Ex-Kent seamer Charlie Hartley has written a series of children’s books focusing on the valuable lessons that can be taught and learned from the world of sports.
Lessons from the Field is a series written to help teach children the values of sport. Each of the stories follows a young athlete navigating a personal challenge involved with their chosen sport and sees them learn an important lesson along the way.
The themes tackled include the power of teamwork, overcoming fear of failure, staying calm under pressure, learning from mistakes, balancing fun with competition, inclusivity, kindness, respect for opponents, and more, with the books predominantly aimed at children between the ages of five and 10.
Each chapter centres around a relatable sporting moment and is followed by a "What Did We Learn?" section, which encourages discussion between children, their parents, their teachers and their coaches.
Hartley, who made 11 first team appearances for Kent between 2014 and 2017, including taking 4-80 against the touring West Indians at Canterbury, has written a book in the series specific to cricket, Cricket - Lessons From The Field, which features 10 cricket stories that demonstrate how the game helps children develop patience, confidence, teamwork and resilience.
“Every second I’ve spent playing sport, I’ve learnt lessons that have helped build me to who I am today,” Hartley told The Cricket Paper. “I wanted to connect kids with sport through storytelling and the life lessons that we learn as well.
“The reviews I’ve had from parents already have been really heartwarming. I got a message the other day from a parent whose kid got out and he was really upset. He got home and my book was there. He read it cover to cover that night and it really helped him. That’s the huge impact I think storytelling has. I’m trying to get the book out there to inspire more people.”
Hartley has partnered with the Sussex Cricket Foundation, donating 20% of each sale to them, to help support their work in increasing access to cricket and providing opportunities for young people across Sussex.
On the partnership, he said: “I am delighted to be partnering with Sussex Cricket Foundation to help bring those lessons to more young people across Sussex through the power of reading and sport. We hope families enjoy the book and, through their support, help the Foundation continue its fantastic work in schools and communities across the county.”
Gary Wallis-Tayler, Director of the Sussex Cricket Foundation added: “I am delighted to partner with Lessons from the Field and promote their book to our schools across Sussex. The book will help educate children on the power of sport and help with children’s personal development.
“The funding reimbursed to the Foundation will help support our ambitious plans to transform state school cricket in Sussex and help provide more opportunities for children to access the game.”
The book originally costs at £14.99, but Sussex Cricket Foundation supporters can receive a 10% discount by using the code SUSSEX10 when purchasing it through their specific dedicatedpartnership page (https://www.lessonsfromthefield.co.uk/sussexcricket).
