AFTER considering the feedback received during the community consultation window, the Shoalhaven District Cricket Association and Cricket NSW has formally adopted its future directions strategy, designed to drive the direction of the competition over the next three years.
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The strategy has been built through a consultative and collaborative process over the past 12 months and establishes seven key strategic parameters to drive initiatives and activities through the pillars of governance and administration, club support, competition structure, schools and facilities.
The overriding focus of the strategy is on the SDCA and member clubs providing the most appropriate and engaging cricket playing opportunities for all standards and abilities within their community.
This focus is even more relevant now considering the significant local impact of bushfires, air quality and floods during this season and the COVID-19 pandemic, which forced the cancellation of grand finals.
The feedback from stakeholders to the draft was very positive said CNSW cricket manager Shoalhaven Sean Barrett.
"There was a lot of positivity towards the overall direction of the strategy," Barrett said.
"There has been a significant change in the community cricket landscape over the last couple of years and this strategy has given everyone a chance to take stock of where we are at and also to map out the next few years.
"Most of the feedback we received was seeking to clarify some of the activities and many of the comments further tightened the strategy and the direction of the overall document.
As a result of the feedback process, some of the changes to the strategy from the draft include:
- The formation of a Thunder Girls Cricket League has been included as a priority for the strategy.
- The recommended off-season key meetings timeline has been adjusted to increase the window of time for clubs to hold their AGMs.
- The imagery in the document has been updated with current photos thanks to the team at the South Coast Register.
- The competition structure section outlines the actual structure which was implemented this season and proposes changes to be implemented for next season and beyond.
- The school to club transition activities in the schools pillar have been expanded and more outcome focused to reflect the importance of this area.
- The facilities pillar has been streamlined and categorised with short and mid term projects.
- The Eurobodalla component has also been added to include Batemans Bay.
- To shorten and streamline the document some sections have been moved to the appendices or removed due to being surplus to the overall strategy.
- Grammar and sentence structure corrections have been made throughout the document.
The focus can now shift towards the implementation of the recommendations said SDCA president Craig Howsan.
"This has been an extensive and thorough process to consult with the community and then pull this strategy together," Howsan said.
"While this has been going on the background over the course of the season, we have had massive challenges with the bushfire crisis, air quality, floods and then COVID-19 all impacting on our ability to offer cricket in the community.
"This strategy is set as the way forward and it will be absolutely crucial for us as an association and our clubs to work together to achieve these outcomes as we emerge from this pandemic.
"We are pleased this is now completed and with a new SDCA executive needing to come for next season this strategy provides a really good blueprint.
The final strategy can be found at the SDCA website.