Harlow - Sport and Leisure

Sport and Leisure

Harlow Rugby Football Club play their home games at Ram Gorse in the town. The first team plays in the London & South East Division II North East league.

Harlow has 4 cricket clubs.

Harlow Cricket Club traces its history back to 1774, and is thus one of the oldest cricket clubs in the country. The club plays league cricket in Division 1 of the Essex Shepherd Neame League, meaning it plays the highest standard of cricket of the clubs in Harlow, it is based at its Old Harlow ground of Marigolds. Harlow Cricket Club have had several former and current professional cricketers represent them in recent years, such as Wasim Jaffer (Mumbai and India) Abhishek Jhunjhunwala (Rajasthan Royals), Bhavin Thakkar (Mumbai) and Andy McGarry (Essex), along with minor counties cricketers such as Jason McNally (Hertfordshire). The cricket club runs a part subsidized Academy for the most talented 11-16 year olds at the club, which benefits from the guidance of several highly qualified ECB Level 3 coaches including Pete Williams (Former Manager of the Essex Indoor Cricket Centre at Chelmsford) and Mike Boyers (Former Youth Development Manager for Essex County Cricket Club), as well as gaining input from coaches such as Ian Pont (Former Bangladesh National Bowling Coach and Head Coach of Dhaka Gladiators). Harlow CC have over 20 qualified coaches that coach approximately 150 young players aged 6-16. The club has an ambitious outlook off of the field as well, and part of its short-term development plan is a brand new £750,000 pavilion which will offer an outstanding facility to be used by both the cricket club and the local community. Near neighbours Potter Street & Church Langley Cricket Club play in the Herts & Essex League. Netteswell & Burnt Mill Cricket Club dates back to 1889 and plays friendly cricket against local clubs.

Harlow Town Cricket Club was formed in 1960 as Stort Cricket Club and used the new Sportcentre ground but now plays at Ash Tree Field. The club now competes in Shepherad neame League and runs 5 league, 7 colts sides and 3 veterans teams making it the biggest cricket club in Harlow in terms of size. The Club is currently undergoing a major refit that they believe will make it the cricketing centre of Harlow.

The town's football team Harlow Town F.C. play in the Isthmian League Division One North. In October 2006 they moved into their new stadium at Barrows Farm, and their old ground at the Harlow Sportcentre has been demolished to make way for new housing facilities as part of the Gateway Scheme, which will also see a brand new sports centre complex built in the centre of the town, on the former Harlow College playing field.

The town was the site of the UK's first purpose-built sports centre, Harlow Sports Centre, in 1960. The building is due to be replaced on 1 July 2010 by the state-of-the-art Harlow Leisure Park, built near Harlow College as part of the Gateway Project. Harlows 'Leisurezone' opened on 23 June 2010, with new dry and wet sports facilities, including Tennis, gym, football, martial arts, swimming and UFC

There has recently been a new skatepark built in Harlow next to Burnt Mill School the project has been funded by investment of over £300,000, largely coming from Harlow Council with £57,500 coming from Sport England. The park also has many security features such as 24/7 CCTV coverage, and is floodlit at night. The 650sq metre park is made entirely from concrete, and has a bowl as well as a street course which contains quarter pipes, flat banks, rails and steps. It is suitable for people of all ages as well as skateboards, inline skates, scooters and BMXs.

Harlow can also lay claim to the 2010 Bowls England Singles Champion when Harlow resident Steve Mitchinson won the final against Scott Edwards from Sussex.