Toowoomba cricket club named National Club of the Year 2022/23

With a focus on inclusivity and breaking down barriers a Toowoomba cricket club have bowled over their opposition picking up major Queensland and Australian cricket awards. Find out which club is celebrating here.

Celebrating Magpies Cricket Australia award win are (from left) Carter Everson, Anthony Bowles, Stephen Bowles, Morne Van Der Merwe of Queensland Cricket, Cameron Collingwood and Kayden Everson. Picture: Kevin Farmer.

Southern Districts commitment to breaking down barriers and promoting inclusivity has paid off.

The Toowoomba cricket club hit their opposition for six this week after being named Cricket Australia’s Community Club of the Year as well picking up Queensland Cricket’s top club award.

The Magpies are the only club in Toowoomba to provide an All-Abilities Junior Cricket Blast program, with 71 kids signed up across 10 teams.

“It’s a huge honour to be recognised at both a state and national level like this, off the back of our work with junior cricket, it’s just awesome,” Blast co-ordinator and life member of the club Steven Bowles said.

“We encourage anyone to have a go, regardless of ability.

“We want people to know that you can play cricket.”

The program, which has been running for four years, encourages able-bodied and disabled kids to take up cricket.

“The club set out with the goal of creating an all inclusive environment where anyone, no matter their ability, can play cricket in a fun and safe environment, with the guise of, ‘you can play cricket’,” he said.

“The all-abilities program sees players ranging from four to 14, playing and being coached together and not being separated in to groups.”

Celebrating Southern Districts Magpies Cricket Australia Community Club of the Year award win are (from left) Souths co-ordinator Stephen Bowles, player Kayden Everson and Queensland Cricket’s Morne Van Der Merwe. Picture: Kevin Farmer.

Bowles credits the success of the program to the club’s volunteers and players, and says the program’s success is very rewarding.

“Volunteers and those that work behind the scenes who don’t always get the recognition, and the parents that pitch in and help out when they can, make all of this possible,” he said.

“Through our volunteers we can cater to those juniors that might need a bit more assistance.

“Seeing the kids form new friendships, enjoy themselves out playing sport and developing their cricket skills is very rewarding.”

Darling Downs Cricket manager and Queensland Cricket representative Morne van der Merwe echoed Bowles’ sentiment on the support of volunteers.

“Cricket relies heavily on volunteers to recruit, retain, nurture, and upskill juniors,” van der Merwe said.

“What Souths have done really well is having almost all of their coaches and volunteers receive a Level 1 coaching accreditation.

“That means that the club has quality coaching, and they are able to cater to those players that might need some more assistance.”

The club will receive their award from Cricket Australia later today at the National 2022-23 Community Cricket Awards.