Maths, English, science…cricket

Melbourne Renegades captain Will Sutherland and Lara Secondary College students at Wednesday's announcement. (supplied)

Lara Secondary College has joined with Cricket Victoria to include cricket as part of the school’s curriculum.

Commencing next year the program is a first-of-its-kind initiative for cricket in Victoria, offering students the unique opportunity to integrate cricket into their secondary school educational journey.

The Cricket Academy at Lara Secondary College will use the Academy Movement educational model in partnership with resourcing provided by Cricket Victoria.

Lara SC students were paid a visit by Melbourne Renegades captain Will Sutherland on Wednesday and school principal Luke Skewes was excited about the initiative.

“At Lara Secondary College we are incredibly proud to be partnering with Cricket Victoria and Academy Movement to provide a Cricket Academy that will allow students to access high level coaching while receiving a first-class education,” he said

“We look forward to providing our students the opportunity to engage in their passion for cricket within the curriculum, while opening positive pathways for them to pursue.”

Cricket Victoria CEO Nick Cummins welcomed the new program.

“We’re excited to see cricket come into the classroom and see the new cricket academy evolve at Lara Secondary College,” he said.

“The broader Geelong region is a significant growth area for Victorian cricket. We have surging participation, strong clubs and opportunities like this allow us to connect students to cricket at a critical point in their lives – at school.

“I’d like to thank Lara Secondary College for their desire to have cricket complement their curriculum and to our partners at Academy Movement for their work in making the day-to-day operations a reality in 2025.”

Lara SC students will engage in a curriculum where cricket is not only a sport but a subject of study, combining practical skills with academic knowledge.