Taylors Lakes is putting female cricket at the forefront this season.
The Lions are looking to field women’s and girls teams for the first time this season, as they look to further cater for the whole community.
Lions president Paul Wolf said this had been a couple of years in the making.
“We have been a bit slack on that front,” he said. “As a committee we have created a participation strategy with a five year plan.
“It’s about female participation across the board with women’s teams, girls teams, females on the committee and more females’ coaching.
“There has been a little bit of interest.”
Wolf said they didn’t necessarily think they would look to have a women’s side this season, but with interest to get one up they’ve decided to make the jump and move the strategic plan forward.
He said they had a group of four initially show interest and once they’ve put it out to the community there has been a number of others also show interest.
Wolf said they want to build the program ahead on the anticipated introduction of a Victorian Sub-District Cricket Association women’s competition in the next couple of years.
It’s set to be mandatory for all clubs to have a women’s side by 2028-29.
“This year is probably going to be more a social side on synthetic or matting,” he said. “We want to have a fully fledged turf sub-district side in three to four years time.
“It is a journey and we have to start small and we want the club to have a plan.
“The competition is set to bring it in stages over a three year period.”
Wolf said they already had a number of girls playing in their mixed teams and under-14s and under-16s.
A couple were in their under-14 premiership team, while they had two girls represent Victoria at the School Sports national championships.
Wolf said they were looking at under-13 and under-15 girls teams for this season if they have the numbers.
The club is also keen to grow the female participation rate in their Woolworths Blast program which was at 25 per cent last season.
He said they were hoping for 33 per cent this season and then up to 50 per cent eventually and flow through the ranks.
“We want to start at the grassroots level,” he said. “It starts at blasters, then works into girls and the flow on effect.
“There’s a lot of hard work to be done.”
It’s not just players the club is after.
“We do have one female coach in the junior ranks,” Wolf said. “The idea is to have a dedicated women’s coach as well.
“All things being equal, we would love that women’s coach to be female.”
Details: taylorslakescc@tlsc.asn.au
