LEONGATHA & District Cricket Association’s recent presentation night provided an opportunity to reflect on a successful season that included the LDCA being named Cricket Association of the Year last month by Cricket Victoria.
That announcement was made during Cricket Victoria’s Community Cricket Awards at Victorian cricket’s Junction Oval home.
LDCA president John Schelling explained why the organisation nominated itself to be considered for the honour.
“We thought we’d done a good job of getting the female cricket (competition) up and going, along with Under 11s,” Schelling said, adding there has been a lot of work done over the past two or three years to take the LDCA to the next level.
Schelling acknowledged the support of Cricket Victoria’s Peter Ciavarella.
“He’s been working hard with us to make sure all this stuff comes to fruition,” the LDCA president said.
He noted that being named Cricket Association of the Year was reward for all the people involved, including junior coordinator Scott Checkley, and the team that’s running LDCA’s female cricket program comprising representatives of the clubs and the Head of Women’s Cricket Jess Bohn.
Bohn, who plays Premier cricket for Dandenong, received her own acknowledgement at the Community Cricket Awards, picking up the ‘Young Leader of the Year Award’.
Those at the LDCA won’t be resting on their laurels, with president Schelling already looking forward to further improvements next season.
A more competitive women’s competition is one change he anticipates.
“It’s been reasonably social the last couple of years,” Schelling said of the establishment period for women’s cricket locally.
Participating in Gippsland Cricket League competition is on the agenda.
Further strengthening the LDCA’s junior program is another aim, particularly bringing kids through from the Under 15s to the Under 17s, following a bit of a drop off in those taking that step.
It is hoped by boosting numbers moving into the Under 17 ranks there will be a flow on benefit to senior competition.
