Talented Sporting Youngsters Feature - Maddie Potter

Maddie is already an excellent cricketing all-rounder

At 15 years of age Maddie Potter is already an experienced cricketer who is the only female regularly playing in the Pembroke County Cricket League for the Neyland third team, his already claimed a place in the Pembrokeshire Ladies’ team which is playing in the Welsh Premier League, as well as playing cricket for Hook in a very strong ladies’ team that is one of the favourites to take silverware this campaign.

And it is small wonder that she loves the game so passionately because her father Danny skippered Haverfordwest in a hugely successful time when they were the top team in the county and she was taken by mum Pamela to watch - and she played with a soft ball with other children there and soon showed her promise with bat and ball.


 

Family matters and other sports

Danny was captain of that team for seven seasons and now he and Pamela spend a lot of time watching their children play sport from their home in Neyland because as well Maddie’s cricket, her sister Mya (11) is goal keeper for Milford Haven Ladies Hockey Under 12 team and their brother Fletcher (8) plays football for Swansea City Football Academy, as well as playing cricket for Neyland under 9, 11 and 13’s

Outside of her cricket, Maddie is also a very useful striker in hockey at Milford Haven Comprehensive School, where she is deputy head girl, who recently became Dyfed Champions. She also plays for Milford Haven Ladies second team, which will mean plenty of travel up and down the M4 corridor, plus their under 16s once they restart.

Already tasted success in a range of competitions

But it is cricket that takes up the bulk of her spare time after starting out in the Haverfordwest mixed-sex team from under 9s to under 11s as a left-arm bowler and right-handed bat - and had a 5 for 12 haul when she played at Pembroke in an under 15s’ game, which came when she switched to Neyland, where she has already taken four wickets in an innings for the third team as proof of her development.

She opens the bowling for that team on a regular basis and also plays ladies’ cricket where, after two years with Neyland she has joined Hook and already made an impact indoors as she helped them to silverware playing alongside Kacey Arran, Jemma Phillips, Katie Farr, Tia Williams, Chloe Lewis and Sam Rossiter, who has also been a help for Maddie whilst playing in the much tougher Welsh Premier League.

Tough at the top but always ready to learn

Pembrokeshire started out in the Welsh Premier last campaign and Maddie would admit how tough it was because they are playing against internationals like New Zealander Rachel Priest and a whole host of Welsh internationals across the age groups - but she shows real maturity when she says a real bonus for her is learning so much from the likes of bowlers Emilia Wilson, Ffion Ashman and Maisy Davies.

She is also full of praise for coaches like Simon Williams, Carl Holding and Ross Hardy, whose one-on-one sessions have been a great help.

She has also been with Ava Midgley in the West Wales’ team and also invited to attend a Welsh trial, but with so much work for school, decided that had to come first.

And it is that mature approach and willingness to learn from others that marks Maddie Potter out as a great prospect, and allied to her naturally high skill levels means she has every chance to progress further - and we at PembrokeshireSport.co.uk can only wish her every success because she is a great advert for ladies’ cricket in our county - and we will watch her future involvement with great interest because she is a credit to her family, clubs and county!