Bentleigh leading the charge: Diversity in sport

Inclusivity, one of the key pillars of our great game and a cornerstone of community sport.

One of the key organizational objectives of community sporting clubs is to create a safe, welcoming, and inclusive environment for all participants. Whilst there has been progression in this space over recent years, there is still a long way to go to and many challenges to overcome for clubs, and sporting codes, to become fully inclusive.

Within the CSB, and broader southeast community, Bentleigh Cricket Club are leading the charge into providing a truly inclusive environment, embodying the mantra that ‘Cricket is a sport for all’.

Accessibility is a crucial element in generating and spreading awareness for disability in sport, which is why Bentleigh have transformed their concepts of inclusion into tangible programs and events.

On Sunday the 13th of February, Bentleigh Cricket Club will host a Blind Cricket Exhibition match against Blind Cricket Victoria. The match will commence at 12:00pm, before the Women’s First XI take on Parkdale. The event will take place at Arthur Reserve, Bentleigh, and is open to all members of the community.

Bentleigh Cricket Club were quick to lock in the opportunity of hosting the match, with Senior Women’s players Trish Jeffery and Emily Shepard keen to join their sons’ and become the first mother/son combinations representing the Red and Blue. Both Trish and Emily’s sons’ have rare conditions causing deteriorating vision loss, so establishing inclusive pathways for participation is paramount to them.

“I just want my son to be able to play the game he loves as long as he can, and having blind cricket competitions increasing in numbers across Australia gives him opportunities he wouldn’t otherwise have” says Emily, mother of Louis, now 12.

Trish, mother to 17 year old Wes and 13 year old Drew adds “Cricket really now is a game for everyone and I hope the match on the 13th gives the boys a taste for the different format of the game. And who knows, they may just pull on the baggy green one day.”

Emily and Trish have been working with Trav Zimmer from the Victorian Blind Cricket Association to ensure this event is enriching for both the vision impaired and wider communities. Trav happens to have Usher syndrome, the same genetic condition as Louis, and the group bonded quickly over their love of cricket.

This innovative concept is just one facet of the clubs drive to create an inclusive environment all who love cricket.

Bentleigh have also launched a Junior All-Abilities program that caters for participants between 5-13, allowing children the opportunity to learn cricket skills in a safe, welcoming, and inclusive community club environment.

The program, which commenced on Friday night, will run on the following dates:

Friday February 11th – 5:00pm to 5:45pm

Friday February 18th – 5:00pm to 5:45pm

Friday February 25th – 5:00pm to 5:45pm

The development of both initiatives has been guided by Andrew Walton, who is a cricket coach and mentor with a wealth of coaching experience at local, premier, state and national level, including as assistant coach of the Cricket Australia Vision Impaired Cricket Team. The club is also making the most of the valuable resources from Sport4All, a collaboration between the Australian Government, Sports Australia and Get Skilled Access with the purpose to provide people with disability the opportunity to participate in sport when, where and how they choose.

Bentleigh have also been at the forefront of the establishment and development of the CSB Women’s competition.

Now fielding two senior teams in the CSBW, Bentleigh, have established a sustainable women’s program with the goal to create a pathway from the Junior girls’ teams competing in the AGCC, all the way through to wear the Baggy Blue.

Bentleigh Cricket Club’s actions embody the inclusive nature that Cricket Victoria and other state sporting organizations aspire to create, and will hopefully lead the CSB into an era of prosperity and growth in the diversification space.

If you wish to enquire into these events and programs please reach out to Emily (emily@usherkidsaustralia.com) or Trish (jefferytrish@gmail.com).