Women as Leaders: Heidi Sutherland

With experience in starting an all girls football team, Sutherland was invited to join the committee to assist in providing an all-girls cricket platform within the league.

As a mother of one of the participants and as a representative of East Malvern Tooronga Cricket Club, Sutherland’s input proved to be integral in deciding the finer details of the competition as well as recruiting players.

Wanting to promote the new competition, Sutherland assisted in coordinating a mass flyer drop to local schools with the aim of encouraging girls to play in the tournament with their friends.

“Girls respond differently to boys,” Sutherland said.

“They are more likely to respond better if their friends suggest they come and try, in effect inviting them to be involved.”

After a period of recruiting, four clubs – East Malvern Tooronga, Bentleigh ANA, Mount Waverley and Toorak Prahran – entered the competition, with Sutherland’s daughter Annabel among the recruits.

In addition to the competition, Sutherland has also seen her daughter represent Victoria in the 12-and-under School Sport Australia Cricket Championships.

Along with Annabel, Sutherland’s eldest son, Will, has also represented the state in the 12-and-under SSA Cricket Championships as well as the Inner South East Scorpions in the Under-14 Victorian Bushrangers Pathway Championships.

In club cricket, Sutherland’s family is spread across two clubs with Will at East Malvern Tooronga, youngest son Tom at Malvern and Annabel at both.

“It’s nice to see them being able to enjoy something together,” Sutherland said.

With the SDCCL Spartan Sports All Girls Competition concluding in March, Sutherland will join committee members in turning their focus to next season.

“We want to continue establishing the competition and strategically develop it as a pathway for girls,” Sutherland said.

“Recruitment of new players and retention of current players will be integral for next season.”

Heidi Sutherland is the third story in Cricket Victoria’s Women as Leaders series. Each month we will highlight the achievements of the leading women in Victorian cricket. Click here for more information on Women as Leaders in cricket.