NZCT Hooked on Cricket
With the first class season starting earlier this summer, as well as New Zealand A matches and the Champions League it meant that a number of players had unavoidable commitments during the traditional period for the Hooked on Cricket tournaments. However, the positive effect the programme has on cricket for kids in these schools over the past seven years meant everyone needed to be more flexible this year.
Hooked on Cricket is remarkable in that it reaches over 1400 children throughout New Zealand, it continues to be popular with participants and the schools give us feedback that without the programme they simply would not have kids thinking about cricket, let alone playing it. So, as we entered the eighth year it is evident that we are having a positive effect on these kids and their aspiration to play cricket and other sports.
Heading the programme this year was former Blackcap and Central Stags player Ewen Thompson, who is responsible for maintaining and enhancing the programme that Kerry Walmsley has so successfully established on behalf of the players. Ewen is a skilled coach who has not only brought a new range of skills to Hooked on Cricket but has also been able to glean some of its success into his other coaching work in Horowhenua-Kapati and beyond.
Hooked on Cricket's objective is to assist kids from non-traditional schools and communities to learn about cricket and to help remove some of the barriers to participation. This is where the Hooked on Cricket scholarship system is so important. Hooked on Cricket scholarships vary in type, scale and size but all have the ultimate objective assisting children to play cricket as part of a regular team or regular competition. Without the simple scholarships most of these skilled young cricketers, through no fault of their own, would not be able to play cricket.
Tournament Results
Waitara NZCT Championship Winners - Marfell Community School (Team Coach - Carl Cachopa)
NZCT Plate Winners - Puketapu School (Team Coach - Ben Smith)
Rotorua NZCT Championship Winners - Selwyn School (James Baker)
NZCT Plate Winners - Sunset Primary School (Anton Devcich)
Porirua NZCT Championship Winners - Russell School (Scott Kuggeleijn)
NZCT Plate Winners - Maraeroa School (Harry Boam)
South Auckland NZCT Championship Winners - Holy Cross School (Reece Young)
NZCT Plate Winners - Bairds Mainfreight (Dean Bartlett)
Christchurch NZCT Championship Winners - Bromley School (Matt McEwan)
NZCT Plate Winners - Aranui Primary School (Ryan McCone)
South Dunedin NZCT Championship Winners - Port Chalmers Primary (Derek de Boorder)
NZCT Plate Winners - Concord Primary (Hamish Ruhterford)
There are many people and organisations to recognise for helping with Hooked on Cricket, but in particular we thank the Players, which if it not for their commitment and support the programme would not exist.
We are also grateful to the support and funding we have received from NZCT. Quite simply without it, 1400 kids throughout the country would miss this opportunity to spark and maintain a passion for cricket.
Then there are the schools, whose enthusiasm and feedback drives us to improve the programme each year. Lastly, we must mention the Major Association coaches and management who continue to see the value of the programme for the players and work with the NZCPA to fit into their pre-season schedules.
This is what School staff have to say about Hooked on Cricket
"Hooked on Cricket has a fantastic impact on a different group of children from your 'normal' cricket families". "Through the Hooked on Cricket scholarship offered by NZCPA we have had one particular boy who has joined our team over the last two seasons. He now holds his head up and his Nana has even become our scorer"."The NZCPA is doing a great job in giving opportunities to our kids"
