Cricket NSW Announces 2025 Community Cricket Award Winners
celebrating Community Cricket Champions in NSW
Table of Contents
- celebrating Community Cricket Champions in NSW
- Celebrating Community Cricket Champions in NSW: A Q&A Guide
- What are the Cricket NSW Community Cricket Awards?
- Who were some of the prominent individual award winners in 2025?
- What categories are included in the Cricket NSW Community Cricket awards?
- Who won the Woolworths Cricket Blast Coordinator of the Year award?
- Who was named Community Cricket Coach of the Year?
- What initiative won the Junior Initiative of the Year award?
- Which facility was recognized as the Indoor Sports Facility of the Year?
- Who received the Celebrating Cricket in Schools Award?
- who was awarded Community Match Official of the Year?
- What are some other notable winners from the 2025 awards?
- How many nominations did Cricket NSW receive for the 2025 Community Cricket Awards?
- What is the next step for the NSW award winners?
Cricket NSW recently honored outstanding contributions to the sport at the annual Community Cricket Awards. The awards recognized individuals, clubs, and initiatives that have substantially impacted cricket at the grassroots level.
Individual Achievements Highlighted
this year, the spotlight shone brightly on two remarkable women. Cynthia Rouse, from eastern Suburbs CC, was named volunteer of the Year for her dedication and commitment. Alyssa Wharton, representing Newcastle City and Eastern Districts CC, received the Young Leader of the Year award at just 21, acknowledging her remarkable list of accomplishments.
Recognizing Excellence Across Various Categories
The awards spanned a range of categories, celebrating contributions from coaches to facility managers.Here are some of the notable winners:
- Woolworths Cricket Blast Coordinator of the Year: Shane Wilson of the kiama Cavaliers Cricket Club (CC). wilson revitalized Cricket Blast at his club by “creating a fun, themed environment on Friday nights that is a great hit with children and parents alike.”
- Coach of the Year: Dave Neil, who coaches several teams in Orange CYMS CC. Neil lives by “the mantra of making people better through cricket” and even started a programme in Molong to provide opportunities for children to play.
- Junior Initiative of the Year: Warringah Cricket Club, for organizing a unique Gala Day. The event, held at weldon Oval, Frank Grey, and Mike Pawley Oval, featured “a carnival-style atmosphere with ‘hit the sign’ prizes, a BBQ lunch for all participants, and a vibrant, inclusive environment.”
- Indoor Sports Facility of the Year: Charmhaven Indoor Sports, led by Mark leard. The center has become “a cornerstone of cricket development for the northern end of the Central Coast,” providing free facilities for clubs’ pre-season training.
- celebrating cricket in Schools Award: Mark Gardner of Matthew Pearce Public School.
- Community Match Official of the Year: Ken Bakon of Parramatta District Cricket Umpires’ Association.
Full List of 2025 Cricket NSW Community Cricket Awards
HereS a complete list of all the winners:
| Category | Winner |
|---|---|
| Volunteer of the Year | Cynthia Rouse (Eastern Suburbs Juniors Cricket Club) |
| Community Club of the Year | Thornleigh Cricket Club |
| Community Cricket Association of the Year | Nepean District Cricket Association |
| Young leader of the Year | Alyssa Wharton (Newcastle City & Eastern Districts Cricket Club) |
| Cricket Blast Coordinator of the Year | Shane Wilson (Kiama Cavillers Cricket Club) |
| Community Cricket Coach of the Year | Dave Neil (Orange CYMS Cricket Club) |
| Celebrating Cricket in Schools | Mark Gardner (Matthew Pearce Public School) |
| Community Cricket Partnership of the Year | Hornsby Ku-ring-gai & Hills District Cricket Coaches Association and Hornsby Ku-ring-gai & Hills District Cricket Association |
| Community Match Official of the Year | Ken Bakon (Parramatta District Cricket Umpires Association) |
| Inclusion and Diversity Initiative | Diggers Cricket Club (coffs Harbour) |
| Indoor Facility of the Year | Charmhaven Indoor Sports |
| Junior Initiative of the Year | warringah Cricket Club – Juniors Gala Day |
| Technology and Media Initiative | Waratah-Mayfield District Cricket Club |
| Women and Girls Initiative | Girls Cricket League (harris Park Cricket Club) |
| Facility of the Year | Artie Smith Oval Redevelopment |
Impressive Nomination Numbers
This year, Cricket NSW received an impressive 229 nominations across the 15 categories, demonstrating the vibrant and engaged cricket community in the state.
Looking Ahead to National Recognition
All NSW award winners have been nominated for the Cricket Australia Community Cricket Awards, wich will be announced during National Volunteer Week in May 2025. This provides an possibility for these local champions to gain national recognition for their outstanding contributions to cricket.
Celebrating Community Cricket Champions in NSW: A Q&A Guide
Cricket NSW recently celebrated the outstanding contributions of individuals,clubs,and initiatives that have substantially impacted cricket at the grassroots level through the annual Community Cricket Awards. This Q&A guide delves into the highlights of the 2025 awards, recognizing the dedication and achievements within the NSW cricket community.
What are the Cricket NSW Community Cricket Awards?
The Cricket NSW Community Cricket Awards are annual accolades that recognize and celebrate the contributions of individuals, clubs, and initiatives to grassroots cricket in new South Wales. They highlight the efforts of those who go above and beyond to promote and develop the sport at the local level.
Who were some of the prominent individual award winners in 2025?
This year’s awards shone a spotlight on two remarkable women:
Cynthia Rouse (Eastern Suburbs Juniors Cricket Club): Awarded Volunteer of the Year for her remarkable dedication and commitment.
Alyssa Wharton (Newcastle City & eastern Districts Cricket Club): Received the Young Leader of the Year award acknowledging her remarkable accomplishments at only 21 years old.
What categories are included in the Cricket NSW Community Cricket awards?
The awards encompass a wide range of categories, recognizing contributions from various roles within the cricket community. Some notable categories include:
Volunteer of the Year
Community Club of the Year
Community Cricket Association of the Year
Young Leader of the Year
Cricket blast Coordinator of the Year
Community Cricket Coach of the Year
Celebrating Cricket in Schools
Community Cricket Partnership of the Year
Community Match Official of the Year
Inclusion and Diversity Initiative
Indoor Facility of the Year
Junior Initiative of the Year
Technology and Media Initiative
Women and girls Initiative
* Facility of the Year
Who won the Woolworths Cricket Blast Coordinator of the Year award?
Shane Wilson of the Kiama Cavaliers cricket Club won the Woolworths Cricket Blast Coordinator of the Year award. He was recognized for revitalizing the Cricket Blast programme at his club by creating a fun, themed environment that was popular with children and parents.
Who was named Community Cricket Coach of the Year?
Dave Neil of Orange CYMS Cricket Club received the Community Cricket Coach of the Year award.His coaching philosophy centered around “making people better through cricket,” and he even started a program in Molong to provide cricket opportunities for children.
What initiative won the Junior Initiative of the Year award?
The Warringah Cricket Club won the Junior Initiative of the Year award for organizing a unique Gala Day held at Weldon Oval, Frank Gray, and Mike pawley Oval, featuring a carnival-style atmosphere with prizes, a BBQ lunch, and an inclusive environment.
Which facility was recognized as the Indoor Sports Facility of the Year?
Charmhaven indoor Sports, led by Mark Leard, was named Indoor Sports Facility of the Year. The centre has become a cornerstone for cricket development on the Central Coast, providing free facilities for clubs’ pre-season training.
Who received the Celebrating Cricket in Schools Award?
Mark Gardner of Matthew Pearce Public School was awarded the Celebrating cricket in Schools award for his contributions to promoting cricket within the school environment.
who was awarded Community Match Official of the Year?
Ken Bakon of Parramatta District Cricket Umpires Association was named Community Match Official of the Year, recognizing his dedication and contribution to officiating cricket matches.
What are some other notable winners from the 2025 awards?
Here’s a table summarizing all the winners across the various categories:
| Category | Winner |
| :———————————————– | :—————————————————————————————————— |
| Volunteer of the Year | Cynthia Rouse (Eastern Suburbs Juniors Cricket Club) |
| Community Club of the Year | thornleigh Cricket Club |
| Community Cricket Association of the Year | Nepean District Cricket Association |
| Young Leader of the Year | Alyssa Wharton (Newcastle City & Eastern Districts Cricket Club) |
| Cricket Blast Coordinator of the Year | Shane Wilson (Kiama Cavillers Cricket Club) |
| Community Cricket Coach of the Year | Dave Neil (Orange CYMS Cricket Club) |
| Celebrating Cricket in Schools | Mark Gardner (Matthew Pearce Public School) |
| Community Cricket Partnership of the Year | Hornsby Ku-ring-gai & Hills District Cricket Coaches Association and Hornsby Ku-ring-gai & Hills District Cricket Association |
| Community Match Official of the Year | Ken Bakon (parramatta District Cricket Umpires Association) |
| Inclusion and Diversity Initiative | Diggers Cricket Club (Coffs Harbour) |
| Indoor Facility of the Year | Charmhaven Indoor Sports |
| Junior Initiative of the Year | Warringah cricket Club – Juniors Gala Day |
| Technology and Media Initiative | waratah-Mayfield district Cricket Club |
| Women and Girls Initiative | Girls Cricket League (Harris Park Cricket Club) |
| Facility of the Year | Artie Smith Oval Redevelopment |
How many nominations did Cricket NSW receive for the 2025 Community Cricket Awards?
Cricket NSW received an extraordinary 229 nominations across the 15 categories, demonstrating the vibrant and engaged cricket community in the state.
What is the next step for the NSW award winners?
All NSW award winners have been nominated for the Cricket Australia Community Cricket Awards, which will be announced during National volunteer Week in May 2025, providing an possibility for national recognition.