This season the New Zealand Cricket Development awards will again take place to recognise the excellent contributions that schools and clubs as well as volunteers, coaches, teachers and club personnel make towards the development of cricket. There will be five awards up for grabs.
The five categories are:
• Best Junior Cricket Initiative
Awarded to a club or school for a cricket activity/initiative such as school programmes/junior competitions/junior clinics etc, providing junior players with a quality cricket experience during the season.
• Best Youth Cricket Initiative
Awarded to a club or school for a cricket activity/initiative such as school programmes/youth competitions/clinics etc, providing youth players with a quality cricket experience during the season.
• Best Club Cricket Initiative
Awarded to a club showing excellence and commitment to developing the game and increasing participation through quality cricket programmes.
• Best Women’s Cricket Initiative
Awarded to a club or school for a cricket activity providing female players with a quality cricket experience during the season.
• Service to Cricket Award
Awarded to an individual who has made a significant contribution to grassroots cricket in their district / club over many years.
Previous Winners
2011 winners:
Each Major Association made a nomination for each of the five categories.
The final winners are:
Best Club Cricket Initiative – Papatoetoe Cricket Club (Auckland)
Best Women’s Cricket initiative - Parnell Cricket Club (Auckland)
Best Youth Cricket Initiative - Ellesmere College (Canterbury)
Best Junior Cricket Initiative - Marist Harewood Cricket Club (Canterbury)
Service to Cricket Award - Peter Earl (Weedons Cricket Club)
Best Club Cricket Initiative
Sportsville Project
The Papatoetoe region of Auckland has long been identified as a real growth area for the game and the creation of this marvellous dacility is but the first step in a committment by the local club to do just that.
The Papatoetoe Sports and Community Charitable Trust is the $10.2M+ brainchild and dream of three dedicated men with the foresight determination and know how to see this through from when it started as just 'a good idea' over 10 years ago. Mr Rick Childs of Hockey and Messer's Gary Troup and Noel Burnside both life members and stalwarts of Papatoetoe Cricket have seen this through with representatives from all clubs to it grand opening this year.
Best Women’s Cricket initiative
Promotion and Development of Girls Cricket
Womens cricket has been a real target of growth for Auckland as a Major Association and Parnell Cricket Club this year showed a real focus on this area and recieved the just rewards in terms of numbers of girls playing cricket and recognition in the form of this award.
In 2008/09 Parnell Cricket Club formed its first girl's cricket team (U12 softball) for some years. The following year this grew to two teams (one softball and one hardball) and then to five teams (two hardball and three softball) in the 2010/11 season. Parents feedback is that a number of girls wouldn't have played in mixed teams, so it is great to engage girls that would otherwise be lost to cricket.
Best Youth Cricket Initiative
Ellesmere College developed a programme that was aligned to the Non-Participative Youth Fund (youth playing in one or less organised sports). They felt that traditional forms of cricket can quite often not suit what the average teenager is looking for. So changes needed to be made to ensure that youth are provided with a product that suits their needs. They created a game that was based around a modified form of cricket, that is: fast-paced, fun and engaging for the participants. The game involves a range of different cricketing skills and some skills from other sports, which ensures that a wide variety of skill development is taking place as well as keeping the participants fully engaged.
Best Junior Cricket Initiative
Following the tragic February 22nd earthquake in Canterbury, due to various reasons the formal Christchurch Cricket season was cancelled.
Clubs were advised that as they were in a position to be able to host a few informal games they could do so. Steve at Marist Harewood did an excellent job in not only involving players from the Marist Harewood club, but inviting cricketers from East Shirley, Parklands and New Brighton clubs to take part in a three week cricket festival. All pitches were prepared, marked and rolled by the club to a high level and the gear provided.
Players from KIWI Cricket through to Yr 8 hardball, boys and girls were all catered for, which enabled 20 teams of cricketers to finish their season in a positive manner. Steve arranged through the local Pak N Save Supermarket for a free sausage sizzle for all players/coaches/parents plus complimentary drinks. He also arranged for numerous members of Marist Harewood senior side to assist and for Canterbury Wizards to attend to talk with and mix with the children.
Service to Cricket Award
Pete has been involved as a volunteer in the Weedons Cricket Club since 1997. Since Pete began his involvement in the Weedons Cricket Club they have experienced significant amounts of growth. The club initially only had 2 junior teams. The Weedons Cricket club in the recently completed season boasts:
12 junior teams
1 youth side
3 Senior B sides
1 senior A team
100 players in the NZC “HAG” programme
Pete has fulfilled many roles within the Weedons club since he first became involved in 1997.
Coach, Milo Have-A-Go coordinator, A Committee Member & Junior Club Captain. Pete has coached different teams that his 3 sons have been involved in since 1997 up till the season just gone. He is extremely well respected by other coaches, parents & the players that have had the pleasure of being coached by him. He has a NZC Level 2 Coaching Qualification and has a wealth of coaching knowledge and experience that he has picked up over the years.
The five winners of the development awards as well as the recipient of the Sir Jack Newman award (to be announced later this year), will be invited to attend New Zealand Cricket’s annual awards dinner in Auckland at the start of the 2010/11 season.
2010 winners:
Each Major Association made a nomination for each of the five categories. The final winners are:
Best Club Cricket Initiative – Howick Pakuranga Cricket Club (Auckland)
Best Club Cricket Initiative
A Howick Pakuranga Cricket Club thought outside the oval and swapped the grass for an ice rink. The club organised New Zealand’s first ever Indoor Ice Cricket Match, which included support of Heart Children New Zealand. Howick Pakuranga Cricket Club members as well as current and former BLACKCAPS made up the teams, including; Shane Bond, Tim Southee, Dion Nash, Sir Richard Hadlee and Andy McKay in a 10 over a side match. The event was organised by 150 community volunteers and 800 members of the local community packed into Paradise Ice Rink in support of the unique cricketing event in the promotion of our national summer game. $17,000 was raised towards Heart Children New Zealand from the event from a post match dinner on ice for 200 people and an auction.
Best Women’s Cricket initiative
Grafton United Cricket Club in Auckland has won award for running a 4 week Women’s Quick Six module. The programme was designed to encourage non-cricketers to try out the sport in a social and friendly environment and provide basic coaching of fundamental skills. The module has established a keen group of women cricketers who have already established an interest in continuing to play. Grafton United hope to make this 6 team competition an even larger one in 2010/11.
Best Youth Cricket Initiative
Through the dedication of a number of parents, Dunedin’s John McGlashan College created a cricket academy for approximately 40 players to win the Best Youth Cricket Initiative. The parents were able to source funding so that the players could receive pre-season and in season coaching by various Otago Cricket coaches. A result of this academy also saw a significant increase in teams at the College along with some great on field successes including representing Otago at both the NZCT Junior Boys and Gillette Cup national finals tournaments.
Best Junior Cricket Initiative
Te Kowhai School in Hamilton wins the Best Junior Cricket initiative after getting cricket up and running at the school in 2009/10. The success of the initiative can be put down to the dedication and passion of parent and board of trustee member Garth Mihaka. Garth has taken this country school from having no teams to now having 7. He has also established 2 girls’ teams in a city that has struggled to get two teams in total. This has happened almost totally through his dedication and enthusiasm for the kids and the game. What is most remarkable is that Garth is confined to a wheelchair, not that he sees this as a disability.
Service to Cricket Award
Peter Bennett wins the Service to Cricket award after years of service to cricket in the Waikato Valley. Since 1958 Peter has undertaken many voluntary roles within Waikato Valley. His roles have included; coaching and managing teams, secretary, treasurer, and president at a number of cricket associations, as well as managing grounds. Peter began preparing wickets as a fourth former at Morrinsville College in 1958. After returning several years later he took up wicket preparations again and has continued as the Morrinsville groundsman ever since. Peter has also been responsible for the fundraising and installation of thirteen artificial cricket pitches to provide better facilities for junior players. The value of Peter’s contributions cannot be measured. He has made a huge difference to an enormous number of young cricketers and their families. Peter has also been recognised with life memberships at Tatuanui Cricket Club, Morrinsville Cricket Association and Waikato Valley Cricket Association.
The five winners of the development awards as well as the recipient of the Sir Jack Newman award (to be announced later this year), will be invited to attend New Zealand Cricket’s annual awards dinner in Auckland at the start of the 2010/11 season.
2009 winners:
Best Club Cricket Initiative:
Waitakere Cricket Club hosted people of all abilities at an ‘Adapted Cricket Open Day’. The club provided coaching in MILO Cricket for those with physical and intellectual impairments. Many of the players had never held a cricket bat before and were able to learn some new skills. Some 45 disabled people, along with their supporters, attended.
The club also enlisted the support of the Blind Cricket Association, who showcased their sport and assisted others with impairments to give it a go. Participants also had an opportunity to play table cricket, a new initiative recently established in Waitakere, which allows players with significant impairments to play a table-top version of cricket.
Best Women’s Cricket Initiative:
Halswell Cricket Club won the Best Women’s Cricket Initiative for their commitment to increasing the number of girls playing the game. In a short space of time they have gone from having two girls playing to having two teams participating in the Christchurch competition.
Halswell has also developed a number of Canterbury representative girl’s players and played a major part in initiating the successful girls-only holiday programme involving 32 girls across Christchurch.
Best Youth Cricket Initiative:
Merivale-Papanui Cricket Club formed a partnership with a local secondary school, Papanui High School, to develop a cricket programme for youth cricketers in the North-West of Christchurch. Merivale-Papanui had a thriving junior programme, but this stopped after the children went off to secondary school, with a lot of them giving up the game. The result of this new partnership has been the establishment of three youth cricket teams and a new, vibrant cricket environment for youth in the North-West of Christchurch.
Best Junior Cricket Initiative:
Junior Cricket Upper Hutt won the Best Junior Cricket Initiative for their club-only 6-a-side tournament. The club wanted an opportunity for their teams to meet and play cricket with each other. 120 players from the club turned up – around 40 percent of the club’s membership. On the day, players are randomly selected into teams depending on their grade so they are making friends outside of their usual team mates.
Service to Cricket Award:
Tony Buckingham won the Service to Cricket award after years of service to cricket on the North Shore of Auckland. Since 1993 Tony has undertaken many voluntary roles within North Shore Cricket Club, Westlake Boys’ High School, and North Harbour Junior Cricket. His roles include; coaching and managing teams, committee member, convenor, umpiring, scoring, fundraising, grounds manager, funding applications, gear coordinator and event coordinator.
2008 winners.
Please note that the categories have changed slightly from previous seasons.
Best Club Cricket Initiative – Bryan Scott (Hinuera Cricket Club, Matamata)
Bryan Scott helped lead a resurgence of Club Cricket in Matamata after it went into a recession in the mid 1990s. The transformation they have achieved is a fantastic example of doing simple things well. Local Cricket is now thriving, and they have established a pathway for young players coming through in Matamata.
Best Women’s Cricket Initiative – Peter Hensman (Havelock North)
Peter Hensman won the Best Women’s Cricket Initiative after 7 years of coaching girl’s cricket in Havelock North. Peter has coached the girls to win the MILO Shield in 2002 and joint winners of the New Zealand Community Trust Secondary School Girl’s tournament in 2007. Peter has also been instrumental in fundraising for women’s cricket in the Hawkes Bay.
Best Youth Cricket Initiative – David Ferguson (Westlake Boys’ High School
David Ferguson from Westlake Boys’ High School pioneered a very successful Twenty20 Secondary Schools Tournament in January 2008. The tournament involved six teams from the upper North Island and Australia. The festival was said to be very successful, by the players involved and Westlake intend to hold the same tournament each season.
Best Junior Cricket Initiative – Peter Burke (Burnside West University Cricket Club)
Peter Burke won the Best Junior Cricket Initiative after years of service to the Burnside West University Cricket Club in Christchurch. Ten years ago Peter started Burnside-West’s Friday night junior programmes that drew over 250 kids to Burnside Park. This has since been a nursery for over 2000 cricketers, many of who now play adult cricket. Peter continues to run the MILO Have-A-Go Cricket Programme.
Service to Cricket Award – Bob Pratt (Westport)
For many years Bob Pratt has been a stalwart of Buller Cricket and he continues to be the backbone of the district. He wins the Service to Cricket award, due to his enthusiasm for the game and his willingness to do whatever is required and more. Bob works within senior cricket right down to the MILO programmes in Buller. He prepares grounds and maintains pitches on a weekly basis, as well as countless other tasks. Without Bob’s many years of service Buller Cricket would not be in the sound state in which it is today.