South Sudan may not be a traditional cricket-loving country, but Akat Mayoum is proof there is plenty of passion for sport of any kind where he comes from.
Having left his home country for Sunshine in 2005, Mayoum got his first taste for the sport in the form of backyard cricket.
Quickly taken by the game, he joined the Sunshine Heights Cricket Club and made his debut in the under 13s.
Heights has a long history of putting out the welcome mat and providing an inclusive environment for new communities, and Mayoum wasted no time showcasing his natural sporting ability in the friendly atmosphere.
“The diversity of the club was a really important part of fitting in for me,” Mayoum said. “It meant that I didn’t feel isolated.
“There are a lot of players from a lot of different cultures. With so many people coming from different parts of the world, it really helps to make you feel a lot more welcome.”
A talented middle-order batsman, Mayoum was snapped up by Footscray Edgewater when he finished his junior career. He played two seasons for the Bulldogs, where he split his time between the third and fourth XIs.
The now 19-year-old returned to his former club this season, keen to give something back to the place that gave him his start.
He said the chance to help other young cricketers in the same position as he once found himself was a great opportunity.
“The club approached me at the start of the year to see if I wanted to do some coaching,” Mayoum said. “I was really keen to have a go at it.
“I am more of a mentor for those guys. A lot of them aren’t much younger than me and I have played senior cricket with a lot of them. It is about trying to help them and giving them as much feedback as I can.”
Mayoum is also playing for the Heights’ first XI in the Victorian Turf Cricket Association’s West A1 division.
Sunshine Heights has been recognised for its inclusiveness, taking out the Victorian Good Sports Club of the Year award, which recognises community clubs and people showing leadership in respect of healthy behaviour, tackling alcohol, obesity and mental health issues through sport.
Club president Paul Stockwell said it was a big thrill to receive the award. “We follow our mantra of inclusion very closely,” Stockwell said. “One of the things is about trying to provide a healthy, family friendly and inclusive environment. I think it has paid benefits in recent times with new groups attracted to the club.”
Sunshine Heights is now in the running to win the 2015 National Good Sports Club of the Year Award, to be announced on Thursday.
