By ADEM SARICAOGLU
CRAIG Swan’s impact on the Hoppers Crossing Cricket Club and the wider junior cricket community in Melbourne’s West is second to none.
Not only has he coached numerous junior teams in his time at Hoppers, he is also actively involved with junior pathways programs and even found time to recently travel to Canberra as the assistant coach of the Australian Air Force team.
Swan, currently Hoppers Crossing’s under-17s coach, was one of 20 volunteers to be recognised for their tireless work during day three of the Boxing Day Test at Cricket Victoria’s annual volunteer recognition breakfast.
“It was out of the blue and a complete surprise and I think a lot of these volunteer recognition awards are pretty subjective,” Swan said.
“It’s humbling, part of the process is listening to some of the other volunteers and what they do, and the time some of these volunteers dedicate to get their cricket clubs up and running is just extraordinary.”
Swan, originally from the Gold Coast, spent 17 years in the Air Force before retiring in 2002.
“I got posted to Victoria Barracks in Melbourne, so I had to move my young family to Victoria,” Swan explained.
“We didn’t know anybody in Victoria; we had no relatives, no friends, and didn’t know anybody in Victoria at all, so they ended up putting me in a house here at Hoppers Crossing.”
However, through his son’s keen interest in football and cricket, Swan has since forged many friendships at Hoppers Crossing Cricket Club.
Club president Steve McNamara said Swan’s recognition was well-deserved.
“The club’s extremely proud of his achievements,” McNamara said.
“He’s a wonderful ambassador to the club and to his family as well. He’s an all-round lovely fella.”
McNamara said Swan’s influence on junior cricket had been particularly immense.
“It’s been a big impact and he’s brought a number of kids through our junior program,” he said.
“He’s coached from under-11s upwards, and so he’s seen a number of kids come through the program.
“As a player, he’s been a great mentor to the younger guys as well.
“He certainly has a capacity to speak to the younger guys as well as the capacity to encourage and fill them with confidence, so he’s been invaluable in that sort of role.”
Although Hoppers Crossing always remains close in his heart, Swan’s passion for junior cricket spreads well beyond his local club.
“I really don’t care what colour hats the kids wear, whether it’s the purple one for Altona or the blue one for Hoppers or black and yellow for Werribee, just as long as kids are playing cricket,” Swan said.
