BlowFly Cricket

Tell us about BlowFly Cricket. What is your mission?

BlowFly Cricket is an inclusive, all-abilities grassroots cricket club, totally volunteer-driven. Its mission is to enrich life by promoting BlowFly Cricket as an inclusive, all-abilities sport for children and adults who live with special needs and/or intellectual disabilities.

What are your programs/initiatives and why do you run them?

BlowFly Cricket operates three Centres all year round:

• JPCG (James Park, Hornsby) – Saturday afternoons during the summer season.
• WPHCCC (James Henty Reserve, Dural) – Friday evenings during the summer season
• NDCC Indoor Nets (Mark Taylor Oval, Waitara) – Sunday afternoons during the winter season

BlowFly Cricket also offer various schools in the Hornsby Ku-ring-gai area free of charge programs (8 x weekly 1-hour sessions). These sessions are delivered by remarkable coaches who have acquired their respective CA Accredited Community Coaching qualification and are members of BlowFly Cricket’s highly acclaimed and unique Uncoachables Coaching the Uncoachables Academy.

How do you involve volunteers in your programs?

BlowFly Cricket is totally volunteer-driven with no paid employees – every aspect of the inclusive, all-abilities club is delivered by its wonderful volunteers.

How do your volunteers make a difference in the community?

BlowFly Cricket is fortunate to have the incredible support of the local Bunnings Store in Thornleigh, which books the club in for a fundraising BBQ every four weeks on Sundays. Throughout the day, BlowFly Cricket averages over 25 volunteers, including seven to eight of its members who willingly volunteer their time. Their inclusive volunteering has to be seen to be believed, as each of the members who volunteer works extremely well in a busy team environment.

It is wonderful to witness members grow in confidence and self-esteem, often mastering tasks and roles that have been considered unattainable in the past. And the noise level, well… it’s amazingly loud, though the model works well. Over the many years, no customer has ever complained about members; in fact, it has been the opposite, with many compliments received by members for their outstanding volunteering efforts for ‘their club.’

Do you have any stories from your volunteers?

Amir Marashian CA Accredited Community Coach, said:

“For more than ten years, our family have volunteered for the Sunday BlowFly Cricket fundraising barbecues at Bunnings, Thornleigh. Although Cameron, Kiahna and Ryan no longer play BlowFly Cricket, and our youngest son Darian never played at all, they have continued to give their time to help the club that once supported them.

“What started as a way to assist with fundraising has become a meaningful tradition that has taught them values they will carry with them. One of the strongest lessons they have learned is the importance of giving back. BlowFly Cricket creates a safe, fun place for children with disabilities, and the kids appreciate how much the program helped them in earlier years, especially Cameron.

“Volunteering at the Bunnings BBQs has shaped the kids, teaching them responsibility, gratitude, and the joy of helping others. Even though they no longer attend BlowFly Cricket sessions, the spirit of the club continues on those Sundays at the BBQ.”

What resources and services have helped to support your volunteer involvement?

Mark Rushton PLV, Founder and Treasurer of BlowFly Cricket, said:

“Over the past ten years since founding BlowFly Cricket, I’ve attended many workshops and forums run by The Centre for Volunteering and have been part of its Continuing Professional Development (CPD) program.

“The education and skill set I’ve gained through this experience have been paramount to the success of the BlowFly Cricket Inclusive Volunteering program.”

Why did your organisation become a member of The Centre? What benefit has it brought your organisation?

BlowFly Cricket joined The Centre for Volunteering in 2016, the year after Mark Rushton was awarded 2015 NSW Volunteer of the Year and NSW Adult Volunteer of the Year. Mark felt that becoming a member was the natural progression, given the many opportunities it presented to grow the club.

“As a small grassroots community club, BlowFly Cricket has never looked back, thanks to the progressive nature of The Centre and the many benefits we have been fortunate to receive,” Mark said. “Thank you to Gemma and her team – we deeply appreciate the ongoing support and interest in our inclusive, all-abilities club.”

What have you learnt about the value of volunteering and/or volunteer management?

“Volunteers are the lifeblood of the inclusive, all-abilities club,” Mark said.

“Without its volunteers, BlowFly Cricket wouldn’t exist, let alone still be here 17 years on. Managing volunteers is one of the most complex forms of management, because you’re dealing with the fundamental elements of human emotion. Volunteers understandably feel a sense of ownership, since they freely give their time, skills and effort,” he said.

What would you say to someone thinking of volunteering?

“Come along and enjoy the many experiences which will come your way. To my mind, giving your time freely to others without wanting anything in return is the key to happiness and peace of mind,” Mark said.

 LEARN MORE ABOUT BLOWFLY CRICKET

Membership

The Centre is proud to support organisations like BlowFly Cricket doing important work in the community.

“As a small grassroots community club, BlowFly Cricket has never looked back, thanks to the progressive nature of The Centre and the many benefits we have been fortunate to receive. Thank you to Gemma and her team – we deeply appreciate the ongoing support and interest in our inclusive, all-abilities club.”

 

– Mark Rushton, BlowFly Cricket