History

The Coaches’ Association (HKHDCCA) was formed in 2010 with the intention of establishing an organization that was focused on the development of accredited cricket coaches and junior players. Bruce Wood OAM was the Founder and inaugural President, a position he continues to perform today.  The Coaches’ Association is an inclusive cricket coaching organization responsible for recruiting and accrediting young coaches in north-western Sydney; conducting junior cricket clinics during the school holidays and development programs in the off-season. HKHDCCA designs and implements coaching programs aimed at increasing the cricket participation, skills and enjoyment of boys and girls aged 5 – 15, including beginners, club players, representative standard players, and children with special needs.

The Coaches’ Association has experienced significant growth since its inception in 2010 and is now the largest not-for-profit junior cricket coaching organization in Australia, with approximately 35 active coaches, 15 of which hold the Cricket Australia Representative (Level 2) coaching accreditation. Around 800 boys and girls attend the Coaches’ Association’s various programs each year, and the school holiday junior cricket clinics at Mark Taylor Oval, Waitara, are always sold out in advance, with 80 – 100 young players in attendance. As at April 2025, a total of 88 junior cricket clinics had been held by the Coaches’ Association since 2010.

The Coaches’ Association has a long-standing partnership with Northern District CC regarding its popular school holiday junior cricket clinics, and overseas cricket tours.  The beneficial relationship goes beyond these two major programs, as HKHDCCA bases its activities at Mark Taylor Oval, Waitara (home ground of NDCC).  Many of HKHDCCA’s senior coaches play Grade Cricket for NDCC, having advanced through HK&HDCA and/or the Coaches’ Association’s cricket pathways.

The Coaches’ Association recognizes that one of its key responsibilities is to raise coaching standards within Hornsby Ku-ring-gai & Hills District Cricket Association (HK&HDCA) and its affiliated clubs.  HKHDCCA has conducted several ‘Coach the Coaches’ free sessions in recent years, which have been well attended by junior team coaches from the various clubs.  Our experienced coaches have provided valuable insights and practical suggestions to make the weekly team training sessions more enjoyable and beneficial for the young boys and girls.

The Coaches’ Association aims to continue to expand its subsidized coaching programs to a wider cross-section of the community. HKHDCCA also strongly supports the growth of Girls’ cricket at grassroots, club and representative levels. The successful implementation of these initiatives assists in facilitating sporting, cultural and social inclusion in the community, while also promoting healthy, active lifestyles, and increasing the participation rate in cricket in NSW.

HKHDCCA has also arranged six successful overseas cricket tours, comprising U/15 Boys tours to Sri Lanka (2015), Barbados (2017), India (2019, 2023, 2025), and a Girls U/17 tour to India (2024). Sixteen players from these tours have gone on to play First Grade cricket in Sydney, whilst three players have professional cricket contracts with State teams and BBL franchises in Australia.

The Coaches’ Association is proud to have a long-standing ClubGRANTS partnership with Parramatta Leagues Club, which commenced in 2015.  The generous funding has enabled the Coaches’ Association to offer an expanded range of programs at subsidized rates, or free for certain groups.  HKHDCCA displays the Parra Leagues logo on the players’ and coaches’ uniforms, and promotes the club on Facebook, Instagram and LinkedIn; on its official letterhead; and in its Annual Reports.  The Coaches’ Association holds committee meetings, dinners and social functions (including Kicks TenPin Bowling) at Parra Leagues, as well as events at Vikings Sports Club at Dundas (owned by Parra Leagues).