BOLTON’S traditional sport of rounders is currently undergoing one of the biggest changes in its 120-year history.

The Bolton Ladies Rounders League has gone into partnership with Bolton Council and Rounders England — the National Governing Body — to create structured coaching and development to safeguard the sport’s future.

In fact, the sport that started as “the mill girls’ tennis” could even be played by boys as well eventually!

Cash is being pumped into the flat-bat version of the sport, which currently involves more than 3,000 women and girls in Bolton, for the next three years. A Rounders’ Development Group has been set up, representing areas including the League, clubs, schools and the Council.

Five Level 2 coaches and 12 Level 1 coaches have been created and rounders’ coaching is now taking place in five local secondary schools — Bolton School, Thornleigh, Harper Green, St James’s and Rivington and Blackrod High in a 10-week programme.

Rounders has been made a Priority Sport, with clubs encouraged to take Bolton Clubmark accreditation, opening doors for funding and other privileges.

Three rounders’ clubs have already achieved Clubmark — Darcy Lever S & SC, Horwich Town and Hough Fold Ladies, with five more on the way.

“It’s a hugely exciting time for rounders, “ admitted Dave Jolly, vice-chairman of the Rounders League, chairman of the Bolton Sports Federation and one of the initiative’s main drivers.

“We have realised for some time that the best way forward for rounders here was to get coaching in schools and proper accreditation for clubs,” he explained. “When Rounders England approached us about helping, this was the ideal opportunity.”

The Development Group is also improving refereeing standards with a qualification, working with the University of Bolton to create a special programme.

“We are now getting inquiries from junior schools and want to get coaching there, too,” added Mr Jolly. “This means it is very likely at some stage there will be mixed teams, and then boys’ teams.”

Donna Vinten, Rounders England’s regional officer, said the National Governing Body wanted to support the sport in all its forms. She felt the Bolton initiative was “brilliant.”