Wales Bonner and Adidas collaborate for new Jamaican Football Federation kit

Grace Wales Bonner is continuing her relationship with Adidas with a new collaboration. The British fashion designer and the sports giant revealed on Monday a collection with the Jamaican Football Federation, with Wales Bonner creating the football kits for the players.

The collection is the first under a four-year partnership between Adidas and the Jamaican Football Federation. Wales Bonner’s football kits include home, away and pre-match jerseys, as well as a reversible anthem jacket for the women’s team, known as Reggae Girlz, and the men’s team, known as Reggae Boyz. 

Wales ends 64-year World Cup wait with victory over Ukraine

Wales overcame another monumental effort from Ukraine to qualify for their first World Cup since 1958 on a night of high emotion and drama in Cardiff.

Having beaten Scotland in an emotionally draining semi-final four days earlier, the Ukrainians - with the backdrop of their country's war with Russia - were deeply impressive once again but fell just short in their attempt to reach only a second World Cup in their history.

Walking routes upgrade to support Commonwealth Games and city’s long-term legacy

A £1.6million package of improvements to key walking routes ahead of the Birmingham 2022 Commonwealth Games has been confirmed by the council.

In total, the scheme covers seven projects that will enable spectators and visits move around the city with greater ease and safety – and the work will in turn offer a legacy to residents and future visitors in the years after the Games.

Wallace creates history following Nascar Cup Series win

Motorsport star Bubba Wallace became a history-maker after becoming the first Black driver to win a race in Nascar's premier series in 58 years. After taking his first Nascar Cup Series win at Talladega Superspeedway, he follows the feat of Wendell Scott who won the race in 1963.

When asked about his achievement, he said: "I never think about those things.

Walsall Soldier scoops Sportsman of the Year at Army Awards 

Lance Corporal Carnell Brown (28) from Walsall, serves in 1st Battalion the Yorkshire Regiment (1Yorks) as a personnel administrator and was honoured at a glittering gala dinner event held amidst the grandeur of the Royal Military Academy Sandhurst’s Old College Dining Room. 

In front of an audience of the Army’s top performing athletes, team players, coaches and sports staff Carnell stepped forward to receive the Sportsman of the Year Award presented to him by Commandant Royal Military Academy Sandhurst Major General Zac Stenning OBE for his extraordinary contribution and commitment to boxing. 

Walsall welcomes riders in second stage of Women's Tour of Britain

Walsall, in the West Midlands, welcomed the AJ Bell Women’s Tour, the world’s leading international women’s cycle race, for the first time in 2021.

Stage two started at the Walsall Arboretum, the area’s famous Victorian Park, and culminate with a finish on Lichfield Street in the heart of the town and in the shadows of Walsall Town Hall.

Wanda Diamond League releases disciplines for 2024

The Wanda Diamond League has released a detailed summary of which disciplines will be staged at which meetings during the 2024 season.

Wanderers set ‘shining example’ for fans and other teams

Wolverhampton Wanderers Football Club have been praised by the city’s health chief for having 100% of the team and coaching staff vaccinated against Covid-19. The club is amongst only a handful of the 20 clubs in the Premier League who have publicly confirmed that all of their players and coaching staff are fully vaccinated against the deadly virus.

John Denley, the City of Wolverhampton Council’s Director for Public Health, said: “It’s wonderful to see Wolves set such a shining example to their fans and to the wider Premier League, that the best way of protecting ourselves and others from the deadly virus is to get fully vaccinated.

“Players and staff like Head Coach Bruno Lage are great role models for our city and are leading the way in this. There aren’t many Premier League clubs who can say that all of the players and coaching staff have had their Covid-19 vaccinations.

“We are also grateful for the support the club has given to the vaccine rollout in Wolverhampton, from Bruno going on record to encourage others to get vaccinated, to hosting our vaccine bus which proved extremely popular each time it was there. The Wolves Foundation also kindly donated a signed team shirt as an extra incentive for people to get their jabs.”

Bruno Lage, Wolves Head Coach, previously said: "I arrived here with no vaccine and I’ve already taken both of them.

“All of my players have had theirs as well. Here at Wolves, it’s not a question. We all need to do the best thing to get back to normal life.

"That’s why I did it and that’s why all my players did it. It’s important for all the world, not only the players. The quicker we can return to normal, I think it will be good for everyone."

Speaking about the vaccine, Wolves player Ruben Neves added: “When we have something that can help us to have a normal life and there is no proof that it is bad, I think we just need to take it and think of all the people around us, because it will be really good for the people that take it, and the people they are around.”

Covid-19 vaccinations are available in Wolverhampton for anyone over the age of 16, either at walk-in vaccination clinics around the city, or by pre-booking an appointment. Details of walk-in clinics can be found at www.wolverhampton.gov.uk/local-vaccine and vaccination appointments can be booked online at www.nhs.co.uk/covidvaccine or by calling NHS 119.

The latest figures show there were 332.8 new cases of Covid-19 per 100,000 people in Wolverhampton over the last seven days. That means 875 people in the city tested positive for the virus in that same period – though the true number of new cases will likely be higher.

Want to go around the world with Red Bull Street Style in 2021? This mural will transport you there!

Red Bull Street Style, the annual freestyle football world championship is back. 2021 will once again see the most creative, technical and stylish player in each gender crowned Red Bull Street Style World Champion. Launched in 2008 the global contest aims to find the best overall freestyle football players in the world.

Red Bull Street Style is the official world championship of freestyle football, with the contest looking different every year. As freestyle football is influenced strongly by contemporary street lifestyle, art and athletics establishing constant progression and innovative trick creations keeps the world championships fresh year after year.

To celebrate the launch of the world championships 2021 freestyle footballer, Polish star athlete Aguska Mnich (2018 Red Bull Street Style winner), and London based street artist, Captain Kris, came together to create a unique mural that represents movement using the freestyle football concept.

As an imaginative illustrator and street artist heavily influenced by comics, cartoons and popular culture Captain Kris said “It was exciting working with Aguska and taking on a new direction to the art piece was refreshing. Integrating football tricks, such as ‘Around the world’ and ‘Rainbow’, into the art piece was a natural progression of the collaboration, as a lot of my work is centred around pop art themed words, so it only felt right to include these in the football centred mural. Having her kick the ball against the wall to create paint splatters for me to work around added a whole new dimension to the mural, which is something I’ve never seen before”.

The mural took five hours to create and street artist, Captain Kris, who is famed for his distinctive work around East London, often freestyles when creating artwork, allowing his self-expression to create spontaneous additions. The same is true of freestyle footballers, as their self-expression is interpreted in their movements and tricks, which can be beautiful and unique.

Aguska Mnich explains “Red Bull Street Style is all about showing your best personal skills, so working with Captain Kris and using our talents to create a unique art piece together with the inclusion of freestyle football tricks was so thrilling. It is something I’ve never done before, but I enjoyed using my freestyle skills to help create this artwork”.

Aguska is considered one of the most well-known females in freestyle football, renowned for being a solid all-rounder with insane special football skills. She has some very strong lower moves which separates her from a lot of other female freestyle footballers.

The current men’s Red Bull Street Style World Champion Erlend Fagerli added “I personally love the concept of this, and seeing two completely different creative talents come together to create a mural that portrays both art forms is really cool”.

The contest has now launched so whether you are a reigning titleholder or a hungry newcomer to enter the Red Bull Street Style World Championship for your local offline or online qualifiers. The requirements are simple: For the offline qualifiers, go to www.redbullstreetstyle.com to register and participate on location. For the online qualifier videos must be no longer than 60 seconds overall. They also must be in horizontal (landscape) format and without edits. No music is allowed. Everyone aged 16+ is welcome to take part.

This year, Red Bull Street Style has ibis budget on board as its new exclusive hospitality partner. ibis budget will actively follow the competition through the eyes of talented participating athletes on its @ibisbudget Instagram account, while sharing its passion for freestyle football, unveiling tips and sharing fun challenges with the freestyle football fan community.

Warner-Judd to captain GB & NI team at the 2022 European Cross Country Championships

Jess Warner-Judd has been chosen to captain the Great Britain and Northern Ireland team at this Sunday’s European Cross Country Championships in Turin, Italy. The Olympian has been an ever-present in GB & NI cross country squads throughout her career, competing in every age-group team and in the mixed relay over the last 10 years.

Warwickshire Academy shows its strength after Under-18s claim national title

Warwickshire’s Under-18s have been crowned national champions – just days after the Under-14s triumphed in their final – in what’s been described as a “fantastic achievement” for the Club’s Academy.

Warwickshire announce signing of Worcestershire’s Ed Barnard

Warwickshire County Cricket Club has announced the signing of exciting all-rounder Ed Barnard who will join the Club from Worcestershire on a three-year contract. The 26-year-old - who has made 235 professional appearances, scoring 4,756 runs and taking 367 wickets will join the Bears at the end of the 2022 domestic season. 

Warwickshire begin Championship defence at home

Fixtures for the 2022 domestic season have been announced and men’s LV= Insurance County Champions Warwickshire will begin their title defence at Edgbaston versus Surrey starting on Thursday 7 April. Having lifted the Championship for the eighth time in September, Warwickshire also host Essex, Northamptonshire, Lancashire, Kent, Somerset and Hampshire in the seven First Class fixtures at Edgbaston this summer.

Warwickshire CCC and Sandwell College form partnership to deliver BTEC studies at Edgbaston Stadium

Warwickshire CCC and Sandwell College have announced a new partnership that will see a new two-year further education course delivered in collaboration with the club’s official charity the Edgbaston Foundation.

Warwickshire CCC launch ACE Programme to reinvigorate cricket in Birmingham’s Black community

Birmingham’s Black community will be the first outside of London to benefit from a new ‘ACE programme’ launched by Warwickshire County Cricket Club (Warwickshire CCC) to reignite their passion for cricket and provide youngsters with opportunities to play and pursue a career in the sport.

Recruitment of a coach is underway, and the scheme will launch in early 2021, focusing on primary and secondary schools located in the North West of Birmingham.

Warwickshire CCC has partnered with Sport England and the England & Wales Cricket Board (ECB) to deliver the ACE Programme in the West Midlands.

Warwickshire Cricket Board Cricket Development Manager (community) Eaton Gordon will work with coaches to deliver new cricket sessions at local schools in the region. 

Budding cricketers who come through the programme will also have the opportunity further their game through the Club’s links with Handsworth Cricket Club and in a new timetable of cricket at Holford Drive Community Sports Hub in Perry Barr.

The Club will also stage a Caribbean-themed cricket festival for families at its Edgbaston Community Sports Ground on Portland Road in the early part of the 2021 summer and its official charity, the Edgbaston Foundation, will also undertake wider social initiatives.

Eaton says: “We’re very excited to bring the ACE programme to Birmingham, which we believe can make a huge difference in reinvigorating cricket within the large African Caribbean community in the city.

“There has been a large drop in interest and engagement in the game within the black community in recent years and we have probably missed a generation of young people as a result. However, we have the ability to make a change and we are starting this programme with a blank sheet of paper and intend to breakdown any barriers that may have affected participation in the game.”

Stuart Cain, Chief Executive of Warwickshire CCC, said: “This project builds on the work we’re already doing in the local South Asian communities and will create opportunities for a community that has a proud cricketing history but has unfortunately not had the support that it deserves over recent years.

“The scheme originated in London and has totally rejuvenated interest within cricket and broken down some of the barriers that stopped Black youngsters in the capital from playing the game and finding a way on to the talent pathway, which could lead to a place in the academy programme and ultimately a career in the sport.

“Our ambition over coming years is to create a vibrant club cricket scene within Birmingham’s Black community which will bring health, wellbeing and social benefits to one of the city’s biggest communities. I also want to see an Academy where talented youngsters from all of the city’s diverse communities have the same opportunities to pursue a career in the sport and feel comfortable working alongside each other to pursue a place in the professional squad, in the same way that Manraj Johal has this season and previously Recordo Gordon.”

The ACE programme was developed by Surrey County Cricket Club at the beginning of 2020 to address a 75 per cent decline in cricket participation by members of the Black community. Today the programme has been announced as an independent charity, which has secured £540,000 funding from Sport England, delivered over a three-year period, and a grant from the ECB.

Tom Harrison, CEO England and Wales Cricket Board, said: “The ACE Programme has done a fantastic job opening up opportunities for young people from Black communities to play cricket, and I’m really pleased that the ECB can help fund its expansion. I’m excited to see what can be achieved for communities in and around Birmingham.

“We are absolutely committed to making cricket a sport for everyone. In order for that to happen we recognise that as a game, and an organisation, we have an enormous amount of work to do. We have to offer more access and opportunities for young people to play and be part of our sport. Talent is everywhere, but opportunity is not, and programmes like ACE play a crucial part in creating opportunities for talented young cricketers to grow and fulfil their potential as players and as individuals.”

Warwickshire launch new talent ID process

Warwickshire County Cricket Club has launched a new talent identification process to improve accessibility for aspiring young cricketers who want to join the county’s talent pathway.

As from this month, the Club will accept video footage online to give every aspiring cricketer the opportunity to showcase their talent.

Warwickshire launch new talent ID process

Warwickshire County Cricket Club has launched a new talent identification process to improve accessibility for aspiring young cricketers who want to join the county’s talent pathway.

As from this month, the Club will accept video footage online to give every aspiring cricketer the opportunity to showcase their talent.

Warwickshire launches first ever LGBTQ+ cricket tournament

Warwickshire Cricket is celebrating Pride Month by organising the country’s first ever national LGBTQ+ cricket tournament. Teams representing five professional county clubs – Warwickshire, Worcestershire, Gloucestershire, Middlesex and Northamptonshire – will compete in a round-robin event at Sutton Coldfield CC on Sunday (11 June).

There are only two LGBTQ+ cricket clubs in the UK – including Lapworth-based Birmingham Unicorns – and it’s hoped the inaugural competition will encourage participation across the Network. Warwickshire and the Unicorns have developed a strong partnership since the side formed in 2020 and squad members have benefitted from coaching sessions at Edgbaston’s indoor centre from Bears’ staff and players.

Warwickshire relaunches youth trials scheme to find future stars

Young aspiring cricketers are being encouraged to try out for Warwickshire CCC as the Club relaunches its innovative Open Trials scheme to find stars of the future.

The Club revolutionised its youth selection last year by introducing an Open Trials system that allowed any boy aged 13-18 to submit video footage of them batting, bowling and / or wicket keeping for assessment by coaches. It resulted in 60 boys being invited in for a series of five coaching sessions – where coaches get to know the youngsters – with 10 making it into the pathway age structure.

Warwickshire scorer Mel overcames adversity to land dream job

At nine minutes past eleven on Friday April 5th, 2013, a freezing morning at The Parks, Varun Chopra was late on an inswinger from Oxford MCCU seamer Ben Kemp and out lbw for five.
This apparently anonymous dismissal at the start of the season in fact secured a small footnote in Bears history. It was the first wicket to be recorded by Mel Smith as Warwickshire scorer.