Western Region Junior Cricket Association girls participation surge explained

Several women have been identified in the growth of the Western Region Junior Cricket Association which has gone from nothing to”ridiculous” playing numbers in six years. Meet them here.

The achievement of two premierships by the Western Region Junior Cricket Association (WRJCA) female representatives teams this year reflected upon many.

While it was great recognition for the girls who won the VMCU under-12 Claudia Fatone and under-14 Julie Savage shields, it was also great recognition of how far the WRJCA has come.

When the association formed 13 years ago, like many, there was limited opportunity for the girls.

The WRJCA had no all-girl competitions and the girls, who wanted to play, had to join the boys, often as sole female members in the side.

But now the association is taking a lead in girls cricket and has seen their numbers almost double every season.

WRJCA representative girls following their U17 Mel Jones Shield campaign. Picture: Supplied

Since introducing its first all-girls competition in 2017, the WRJCA has grown to four junior girls competitions including under-12s, two under-13s and an under-16.

The rise is a major reason why the WRJCA is one of the largest junior cricket competitions in the country and the biggest in Victoria.

The association has 350 teams registered and nearly 3000 participants with 180 matches on every week.

WRJCA vice president Vanessa Pereira, who is taking a lead in girls cricket, said the growth of female cricket brought great benefits to clubs.

“It’s the single biggest growth area,” Pereira said.

“Girls cricket, women’s cricket has grown at ridiculous numbers to the extent where they are a part of clubs now, they are not a add on, they are very much a part of the club.

“And when you talk to the clubs, the sort of things its brought to the clubs have been so beneficial because you have more women involved.

“You have got more women coming into the clubrooms, the men are more aware of it and the behaviour of the men has organically changed.

“They haven’t had to make them change, they have just realised that this sport is for all now.

“It’s been really well received.”

Molly Strano was a major contributor to the rise of girls cricket in the west. Photo: Simon Sturzaker/Getty Images.

HOW THE WRJCA STARTED GIRLS CRICKET

In 2017, the WRJCA established their first ever girls junior competition with the ‘Under-13 Molly Strano Cup.’

In years leading up to the milestone moment, the WRJCA held annual round robin events to try and attract new female participants.

Australian cricketer Strano, who played cricket in the western region, was an ambassador of WRJCA girls cricket from the beginning while playing professionally.

Pereira credited Strano for her priceless contribution in helping pioneer WRJCA girls cricket.

THE HEROES AT CLUBLAND

Pereira complimented volunteers at local clubs including Werribee, Sanctuary Lakes and Druids, who were the clubs to enter teams in the first year of the girls competition.

And on the afternoon of International Women’s Day on Wednesday, March 8, Werribee and Sanctuary Lakes will face off in the under-16 grand final.

“It’s extraordinary that it’s on tonight,” she said.

Pereira mentioned the key volunteers from those clubs who helped foster girls cricket.

“There’s two women who have really built those programs up at their clubs and kept it going,” she said.

“One of them, Sonya Jenkinson from Sanctuary Lakes, her daughters have moved through the program and are now playing out at Carlton in Premier Cricket.

“And the other lady Ruby Bal out at Werribee has no girls, she’s got boys, but really saw the need and is so passionate about the girls game.

“In fact, she is pretty much on their committee running their whole program.

“So it’s been extraordinary how much support we have been able to receive to get this competition underway.”

Pereira added Druids to the list of the “benchmark” clubs in WRJCA girls cricket at the moment.

She credited Alison Whan and Libby Howe from Druids for also helping the growth of girls cricket in the west.

Rob Ward pictured in the back row on the left with the WRJCA representative girls U14 who won the VMCU U14 Julie Savage shield. Picture: Supplied.

THE HEROES AT WRJCA

The rise of female cricket in the western region is a sentiment to the local community but also the work of administrators behind the scenes.

The WRJCA executive team last year made it a focus to increase women’s involvement at an administrative level as part of their strategic plan.

And since the push, the association has brought in Libby Howe from Netball Australia as their secretary.

The continued focus on women’s cricket has led to better opportunities for girls in the region.

WRJCA president Chris Hatzistavrou credited the work of vice president Pereira.

“Vanessa has been key because she has not only been chair of the rep committee, she is also our female lead,” Hatzistavrou said.

WRJCA president Chris Hatzistavrou.

“She has been key, whether it’s linking up with Cricket Victoria programs or getting through to the base or co-ordinating the rep carnival.

“And obviously she is one of our vice presidents and just her professionalism has helped us grow as a competition.”

Hatzistavrou also complimented WRJCA life member Deb Keating who worked as an administrative for many years.

He also mentioned long-time WRJCA girls representative coach Rob Ward.

Ward’s Cricket Victoria Community Coach of the Year accolade in 2020-21 was a testament to his strong contribution to girls cricket in the region.

THE FUTURE

Hatzistavrou, who has been president since the Association was formed in 2010, said matching girls participation numbers to the boys was a focus in years to come.

“Part of our strategic plan is to make girls cricket equal with the boys cricket so obviously we want to get participation to the highest levels we can and make it a viable option for young girls to play sport,” he said.

“Thankfully it is starting to work.

“You look at the women’s Premier Cricket and some of the female leagues, the WBBL, and we will soon start to have a few more girls from our region playing in those competitions which would be awesome.”

Overall in 2021/22, female participation grew by 73 per cent in Victoria, including a 60% increase in Woolworths Cricket Blast participants, showing the bright future of cricket in the state.