After a very successful inaugural year, the 2010/11 Graduation Programme was launched at Westpac Stadium on 10 June 2010. With word of mouth of the benefits achieved by participating in the programme spreading quickly after the programmes first year, the 2010/11 intake is double that of the intake in 2009/10. Twenty students have been selected to participate in the 2010/11 programme and all have high hopes for their cricket.

All but one of the 20 students selected for the 2010/2011 GP were present at the launch, with the overseas student from Sri Lanka joining the group from early July.

The programme’s specialised coaches, former BLACKCAPS opening batsman Matthew Bell and wicketkeeper Chris Nevin, as well as fellow Wellington Firebirds players Andrew Lamb and Mark Houghton, were all present. Current Firebirds captain Bell gave a presentation from the players’ perspective.

Also attending the launch were Cricket Wellington Chief Executive Gavin Larsen, WSC Manager Asoka Weerasundara, recently appointed Cricket Wellington High Performance Manager Robbie Kerr and Elite Player Coach and Wellington Blaze Coach Mark Borthwick, who each addressed the new students. Kerr gave a special introductory presentation. Ivan Tissera was also present at the ceremony with his team of coaches Sachintha Cooray and Chris Martin.

The New Zealand Institute of Sport will coordinate some of the academic component of the 2010/2011 Graduation Programme, and their National Academic Manager and former New Zealand track runner and Olympian Tony Rogers was in attendance.

Students selected for the second WSC Graduation Programme came through a thorough application process, including a written presentation of their cricket background, goals and ambitions and what they hoped to achieve from the programme, testimonials from their coaches and a skills test in late May.

Out of the 20 students selected for the 2010/11 programme one is from overseas (Sri Lanka), 16 from Wellington and three from Central Districts.