Dan Christian inspires prison team at Imparja Cup

The team of players who play under the banner of the Alice Springs Correctional Centre Eagles have been given the privilege of being allowed outside the prison to participate in the 25th Annual Imparja Cup.

Their participation in the tournament is part of the Correctional Centre’s partnership with Cricket NT that since 2016 has seen prisoners who are rehabilitating produce artwork such as bats, balls, stumps and trophies for all the Imparja Cup Divisions.

Ian MacDowell Jones, the Sport and Recreation Officer at the Correction Centre says that he uses Cricket as an ideal tool to prepare his players for release back into society.

“Sport is important for all our men and women, but cricket is becoming a bit more of a passion than any other sport here at the jail.

“Giving players the chance to participate in the Imparja Cup helps teach them about team building, sharing the load and taking responsibility for their actions.

“It also gives them a chance to get involved with a number of Indigenous outside programs that we work closely with so they can put a name to a face while they are inside the jail so that when they come out they’ve actually got that face to go to which just gives them a hand on the outside to stay clean, stay healthy and get pointed in the right direction.”

Speaking about Dan Christian’s visit MacDowell said:

“When I told the boys this morning that they were having a one on one session with Dan they were absolutely over the moon. They were all ecstatic about the opportunity to work with someone who is a professional in their field and to have someone who is willing to actually talk to them and show them some skills, they just lapped it up.”

Christian who was in Alice Springs working with players and coaches at the National Indigenous Cricket Championships says the experience with the prisoners was a positive one.

“They were very excited to meet someone that plays in the Big Bash and that they have seen play on TV so it was nice to be able to give them a few tips and to help them out as much as I could,” said Christian.

“It was great to hear a little bit about the reintegration program and what they are doing here playing as part of the Imparja Cup which appears to be working really well for them.”

Christian took the group of prisoners through a session that included a combination of bowling, batting and fielding drills.