Cairns cricket legends recognised at Qld awards
Two of Cairns’ most dedicated members to growing cricket in the Far North have been recognised at the Queensland Cricket Awards.
Trish Spry was awarded the Community Cricket Staff Member of the Year and Sergeant Andrew Guest from Yarrabah was awarded the Volunteer of the Year.
Spry introduced the Far North to women’s cricket during the 2018/19 season and has been continually focused on its growth and development within the region.
She was recognised for her contribution to consistent growth of the sport within schools and small regional towns in the Far North.
“It was a huge honour to receive this, they kept it under wraps pretty well,” Spry said.
“Queensland Cricket asked me to come down to a meeting last week, I had told them that I was working to help set up for the Big Bash finals but they said they really wanted my participation.
“So I flew down and booked a flight back to get back to Cairns around lunch time on Friday.
“They were going through every bit and piece for the meeting then got to the awards and read out my name for the Community Cricket and I said oh that is why you wanted me to come down.”
Andrew Guest helped the growth of cricket within Yarrabah by connecting a group of girls under the age of 12 to play for the Mulgrave Junior Cricket Club this season. Two years ago, Guest, youth club manager of the PCYC, with support from Queensland Cricket and the National Indigenous Australia Agency, put together a program to get a cricket team from Yarrabah.
“The Yarrabah Cricket Team was put together by me last year at the PCYC Yarrabah after a conversation with Jason Smith from Queensland Cricket,” Guest said. “We were talking about how good it would be to have more First Nations kids playing cricket.
“PCYC Queensland have been supportive of this venture through its Club and Culture Program which is funded by the NIAA.
“Players have also been supported through the Department of Sport and Recreation’s ‘Get Playing Vouchers’ and the council is providing support this year as well.”
Three of the girls in the first Yarrabah Cricket Team made the trip to Ingham to represent the Far North in the Girls Cricket under-13s Development Carnival.