Leah Jones’ cricket career started in the backyard with her dad but it wasn’t before long that she was excelling on the field. She made the senior Western Province Women’s cricket team at just 14-years-old and has not looked back. Jones has moved up the cricket ranks and it’s not hard to see why she has been deemed a ‘player to watch’.
She is the Western Province Women’s cricket captain and has played at an international level for the Emerging Proteas Women’s side too. Also worth mentioning Jones is known to hit the books after a long day of training as she is also studying Law at the University of the Western Cape.
With all that is going on around the 22-year-old, she has come to realise that she needs to be aware of what she is doing and how she is performing to build a brand that is attractive to sponsors. By the looks of it Jones is well aware of what needs to be done to ensure she gets the backing she needs.
The cricketer from Mitchell’s Plain in Cape Town has shared that being able to be the best she can be in all facets is what will get her noticed.
“I’ve learned that building my brand is important because, at the end of the day, you need to put yourself out there for people to want you.”
Western Province Women’s cricket captain, Leah Jones
Jones says that it’s wonderful to see that sponsors are putting their money where their mouth is when it comes to women’s cricket and backing them in ways they haven’t done in the past. Their endorsement has been more than just a financial benefit as she feels it also gives the players a sense of worth.
“It’s been great for the women’s game, it shows that big-name companies are starting to see that investing in women’s cricket is a brilliant idea because of how much the women’s game has grown so far. It also makes us feel we are worth much more than we think because people want to invest in us and our game.”
gsport Founder Kass Naidoo held a masterclass with the Western Province Women’s Cricket team and Jones says there were some gems of wisdom that she picked up on and is now putting into place as well as using it as a means to get more sponsors on board.
“It taught me to put myself out there more. Kass reminded us that our stories are important for our brand. She also told us that for brands to sponsor us, sometimes we have to get out of that comfort zone of waiting for people to come to us and just go out there and get things for ourselves sometimes too, or at least try to.”
Jones shared that as a young player garnering a sponsor sometimes can be a difficult task. She has taken the reigns as captain at WP Women’s cricket for a third season in a row but has shared that it is international experience that sponsors are looking for.
“It’s quite difficult because a lot of people don’t actually know who you are until you’ve played international cricket.”
Her advice to young players who are looking to get their first sponsorship is to make sure you perform and take all the opportunities available to you. It’s important to make sure that you do not turn events down as this could aid you in finally getting the endorsement you are looking for.
“I think it would just be to give your everything in your training so that your performances can tell your story. When there are opportunities to do interviews and any media days for example, take the opportunity and do it because you never know when such an opportunity might come again.”
Jone has big dreams for herself not just on the cricket field but off it as well. She hopes to use the sports she loves to give back to children who are in need.
“I would love to play for my country one day. My other is dream is that I want to start a foundation that allows me to use cricket as a vehicle to take kids off the street and put them into schools.”
Main Photo Caption: Leah Jones is heading into her third season as the captain of the Western Province Women’s cricket team. With the team since she was 14 years old, Jones has gained insights into to what it takes to secure sponsorship as a female cricketer. All Photos: Supplied
Photo 2 Caption: Jones’ cricket career started in the backyard with her dad but it wasn’t before long that she was excelling on the field.
Photo 3 Caption: She made the senior Western Province Women’s cricket team at 14, and has not looked back since.
Photo 4 Caption: Jones has moved up the cricket ranks and it’s not hard to see why she has been deemed a ‘Player to Watch’.
Photo 5 Caption: Securing a sponsor is one of the toughest tasks for a sportswoman but WP Women’s cricket captain Leah Jones has some tips as to just what you can do if you are looking to ‘secure the bag’. All Photos: Supplied