David O’Brien has announced his resignation as president of the Yass District Cricket Association (YDCA) after 17 terms at the senior divisions and four in junior cricket.
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Mr O’Brien’s announcement came at the annual YDCA awards presentation night on Friday, May 12, where he said he will step down later in 2017 at the AGM.
Asked about highlights, Mr O’Brien said it was witnessing the growth of cricket.
“In general, in the past four years, we’ve gone against trends – we’ve grown in size whereas many associations in country NSW have decreased or merged,” he said.
“That’s been built on back of teams in council areas. As well, the impetus has come from villages outside council areas like Dalton and Harden.”
On the flip side, he said the most difficult aspect has been making decisions in the best interest of cricket in the region. “It’s a lot harder to make decisions than to comment on them, particularly in competitions where we just have a vast array of ages, as well as physical and playing conditions,” O’Brien said.
At the awards presentation night, Yass Golf Club Piranhas captain Daniel Poidevin paid tribute to the outgoing president. “On behalf of all the cricketers in the competition, I’d like to thank Dave for his services. A role he’s taken in the last few years. He’s done a great job and we’ll miss him,” he said.
Mr O’Brien cited other commitments – including presidency of the Yass Valley Sports Council – as reasons for his decision. As well, he is set to undergo foot surgery at year’s end.
“It’ll be in October and will take about a year to recover. And I don't like doing things when I'm not 100 per cent. We’ll bring new blood into the committee,” he said.
However, he said he was still enthusiastic about observing and being involved in cricket.
“I love the nature of the game. There are so many life lessons in cricket. It’s a time-consuming thing where a fine line exists between success and failure. You get to learn a lot about people you play with and against. I’ll still be floating around and going to watch games,” O’Brien said.
“I’ve got a couple of sons playing cricket so will be interested in how they go.”
The YDCA will hold its AGM either in late July or early August to elect a new president.