly successful GoGirl programme will be back in October for its sixth year in the Western Bay, and will return to the Central Bay districts in February following its well-received first outing earlier this year.

A new super sixes competition will allow primary-aged girls to put the skills they've learned in the GoGirls programme to the test in weekly six-a-side matches, while for intermediate and secondary school players the Junior NPL will return to the Bay Oval.

GoGirl, the second step of the Bay of Plenty Cricket female development pathway following on from the Schools Cricket Awareness campaign, has been one of the most successful Bay of Plenty Cricket advancement programmes in recent years, says BOPCA Women's Development Officer Rebecca Yee.

'The GoGirl programme is more than just about cricket, as we look to build confidence in our participants and grow a lifelong love of the game,” she says.

Weekly schools-based coaching sessions are the core of the programme, teaching a combination of fundamental motor and cricket skills to year four to six girls in terms one and four of the school year. Last season 460 girls took part in the GoGirl programme throughout the Bay of Plenty.

'For the first time this season, we're instituting a GoGirl competition that will kick off on Friday nights in October. Six-a-side school teams will compete in a mini-competition, utilising the skills learnt at the GoGirl programs,” says Rebecca.

A festival day for schools teams is coming at the Bay Oval on November 22.

'We are up to 20 schools involved in the Western Bay festival day and we're looking to keep growing that,” Rebecca says.

'And we're also spreading out into Lakelands (Rotorua and Taupo) in term one. We had a really good successful start to that this year and looking to continue that next year as well.

'We had ten or so schools in Lakelands, and there's more interest for next year coming up, so that's a good start.”

The Western Bay Junior NPL (Northern Premier League) is also back at Bay Oval in term four, and continues to be a key part of the BOPCA female pathway.

The Junior NPL offers intermediate and secondary school players, who have progressed through the GoGirl programme, the opportunity to continue developing their cricket skills.

Players are selected in one of four sides, the Sonic, Galaxy, Power and Velocity.

'The Junior NPL has all the vibes and coloured uniform of the Northern Districts NPL, where the rising stars of the future rub shoulders with a number of White Fern players,” says Rebecca.

Bay of Plenty Cricket's female development efforts are paying huge dividends, she believes.

'Yeah absolutely, we've been growing exponentially for the last few years, it's been really good. It's at the point where I need another pair of hands. It would be good if we could clone me and have me go to more schools. We have a great interest and a lot of good support from the schools for introducing girls to cricket.”

Opportunities for girls to continue playing the game at secondary level are more problematic, Rebecca says, but increasing numbers are playing alongside boys in Saturday competitions, and the association is working to offer more options to players.

'We're trying to find more opportunities for those girls to continue to play cricket at a decent level, which is where our under 14 team comes in and we're hoping to extend our secondary schools girls programme at BOP rep level as well.

'It's all a work in progress and as with any sport growth it's a long term plan and takes a few years for things to come to fruition but we are seeing results from our work at GoGirls level.”