NEWLY appointed South East country cricket coordinator Brendan Murphy continues his campaign to promote cricket in the region.
Visiting schools around the South East, Murphy aims to build a solid foundation for the future of cricket through both the in2cricket and T20 Blast programs.
Attending Reidy Park Primary on Tuesday, along with several other schools, Murphy and his South Austraian Cricket
Association (SACA) team are doing the rounds this week.
“This is a school promotion program by SACA,” he said.
“We are in schools all week in the South East.
“I think it is a fantastic opportunity just to show the kids cricket.
“Hopefully they enjoy it and go home to mum or dad and say, hey I want to play cricket.”
Still in the early stages, Murphy said the overall goal for these programs will encourage more youngsters to take up cricket and help grow the sport.
Following the in2cricket program, the next step for aspiring cricketers will approach one of their local clubs.
“We are promoting the programs into schools to try and get the kids to go into their local clubs and play,” Murphy said.
“That’s all we want to do, we just want more kids playing cricket in the South East.”
With plenty of areas in the region getting on board, the sport could be in for a boost of popularity in the near future.
“We have a few in2cricket centres in the area,” Murphy said.
“We have them in Naracoorte, Millicent, Mount Gambier, Kingston – all over the region.
“Tintanara started last Wednesday – they were the first in2cricket program in South Australia.
“Naracoorte started yesterday and Millicent is starting October 30.
“We have programs everywhere – we want all the kids in the South East to play.
“And hopefully they progress on from junior cricket, because they are the future for us.”
Another aim Murphy has for the in2cricket program will include more rural schools who may not be able make the trips to Mount Gambier to play.
Allendale Primary is one such school, with it’s program to begin next week, while Tenison is another school which has committed.
“With Allendale we are really happy they are on board,” Murphy said.
“It’s just fantastic because it makes it more accessible for the kids.
“They do not have to come into Mount Gambier, they can just finish school and then play in2cricket.
“We really want to encourage more area schools to run these programs and I’ll come and support them.”
Murphy wants to raise awareness of the programs and the opportunities they can provide for young aspiring cricketers, in all regions of the South East.
“It’s not just in Mount Gambier,” he said.
“It’s in Millicent, Penola – we are everywhere this week promoting cricket.
“We really want the cricket world in the South East to know we care and we are promoting the game.
“We need to get the message out, they may not know we are doing this, but we are and we are doing it for cricket and to help them.”
Mount Gambier’s T20 Blast program will kick off next Wednesday at Malseed Park from 5pm to 6.30pm, while the in2cricket program will start next Thursday from 4.30pm to 5.30pm at Frew Park.
For those after more information about the programs or looking to start playing cricket, Murphy can be contacted on 0448 113 131 or bmurphy@SACA.com.au.
