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The essential role of cricket volunteer initiative and innovation is to be acknowledged by the 2010 New Zealand Cricket Development Awards.
The work undertaken at cricket's grass roots by clubs, schools and individuals is at the core of these annual awards.
These awards, which have been going for three years, recognise excellence in the field of development across five categories. The categories experience during the 2009/10 season.
The Best Youth Cricket Initiative Award goes to a club or school for a cricket activity/initiative providing youth players with a quality cricket experience during the 2009/10 season.
The Best Club Cricket Initiative Award is awarded to a club showing excellence and commitment to developing the game and increasing participation through quality cricket programmes.
The Best Women’s Cricket Initiative Award recognises a club or school for a cricket activity providing female players with a quality cricket include – Best Junior Cricket Initiative, Best Youth Cricket Initiative, Best Club Cricket Initiative, Best Women’s Cricket Initiative and the Service to Cricket Award.
The award nominations opened this week and will be accepted until the 25th of March before being announced in April. The winners will receive their prize at the New Zealand Cricket Awards dinner later in the year.
New Zealand Cricket National Development Manager Mark Lane said these awards recognise those who contribute in outstanding ways at the grass roots level. “Volunteers are essential to the effective running of the game,” he said. “Every season many hundreds of people give their time up for the benefit of others, as well as sustaining and developing the game at the grassroots level.”
Lane said because there are a lot of quality initiatives and cricket activities happening all round the country, to choose just five award recipients is a difficult task. “We are asking the six Major Cricket Associations to pick one worthy candidate for each category. We are looking for initiatives which are outside the square and have helped develop the game in the community.”
The Best Junior Initiative Award recognises club or school for a cricket activity/initiative providing junior players with a quality cricket experience during the 2009/10 season.
The Service to Cricket Award recognises an individual who has made a significant contribution to grassroots cricket in their district / club over many years.
Last year’s winners included:
Best Club Cricket Initiative – Waitakere Cricket Club (Auckland)
Best Women’s Cricket Initiative – Halswell Cricket Club (Christchurch)
Best Youth Cricket Initiative – Merivale-Papanui Cricket Club (Christchurch)
Best Junior Cricket Initiative – Junior Cricket Upper Hutt (Wellington)
Service to Cricket Award – Tony Buckingham (Auckland)
