Amberley cricketer, eight-year-old Te Awa Johnston can play the game he loves after being awarded an ANZ Cricket Grant that subsidises the cost of registration fees for the upcoming season.
As an extra surprise to ensure he has a great season, Te Awa was awarded a gear grant including bat, ball, pads, gloves, and bag.
ANZ Cricket Grants made $100,000 available to young cricketers who would benefit from the support of registration fee subsidies to help take the pressure off families and make sure kids didn’t miss out on cricket this summer.
ANZ also surprised several lucky cricketers from around the country to be the recipients of a cricket gear pack to aid them in their dedication to training and the game.
It will be the first season of playing hard ball cricket for Te Awa, who plays for Sefton Cricket Club, needs a lot more gear.
His Mum Melanie, who applied on his behalf, said this new gear comes as a relief.
‘‘It’s amazing! Especially as a family, you kind of live week to week. Food, petrol, phone, power, and when things come up like new shoes, you’re like where is that going to come from?’’
Melanie says this gear will fill Te Awa with confidence.
‘‘This gear is a big boost. If he looks like one of the guys on television like Kane Williamson or Ross Taylor then he will feel like he can do this.’’
Te Awa is very passionate about cricket and is excited to use the gear to practice his batting.
He says he likes scoring points for his team and feels proud when he hits the ball well. Melanie says cricket helped Te Awa overcome his shyness and adjust to his new school when they moved to Amberley two years ago.
It was the school principal who had noticed Te Awa loved playing outside and suggested he go to the Sefton Cricket Club open day and give it a try, Melanie says.
Melanie says Te Awa completely changed when he started getting involved in cricket.
‘‘I think because Te Awa was quite good, he felt really proud of himself.
When he would play, he was chatting to everybody and high-fiving people.
‘‘It’s a good wee team and a great environment. It was the best thing we ever did.’’
Playing cricket at lunchtime at school helped him make connections too. Melanie is not sure where his love for cricket came from.
‘‘I don’t play cricket, and his dad is a rugby league man. It was just taking him to the open day and he was away. But, were a cricket household now.’’
These days, Te Awa spends every waking minute living and breathing cricket, watching the Indian Premier League on television before and after school, playing games at lunchtime and practising in the backyard.
He’s a big supporter of the BLACKCAPS and hopes to bat for them one day.
ANZ Bank New Zealand CEO Antonia Watson says paying club fees is one of the first barriers families face when deciding if they can register their child to play.
Sport is an essential part of a child's wellbeing, so were pleased to be providing support to make sure Kiwi kids can keep playing the game they love.
The increased cost of living can put families in a tough position when it comes to managing the household budget.
We hope these grants will help to ease some of that pressure and keep more kids playing cricket.
We were so impressed by Te Awa's dedication to training, we hope this new gear helps them to reach their goal.
