By LIAM TWOMEY
THE St Albans Sports and Cricket Clubs kicked off another season of their All Abilities Cricket Program last weekend.
The two organisations set up the initiative with Brimbank Council to encourage members of the community with disabilities to become involved in cricket.
Sports club general manager Des Barnard said the club was looking forward to another successful season.
“We were talking to the people at the council and they were looking for somewhere to hold something for cricketers with all abilities,” he said.
“There was virtually no-one supplying that sort of thing and we were suggested as a contact after doing a fair bit of work with council in the community with trying to get some of the migrant youths involved in sport.
“So we started the Cricket For All Abilities Program and it started up again last Saturday morning.”
Barnard said the organisations would try to build on the success of last year’s program, which saw a number of participants continue to be involved at St Albans even when the coaching clinics finished.
“You could see within a few weeks, some of these guys who had been battling to even hit a ball, their co-ordination was improving and they were really having a ball. It allowed them to do something that they haven’t done before and it gave them a chance to get out in the fresh air.
“What we did last year was set the bowling machine up in the nets on the lowest possible speed. Some of the guys would go in the nets and have a hit.”
The program will run on Saturday mornings at the St Albans Sports Club.
For further inquiries or to register, contact Adam at the St Albans Sports Club on 9367 5956.
“What we did last year was bring the players from the cricket club down to the first few sessions and got them out there having a hit and a bowl with the people involved in the program,” Barnard said.
“We really wanted them to feel part of the club rather than being separate. That is the sort of thing we are hoping to continue to develop this year. We’d like to see some of the senior players continuing to be involved with the guys who are around the nets.”
