Female cricket is on the agenda for Spotswood this season.
Having had female sides from 1978 to 2018 including having two teams some seasons, Spotswood hasn’t had a female team since with players travelling to play and struggling to get locals forcing the side to fold.
With some girls playing in their junior sides, the club is determined to get female cricket back up and running.
Noel Kennedy said now was the time to reinvest in the female program and have that pathway.
He said they had about half a dozen girls playing in their junior teams.
“We have lots of females around the club and we have girls in the underage sides who we want to give quality pathways to.
“We have about half dozen women who are already involved at the club who are keen to play.”
Kennedy said they were hoping to get three sides up for this season, two junior girls and a senior women’s side.
He said they would have their junior sides in the Western Region Junior Cricket Association, while starting their women’s side in the Victorian Turf Cricket Association.
Kennedy said the Victorian Sub-District Cricket Association, where its men’s sides play, is planning on a women’s competition and they would move their side into that once it starts.
He said they believed the VSDCA competition would come in for the 2026-27 season.
“We want to have that similar pathway for females,” he said.
“The older girls will have the chance to play in the women’s side to help with numbers as well.
“It’s about having a long term focus.”
The club is having a come and try day on July 9.
Kennedy said they had been working with Mount St Joseph’s School College in Altona, where the come and try day is happening to try and get players on board.
“The western suburbs in a growth corridor,” he said. “There might be girls as far as Point Cook that might want to come and play in elite sides in a local competition.
“We’re pretty keen and girls’ participation in sport is a big thing.
“We want to bring new faces in the club and give them a long term pathway.”
The come and try day will be held between 10am-noon at 113 Maidstone Street, Altona.
Anyone interested can contact: womenscricket@spotswoodcc.com.au
