SPORTS SPOTLIGHT: Taylah Schutt is the next Mackay cricketer set to join Brolgas
In the next edition of Sports Spotlight, meet the newest captain of the Queensland Country Cricket Brolgas.
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It’s not common for a first-time member of a state cricket team to be named as captain, but that’s exactly what Mackay’s Taylah Schutt has achieved.
She is set to lead Queensland Country Cricket Brolgas at their upcoming national titles in January, as they look to defend the title they won earlier this year.
She has been picked alongside fellow Mackay cricketers including Meghan McCartney, Elisha Holdsworth and Kiana Dunn.
“It should be a really good experience, especially with it being my first time going away with this team,” Schutt said.
“I’m looking forward to playing with some of the girls I know from Mackay, and some of the others I know from playing down south.
“I’m a bit older than a lot of the other girls now so for me it’s more about just going there and enjoying the experience.”
Schutt started playing cricket at the age of 10, having been born and raised in Roma.
“I used to just play with the boys out that way, and from there I used to have to travel to Toowoomba to try out for the Darling Downs school cricket,” she said.
“I made those teams in primary school as well as in high school, and I was fortunate enough to be picked up by South Cricket Club in Brisbane.
“I played a season for them in premier grade. But I sort of went away from cricket for a few years after that, until I went to uni on the Sunshine Coast.
“I played three years of premier cricket with Sandgate, who were coached by my coach from South, back in 2016-18.
“Since then I’ve moved up (to Mackay) for work and been playing in the Komatsu Ladies competition for the past couple of years.”
In previous years work commitments had prevented her from taking on the higher levels of cricket in the region, but a change in schedule opened that door for this season.
“I’ve moved to a Monday to Friday schedule which allows me to play cricket every weekend, so this season I’ve been playing for Mackay-Whitsunday’s team and was vice-captain there,” she said.
“That led me to get picked as captain for the North Queensland team that travelled down south earlier this year, and eventually to be picked as captain for the Queensland Country side.”
Schutt said she is looking forward to the opportunity to lead this side in the upcoming tournament, saying it will be a chance to “show a bit of leadership” among a younger group of players.
“I think having that little bit of extra experience helped me to get that role, and I’m looking forward to leading the troops next month,” she said.
“I’m looking forward to getting to know the girls who have been picked from the South team and to just hopefully enjoy the experience.”
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