Meet the Development Team

Office address

Unit 10
Forest Gate
Pewsham
Chippenham
Wiltshire
SN15 3RS

Pete SykesManaging Director

Pete Sykes

Pete heads up the Wiltshire Cricket Development team and is also a company director. His main roles involve the writing and overall monitoring of all strategic documents and he is also responsible for budget management across all Wiltshire Cricket projects and programmes of work. Pete line manages all other members of the Wiltshire Cricket team and is also the main point of contact for all Wiltshire Cricket associations as well as being responsible for club development and league engagement across the county.

Pete previously held the position of Cricket Development Manager and before that he was employed as the Cricket Development Officer for the county. Pete came into the world of Cricket Development straight from University where he completed a degree in Business Economics from the University of Exeter. Pete is also an ECB Club Coach and qualified tutor and assessor.

Summary of responsibilities

  • Strategic planning
  • Lead contact with Board and a member of Board sub groups for Governance, EDI, Safeguarding and Remuneration
  • Budgeting and budget management
  • Sponsorship and fundraising
  • Line management of:
    • Head of Talent Pathway
    • Business Operations Officer
    • Cricket Development Manager (Schools, Junior Cricket, Coach Development)
    • Cricket Development Manager (Clubs, Programmes, Women's and Girls)
  • Partner engagement
  • Facilities and funding guidance
  • Engagement with leagues and associations 
  • Club support

Ali GoddardCricket Development Manager (Schools, Junior Cricket, Coach Development)

Ali Goddard

Ali's responsibilities are for all aspects of junior cricket, starting with schools cricket through to junior club competitions and then overseeing the structure of the winter and summer performance programmes. A major area of accountability for Ali relates to the management of our Chance to Shine programme and being the main contact for liaison with Chance to Shine over our plans and funding agreements.

Ali has been with Wiltshire Cricket since April 2009 and since this time has expanded his role within Cricket outside of just Wiltshire. As a qualified tutor, assessor and Field Based Trainer he has supported many other counties with their Coach Education programmes and has also worked as the national summer camp director for Chance to Shine. An ECB Level 3 coach, Ali previously ran his own coaching company prior to his employment with Wiltshire Cricket.

Summary of responsibilities

  • Chance to Shine lead contact
  • Schools Cricket and School competition
  • ECB Coach Development lead
  • Pathway fixture management
  • Line management of:
    - Community Coach / All Stars Champion

Sam DentCricket Development Manager (Clubs, Programmes, Women's and Girls)

Sam Dent

Sam is the Women and Girls Development Officer for Wiltshire Cricket. Having completed a degree in BSc Sport Science, Sam joined the county in April 2017, initially as the Growth Development Officer in which he oversaw the development of the county's disability infrastructure as well as the growth of the Women's and Girl's game.

Now, Sam holds the full responsibility of driving the recreational part of the Women and Girls game as we strive to make Cricket truly a game for all, with equal opportunities for male and female cricketers.

Prior to working with Wiltshire Cricket Sam spent 2 years with the Devon Cricket Board as their NatWest Under 19 Club T20 Coordinator and Chance to Shine Coach. As a Level 2 coach, Sam has also founded and assisted in multiple cricket summer camps across Gloucestershire.

Summary of responsibilities

  • Women's and Girls Club Development Lead
  • Clubs, Leagues, Associations support
    - Working with Managing Director in these areas
  • Programme Management:
    - Safe Hands Management System
  • Line management of:
    - Disability Development Officer
    - Community Coach and Competitions Officer

Karen SmithBusiness Operations Officer

Karen Smith

Karen is the primary administrative support for Wiltshire Cricket Limited.  She works alongside Pete Sykes and provides a high level of support and customer service. Karen joined the team in November 2015 from a background of working for Wiltshire Council for ten years as a Public Protection Officer where she provided administrative support, technical knowledge and mangement of service delivery to the Licensing, Pollution, Food and Health and Safety Services. 

Summary of responsibilities

  • Workforce Education Programme administration - organising and administering an appropriate education programme across coaching, umpiring, scoring and welfare
  • Winter Coaching Talent Pathway Programme administration 
  • Summer Performance Programme administration - fixtures, venues
  • HR support
  • Database management 
  • Safeguarding compliance
  • Finance work (Xero bank reconciliations, invoicing)

Tom MortonHead of Talent Pathway

Tom Morton

Having previously been the Wiltshire 1st XI and Wiltshire 2nd XI Head Coach, Tom was successfully recruited in to the full time position of Head of Talent Pathway in April 2021. Following a playing career with Wiltshire spanning 15 years, Tom brings a wealth of experience to the pathway.

Prior to this role, as well as his fantastic Minor Counties playing career, Tom has held roles including Director of Cricket at Ealing CC, coaching on the Middlesex and Hampshire pathways, working at Solent University as a Sports Development Officer and also running his own coaching company. 

Summary of responsibilities

  • Management and delivery of Wiltshire’s boys Emerging Player Programme
  • Oversight of the Wiltshire Cricket Talent Pathway Framework and Skills Framework
  • Wiltshire 1st XI and 2nd XI Head Coach
  • County Boys Under 18s Head Coach
  • Management of Boys and Girls Talent Pathway programmes, including programme design, coaching appointments and trial management
  • Key link with Talent Pathway partners; Gloucestershire Cricket

Thea HopkinsWomen and Girls Development Officer

Thea Hopkins

Thea joined the Wiltshire Cricket Development team in January 2024 as our Women and Girls Development Officer. Thea represents Royal Wootton Bassett Women's teams in a playing capacity, where she has captained, coached and supported the growth of the Women and Girls game. As a Core Coach, Thea has gained valuable coaching experience in a club environment and within the Wiltshire Girls Talent Pathway. In her previous employment, Thea developed extensive administrative and customer service skills, whilst also being a keen hockey player during the winter months.

Summary of responsibilities

  • Women and Girls Club Development
  • Women and Girls Competition Delivery and Support
  • Community Coaching on Girls School programmes
  • Girls Talent Pathway administrative support
  • Girls Talent Pathway coaching support

Aled EvansCommunity Coach / All Stars Champion

Aled Evans

As Community Coach Aled is responsible for being the main deliverer of our Chance to Shine priority work areas. This involves delivering sessions in schools in both curriculum and extra-curricular time.

As All Stars and Dynamos Champion, Aled is also our face of both programmes; delivering school promotional activity, Activator training and liaising with clubs. Aled is also responsible for developing school links with local clubs. During holiday time he leads on the Sloggerz holiday camps programme across the county in association with Wiltshire Council. 

Summary of responsibilities

  •     Chance to Shine Community Coach (delivering on current coaching priority areas)
  •     All Stars Cricket Champion (school delivery, Activator training, club support)
  •     Dynamos Cricket Champion (school delivery, Activator training, club support)
  •     Holiday camp management

Vickie HathwayCommunity Coach

Vickie Hathway

Having been a committed and long standing Chance to Shine Coach for Wiltshire Cricket, Vickie joined the team on a permanent basis in July 2022. This role sees Vickie contracted for 25 hours a week to deliver on Wiltshire Cricket school and community programmes, as well as holiday camp initiatives. Away from work Vickie is a committed cricketer in her own right, currently playing for Chippenham CC Women's teams

Summary of responsibilities

  • Chance to Shine Coach
  • School Competition support
  • Holiday camp support

Josh MayDisability Development Officer

Josh May

Josh joined the Wiltshire Cricket Development Team in May 2024 following the completion of his studies at Solent University where he completed a Degree in Sports Coaching. During his time at University, Josh worked for the Hamshire Cricket Board, delivering on their Wicketz programme. Josh also coaches on the Wiltshire Cricket Talent Pathway programme.

Summary of responsibilities

  • Management and delivery of our Lord's Taverners Disability programmes, including:
    • Super1s 
    • Table Cricket
    • SEND Delivery
  • Management and implementation of ECB Disability Champion Clubs initiative
  • Lead contact fot the development of the Disability Cricket pathway in Wiltshire

 

Ged MontgomeryHead of Sponsorship

Ged Montgomery

Ged works for the Cricket Board in the role of Head of Sponsorship. This role aims to promote the work that Wiltshire Cricket already does, with a view to attracting new supporters and partners. Through the increase of revenue from Ged's role, it enables Wiltshire Cricket to expand its reach and also improve the quality of the programmes we already deliver.