21 Jun 2024Sport relies on volunteers who show up, week after week, for their community and love of the game. Cricket wouldn't be what it is without dedicated vollies. This week we got to know some of them from across the ND region. Please join us in thanking all those who give their time to cricket!
Joyce Parkes
Joyce Parkes is the parent of two keen cricketers in Tairāwhiti-Gisborne, and has been stuck in as a volunteer and their biggest fan.
She has been involved with her youngest son’s cricket from when he started at five years old. He’s now 13. “I soon found myself being a cricket coach, a manager, a support person, a kiosk, an uber driver and for the last 2-3 years, a scorer. I like to watch the game, so this is perfect for me” said Joyce.
Joyce is impressed with how the sport is growing and changing. “I’ve been fortunate to have been around different cricket levels now, from Introductory at the Harry Barker Reserve to Plunket Shield at Seddon, and I’ve noticed the positivity that’s being encouraged at all these levels is commendable.”
“Seeing the boys out there playing cricket, having fun and enjoying it at all different age levels” is the most rewarding part of the volunteer experience, Joyce says.
And looking to the future? “I would like to see more people playing and taking part, while keeping with the cool traditions and styles that cricket is. I would also love for our kids to be able to grow up and represent their province, during and when they leave school age level and especially senior level. To see the interest in this will keep the game moving forward here in Gisborne.”
Jonno Thomson
Jonno started playing cricket as a five-year-old and vividly remembers being outside for hours, bowling against a brick wall in his backyard. He played right through school and kept going for two years in Australia after finishing high school.
After starting a family of his own, Jonno stopped Saturday cricket – dedicating his weekends to the kids – but continued playing a Thursday night social competition. He’s captained the team for the last eight years.
“My kids are a little older now”, he says “and I want them to see how dedicated I am to sport, and my love of the game drew me into wanting to become an umpire. I started last year as a trial for myself, just to see if I'd enjoy it, and boy did I what!”
A testament to his hard work, commitment to learning and love for umpiring, Jonno was awarded ND’s Emerging Umpire of the Year prize for the 2023/24 season.
“Cricket has evolved rapidly over the last 10-15 years with new competitions and formats”, said Jonno, “making it more accessible and exciting to watch and get the young kids interested.”
Jonno is delighted that more women and girls are playing and that there is a clear pathway for them in the sport. “My niece played right through school and now my daughter is playing, and I get to coach her team and watch her improve and progress” he said.
And where does Jonno see the game heading next? “Looking forward, I think we are at a stage where there is enough cricket around the world and those pathways are clear for all kids and grown-ups to play any style they choose. I'm happy where the game is at, just need to make sure they keep TEST CRICKET for us cricket tragics!”
If you’re interested in becoming an umpire, official or scorer you can get in touch with Luan Kloppers, Regional Umpire Manager and Trainer – [email protected].
Becki Ross
Board member of Hamilton Cricket Association, Becki Ross, has been involved in Cricket for over 10 years, firstly as a mother on the sidelines watching Friday night cricket, and then moving into co-ordinating, managing and eventually having a go at coaching the girls’ teams at Southwell School.
“As Head of Sport and PE at Southwell, implementing the game of Cricket into our PE Curriculum has been a key focus to develop skills and create interest. I’ve also spent the last seven years involved in the girls’ pathway with the aim of growing a love of the game in a safe and fun space” says Becki.
Under her guidance, Southwell School has grown the girls’ game significantly – from no girls’ team and 1-2 players stuck in with the boys’ team, to having at least 40 girls across the age groups year on year giving it a go. “The teams attending Riverbend under the Seddon Cricket Club has been awesome” said Becki of the Southwell School girls’. “We have managed to create a great pathway for our girls from tasters to girls playing competitively. We have had the capacity to field three teams in the girls’ league over consecutive seasons and have something for everyone from non-competitive to those who aspire to develop their cricket further.”
What’s is the most rewarding part of being involved with cricket, we asked? “Seeing the player development and confidence grow over time and the real sense of team spirit and culture shine through. I refer to the girls’ environment as a ‘sisterhood’ – a safe space to give it a go whether you nail it or have an absolute doozy. Watching the players support one another positively is a huge feel-good vibe. It is super rewarding to see players continue playing as they move on to high school and beyond, knowing the first seed was planted at primary school.”
“I think it’s great there are now greater pathways for our females to make cricket a career. This is a progressive move forward.”
In terms of the future, Becki wants to see more schools actively involved. “I would love to see a surge in schools of skills-based cricket being taught and valued, growing our numbers of keen crickets across the junior, senior and female spaces.”
Vaughan Syers
Vaughan’s love of cricket started in New Zealand’s beige-wearing era of the eighties.
Playing cricket in Whangārei throughout school and into his early twenties, Vaughan’s love of the sport was reinvigorated years later when his two sons started playing for a local club. As most parents do, he was soon involved as a manager-coach-scorer-umpire. As his boys progressed through junior cricket into senior, Vaughan was able to dust off his own gear and join his boys on the field for a couple of seasons. A highlight being able to play with his boys in a Cobham Cricket Club v Seddon Cricket Club fixture on Kirikiriroa-Hamilton’s Seddon Park alongside Northland legends such as Dion Nash and Joey Yovich.
Off the field Vaughan was asked to take on the role of President of the Cobham Cricket Club – a Northland charity focused on fostering, promoting and nurturing youth cricket in Northland. Vaughan was a key member of the executive for several years. During this time, he was also asked to join the Northland Cricket Association Board where he took up the role of Chairman. During his time on the Board Vaughan was responsible for the revamp of the association’s constitution. On the back of this successful revision, he was approached by the Hamilton Cricket Association Board to overhaul their constitution. It is for this work that Vaughan was successfully nominated by the Hamilton Board for the Northern Districts Cricket Service to Cricket 2023-24 award.
In addition to his playing and administration roles Vaughan is also a Level 2 cricket coach, one of only a handful in Northland. He is currently the coach of Northland’s U19 Emerging Rangatahi Men’s cricket team. It is in coaching that Vaughan hopes his involvement in the sport will continue for many years to come.
For Vaughan the most rewarding part of being involved in cricket is seeing young players develop on and off the field. Cricket is a game of where resilience is crucial – a lesson that can be carried over into the real world.
While Vaughan is thankful to be recognised by Northern Districts, he acknowledges that he has been able to work alongside many hardworking individuals who volunteer their time due to their love of the game.
