Launching this year in alignment with the excitement of the ICC Women’s T20 World Cup, the Academy represents a significant step forward in the club’s commitment to growing the women’s game and widening access to high-performance opportunities.
The Girls Hawks Academy has been developed to address the well-documented imbalance in access to elite cricket opportunities. Research has consistently shown that young people from lower socio-economic and minority ethnic backgrounds are under-represented in professional pathways - not due to a lack of talent, but a lack of opportunity.
The new Academy aims to change that.
Working closely with grassroots initiatives such as Chance to Shine and Lord's Taverners, the programme will create a seamless journey from school and community cricket into structured high-performance environments.
The Southampton-based Girls Hawks Academy will sit alongside existing player pathways and complement programmes, including the State Jets, providing a focused development environment for players identified through community engagement.
This programme reflects our unwavering commitment to increasing participation among girls and creating a unique pathway for those from disadvantaged communities. We want to raise aspirations, nurture talent and ensure greater representation at the highest levels of cricket.
Rod Bransgrove, Group Chairman
The Academy is built around four core pillars:
Inspiring a Love of the Game - School taster sessions, community festivals, and access to professional role models will introduce more girls to cricket in accessible and engaging ways.
Sustainable Participation - Free, year-round programmes for 5-19-year-olds will ensure cricket remains accessible, with strengthened links to local clubs and leadership opportunities embedded throughout.
Developing Potential - Selected players will enter the Hampshire Hawks City Academy (HHCA), receiving bespoke training programmes supported by elite specialist coaches in cricket, strength & conditioning, and sports psychology. Competitive summer fixtures will provide meaningful match exposure.
Achieving High Performance - The long-term ambition is clear: progression into full Academy programmes, ECB competitions, and ultimately professional contracts representing Hampshire and England.
The launch of the Girls Hawks Academy is a hugely important moment for us as a club. We know the talent exists across our urban communities - our role is to create the environment, support and belief that allows it to flourish. This programme strengthens our pathway, broadens access and ensures that talent, not background, determines how far a player can go.
Adam Carty, Regional Director of Women’s Cricket
The Girls Hawks Academy builds on the proven success of the Boys Hawks Academy model. Investment has already been made in facilities at Cantell School in Southampton, Brighton Hill School in Basingstoke, and Priory School in Portsmouth, with further expansion planned.
Dedicated oversight will be provided by Charlotte Taylor, employed by Hampshire Cricket to lead the Hawks City Academy programme, supported by specialist coaches and performance staff.
This Academy is about more than cricket. It’s about giving girls the confidence to walk into high-performance environments and feel that they belong. We’re creating a space where players can develop technically, physically and mentally, but also grow as people. If we can raise aspirations and open doors that previously felt closed, that’s when we’ll know we’ve succeeded.
Charlotte Taylor
More than just a performance pathway, the Academy is designed to develop life skills including confidence, resilience, leadership and teamwork - ensuring impact beyond the boundary.
By removing financial and structural barriers to elite training environments, Hampshire Cricket aims to build a more inclusive, diverse and representative future for the women’s game.
The Girls Hawks Academy launches in Southampton later this year, with ambitions to expand into Portsmouth and Basingstoke as part of a long-term county-wide strategy.
We’re extremely proud to continue with such a unique programme. We have great plans for the girls and want to recreate what we’ve done for the boys – if not more. Recognising the impact of social media, especially on young females, we want to help by using sport and community to boost self-esteem and confidence, by way of getting them involved. So excited for Charlotte and to see all that she does with this programme and carry forward the legacy of the World T20.
Harry Kutty, Headteacher – Cantell School
Hampshire Cricket has announced the launch of its pioneering Girls Hawks Academy, a new programme designed to bridge the gap between recreational and elite cricket for talented girls across the county.
Bangladesh, Ireland, The Netherlands, and Scotland have secured their spots in the ICC Women’s T20 World Cup 2026
Hampshire’s stars have been flying as England and South Africa began their Super 8s stage of the T20 World Cup with emphatic wins, whilst England Lions recorded a T20 series win against Pakistan A
