Dad was our coach and I remember playing at Hereworth School where the picket-fenced oval was a real treat for a wide-eyed Taradale boy to attempt to emulate cricketing heroes such as Cairns, Crowe and Hadlee (although my favourite was Jeff Crowe, sorry Ervin).
I have great memories of playing alongside David, Craig F, Wayne, Tony, Paul, Ian, Mark, Craig B and Nathan.
Rotorua has been sending teams to this tournament since 2016 and this month it will have record numbers with 218 teams and more than 600 games in the next three weeks.
The six Rotorua teams making the pilgrimage to Hawke’s Bay will be a record number from our town.
This includes the first all-girls team from Geyser Cricket Club. The Rotorua Cricket Association has entered three teams while Rotorua Central has partnered with Mokoia Intermediate to support two teams.
Hancine Samvelyan is coaching the Central Mokoia Mana Team and is making final preparations, including scrounging practice balls from her neighbour, as they head off tomorrow to the sunny Hawke’s Bay for their Year 8 camp.
She was a gun cricketer playing for the Lakes High School Girls First XI in the 90s. She is one of several volunteers, including team manager Samantha Iraia, creating these opportunities for our rangatahi to enjoy.
Mana captain and allrounder, her son Jivan Samvelyan, is looking forward to his third camp and improving on his high score of 22 not out.
Central Mokoia Mana coach, Hancine Samvelyan and captain Jivan Samvelyan. Photo / Crispian Stewart
As we know, there is so much support behind the scenes to make these opportunities happen.
The Central Mokoia teams have been brilliantly supported by Arawa Park Community Trust while the pioneering Geyser Girls Team has had amazing support from the club and Western Heights Pharmacy.
All these groups have made these camps more affordable and created experiences that these kids may not have otherwise been able to have.
Several families also make the trip in support, which creates a sense of team, belonging and community, as well as those memories.
From 1981, I can’t remember who scored our runs, got our wickets, or won our games, but I will remember 80s cricketing summers with dad and the Taradale boys at camp.
Perhaps a lesson here for our aspiring players is to embrace the experience rather than the result. They still have a chance to be a Black Cap or White Fern.
