Living in the paradise of the South does come with its challenges and certainly one of those is the sheer cost of time and money for players and teams to participate in events, programmes and tournaments in other parts of New Zealand.
We know it takes a lot of hard work and dedication to become a BLACKCAP and WHITEFERN and the pathway to reaching this pinnacle can be made even more difficult when cost of participation is a barrier. Otago Cricket Fundraising Charitable Trust sets out to assist with the development of our young cricketers and coaches, to allow them to realise their aspirations through removal of some of the financial barriers that exist living in our region.
Current cricket icons Suzie Bates and Brendon McCullum are both very proud Otago champions who made it to the very top without leaving the region to do so. Many others have done the same but they have all required financial support to get there. Otago has many exciting young cricketers coming through its system. The Leading Edge Cricketers Support Fund has been established to retain our young talent and coaches in our region and give ourselves the best opportunity for the next generation of Bates’ and McCullum’ to represent Otago and New Zealand.
The Otago Cricket Fundraising Charitable Trust (OCFCT) has been established to benefit the wider cricket community and in particular our young sports persons aged between 5 and 19 years, as well as coaches involved with nurturing our youth, across the Otago & Southland Cricket catchment and whom have high costs of participation or come from financially disadvantaged families or backgrounds, and where finance is otherwise a barrier to participation.
Each year the OCFCT will seek to run specific events and call for donations to ensure the Fund can sustainably meet its key purpose. The OCFCT understands:
- That cricket talent exists across our region and we want to ensure opportunities are provided to players who otherwise may miss out.
- The need for kids and youth to stay engaged with the sport of cricket and not be denied opportunities to do so through no fault of their own.
- The importance that sport plays in youth socialisation and development of moral standards.
- The health and well-being advantages of having thousands of healthy active cricket players.
Otago Cricket is committed to the ongoing development of both community cricket and its associated individual emerging cricketers, teams and coaches. There is almost always a cost of preparation and participation and it is here that Otago Cricket will seek formal support via an application process to the OCFCT through the Fund to reduce individual costs.
The trustees will review all applications and make funding decisions on a case by case basis.
Otago Cricket Fundraising Charitable Trust Trustees are; Murray Hughes (Chairman), Nick Smith, Lindsay Breen, Shane Robinson and Mike Coggan.
In his role as Otago Cricket CEO, Mike Coggan will administer the Trust requirements but will not be involved in Trust decision making.
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