New coach for Rosella women

A LONGTIME Roo will bound from the Teesdale Cricket Club to Lethbridge next season, with past player Luke Keys announced as coach for the Rosellas’ senior women.

Keys’ role was revealed late last month, and he’ll lead the club’s three women’s sides for the upcoming 2023/24 season set to start in October.

With Lethbridge’s women program established three years ago, he said he’s excited to be a part of its development.

“I’m looking forward to getting in there and watching the ladies progress,” he said. “It’s pretty exciting for Lethbridge having the team the third year in a row. It brings a lot of depth to the club.

“My partner plays there so I was down there most weekends and there’s just a great feel so I reached out and said I was happy to help out which progressed to this.

“I coached a juniors season for Teesdale about six, seven years ago and I always wanted to go back to it.”

The position will mark a return to cricket for Keys, who played with the Rosellas for about 25 years before a recent hiatus of about three years.

He anticipated training will start by the end of the month.

The club’s women’s program began with two teams competing in the Barwon Women’s Cricket Competition’s northern section before maintaining three sides every season since.

With one team making it to the grand final each year, president Damien Harwood said the club is looking to get their top women’s team into the A Grade competition this year.

He said Keys’ appointment is another step forward the club’s contribution to women’s cricket in the region.

“Luke’s passion is what got me,” he said. “He was excited about jumping onboard and taking the women’s team forward.

“We’d be the second largest women’s club in the Barwon region, if not western Victoria. Women’s cricket is fundamentally important, it’s massive for the community and Golden Plains itself.

“It creates a wonderful family atmosphere and I’ll continue to be a huge supporter of it.”

Club members will look to expand their women’s program to include a junior girls side, with come and try events set to take place later this year.