When the WA Cricket Foundation rolled into Northam this year, it didn’t just bring cricket bats and cones. It brought high-fives, big smiles, and a message to kids at Avonvale Education Support Centre: cricket is for everyone.
Across four sessions in a single day, students from kindergarten through to Year 12 took part in Star Blast-style inclusion cricket – a program built to adapt to every ability, every age, and every learner. From Northam High School’s senior students to the Primary Campus’s early childhood classes, the day was designed around one idea: that every child deserves a genuine shot at falling in love with sport.
Avonvale Education Support Centre holds a unique place in the Wheatbelt – it’s the region’s only Education Support Centre. For WA Cricket’s Disability Programs Specialist Annie Rogan, that’s exactly why days like this matter so much.
“It’s massively important that WA Cricket and the WA Cricket Foundation comes out to regional areas, especially in the Wheatbelt where Avonvale Education Support Centre is the only Education Support Centre,” Rogan said.
“It’s important they see we’re really passionate about ensuring people with disabilities in regional spaces are thought of and looked after when it comes to giving them opportunities in cricket.”
None of it happens without support behind the scenes, Rogan added. “We couldn’t really do it without the support of the WA Cricket Foundation, which makes these programs possible.” And the energy on the day spoke for itself.
“From the moment the kids came out, the energy was high with high-fives everywhere – they were loving it.”
For Nina Caputo, a teacher at Avonvale Education Support Centre, the value of the day went well beyond the cricket itself.
“It was just great to see them learning to use their bodies in a more functional, careful way, and you could just see their enjoyment,” Caputo said. “Also doing it together and being with a different group of adults, it’s special for them.”
It’s a visit that leaves a mark long after the equipment’s packed away, she said.
“It makes them feel important, that they’ve got this group coming to visit them, and that they are more likely to be interested in sport.”
Caputo also pointed to how adaptable the Star Blast equipment is to different needs and skill levels.
“The different ways they can use the equipment – on its side or jumping over, or aiming and target practice – I think they’re going to be very invested in using this equipment. We just need to help with the turn-taking.”
Programs like Star Blast are built around a simple philosophy: give kids a safe space to learn new skills, at their own pace, with coaches trained to adapt on the fly.
The flow-on effects go well beyond the boundary rope – building confidence, sharpening coordination, and helping kids form friendships and communication skills they carry well beyond the session.
For a region like the Wheatbelt, where access to specialist programs can be limited, that makes visits like this one count for a lot – not just as a day of fun, but as a genuine investment in inclusion.