Good sports change club culture

CRANBOURNE Cricket Club members have a reputation for being good sports.
Now it’s official.
The club was recently named regional winner of the Good Sports Award for South East Metro Region, beating more than 67 clubs to the prestigious title.
Cranbourne became involved in the Good Sports Program in July 2002 in a bid to promote a healthy, family-friendly environment through responsible serving of alcohol and smoke-free clubrooms.
Club president Silvio Marinelli said the program had a great impact on alcohol management at the club, which no longer relied on the sale of liquor to make a profit.
He said the club purchased a coffee machine, developed healthy options for club meals, strengthened its sponsorship ties with local businesses and increased its fundraising by organising functions that promote family values.
“The change in the club’s values has seen a significant increase in junior members and their families coming to the clubrooms, which in turn has increased overall membership and turnover in general,” Mr Marinelli said.
Casey mayor Kevin Bradford congratulated the club on its long list of community achievements.
“Cranbourne Cricket Club is a credit to the region, having attained the Level Two accreditation in the Good Sports Program and also for its outstanding activities.
“Its Ozzie Cricket program links the elderly, people from culturally and linguistically diverse backgrounds, people with disabilities, women and young people into the club’s mainstream activities and also demonstrates Cranbourne Cricket Club as one of the most proactive and community-minded sporting clubs in all of Victoria,” Cr Bradford said.
Cranbourne Cricket Club is in the process of attaining Level Three accreditation through the Good Sports Program and will be the first in the region to attain this certificate.
The club also managed two on-field premierships in the 2004-05 season with wins in the Dandenong District Cricket Association’s Turf 2 and under-13 Division 1 competitions.