Meet the Academy: Katie Rowe
Born: Taunton February 13th 2008.
Top order right-handed batter
Although there was cricket in her family, Katie Rowe came to cricket relatively late and didn’t start to play seriously until she was in Year 8 at King’s College Prep.
“I started to play after covid in Year 8 and I began with hard ball cricket then,” she explained. “Before, we played a bit of cricket with a soft ball sometimes instead of rounders. However, until I was 13 I’d never done any hard ball cricket, so I started quite late.
“My Dad played for the Somerset Age Groups up to 18s and then stopped. He played for Staplegrove and Spaxton, where I played a game with him.
“Then, when I was 13, we started to play some matches and shortly after that I joined Taunton Deane. I got put forward for Pathway trials when I was 13 but I didn’t get selected, so I went back and kept on playing.
“I used to bowl and bat but now I just bat. I like to be at the top of the order because I like to attack and hit the ball hard to the boundary. I did that at King’s and found I was good at it and enjoyed it.
“When I was 14, I got into Somerset Under 15s where I played for a year and then, when I was 15, I got into the Western Storm Emerging Player Programme and did that for a year. I then came into the Somerset EPP and stayed at the same level and this year I got asked to move up to the Academy, which was rewarding.
“It still feels new to me to be on the Academy and I’m not sure what to expect. I enjoy all the new experiences that there are on the Academy and all the people coming together.
“I love the atmosphere and the group of girls we are with are all so lovely and I’ve made some real friends here. It’s a really enjoyable setup to come into and feel a part of and you get the feeling that you can add to that, which is rewarding.”
Katie also talked about the 2025 season.
“Last season was very good for me and for King’s,” she said. “We won the National Plate competition in the 100-ball comp and I scored lots of runs and got my first century for the school against Blundells.
“I was the first girl at Kings ever to score a century. The adrenaline was just on overload and there was just so much to take in.
“For Somerset, I did struggle a little bit in the Academy games. Even though I wasn’t on the EPP I was asked to play in some county games. I could tell the step up in the level and struggled working out how to play the game, which is what I have been working on a lot and I’m getting there and finding my way.”
What is Katie hoping for in 2026?
“Lots of runs, hopefully! I’ve expressed how I want to play the game and how I want to go about doing that and I’ve got the support of the coaches. Attacking powerplays at the start of the game is what I want to do and how I want to play. I play the game aggressively, and tactically I am very aware. I’m a big presence on the field and pretty loud.
“My dream is to have a professional contract. The Hundred is something that aligns very much with with me and how I like to play, so to get into that competition is definitely up there. Having a professional contract and being here as my job to earn a living would be very enjoyable.”
Katie added: “Until last year, I’d never really thought about being a cricketer for a living, but being on the Academy does really give you that extra drive and make you think you could make it if you want it enough.”
