Premier Cricket 2019-20: Danni Dodgson on the rise to Monash Tigers presidency
Danni Dodgson is following in the footsteps of a pioneer of Victorian cricket after she was appointed president of Monash Tigers.
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Danni Dodgson knows a little of Joan Holdsworth.
Holdsworth left a lasting legacy on Victorian cricket as the first female president of a Premier Cricket club.
She took the helm at Casey South Melbourne in 1987-88 and served until 2002-03 before her passing in June 2003.
The stands at the Harry Trott Oval are named in Holdsworth’s honour.
And she remained the only woman to be a Premier Cricket club president until the eve of the 2019-20 season.
Dodgson, 41, became the second female to hold the role when she was voted into the position at Monash Tigers in September.
Dodgson said she wanted to learn more about Holdsworth’s contribution to the game.
“What was disappointing is there is not much on the internet at all about her,” Dodgson said.
“I would say she was a real pioneer for females in cricket.
“I wouldn’t have thought there would be many female teams back then, let alone females working in cricket.”
Dodgson comes from a passionate cricket family.
Her father, Max, and mother, Evelyn, are life members of the Highett Cricket Club.
Max served as president and Dodgson volunteered as a child.
Cricket had a significant influence on her upbringing, she said.
“What’s interesting is I actually wanted to play cricket when I was younger but I was pretty much told I wasn’t allowed,” she said.
“I don’t think, to be honest, there was any female teams back then. I had to watch on the sidelines and I played netball.”
Now raising her own family, Dodgson wants to introduce her daughter to the game.
“I’m hoping to get her involved in cricket at our local club,” she said.
“She is always there and … I will make sure she is down at Richmond (Monash) with me as well and hopefully that means she will have the same upbringing I did.”
Monash has recently commenced a five-year strategic plan, and one of the objectives is to establish a women’s team and to develop a female academy.
Another goal is to make the club more inclusive.
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“That’s something people have already commented on at the club,” Dodgson said.
Dodgson held a HR role at Cricket Victoria for five years and said she was excited about the role at Monash.
“I’m really passionate about diversity, inclusion and getting all different types of people involved,” she said.
“I’m very passionate about community involvement and getting people involved at all different levels.”