It’s not unusual that Gisborne players are named in the Central Highlands representative sides for yearly state championships.
Names such as Patrick McKenna, Tom Rogers and Matthew Underwood are just a few of the Dragons to perform at the higher level.
But while the names of Bianca Mackay, Georgia Kerr and Molly Sparke aren’t so familiar, they should be, as the Gisborne girls continue to flourish.
In this season’s three Highlanders state championships sides, six Dragons girls have been selected – that’s just behind Golden Point, which has dedicated girls’ teams that attract many players from across the region.
Mackay, Kerr and Sparke competed in the under-18 championships late last year, with Kerr co-captain of the side. Georgia Paton and Imogen Barlow are in the under-16 team, while Bridget Barlow has been named in the under-14 side.
Dragons’ Gavin Mackay said the club had several girls playing across the club’s junior sides, something they were keen to expand on.
“It was something that started four to five years ago,” he said. “My daughter [Bianca] started one year, and then three or four girls who had played cricket at school together decided to join.
“I believe we have somewhere between 15 and 22 girls playing and then we have the women’s side as well.”
Mackay says making sure girls are having fun is the key to keeping them in the sport.
“Technically, they are as good as the boys,” he said. “At Gisborne we try to have at least two girls in each team. They learn to play the game and have fun as well. If they’re having fun, they’ll keep coming back.”
Several have played for the Dragons women’s side, while others play senior cricket each week in the men’s competition. This includes four girls who play in the Gisborne and District Cricket Association’s south grade, along with their fathers.
Last season, Georgia and Rob Kerr became the first father-daughter duo to play together for the club and possibly for the competition.
“There are four daughters and three sons in the team, now,” he said, saying the move to lower grades of the men’s competition would help girls transition into the women’s side. It’s unlikely the state championships will be the last time these girls’ names are heard, he predicted.
