The inaugural WA Cricket Club Forum brought together more than 100 club leaders, volunteers and sports professionals at the WACA Ground on Sunday 27 July, uniting under the theme Shaping Change for the Future.
WA Cricket Club Forum Unites Community for Future Growth
The event featured 25 guest speakers and panelists from across sport and community leadership, offering insights and practical strategies to strengthen club culture, support volunteers and create inclusive, welcoming environments.
High-profile contributors included West Coast Eagles Head of Women’s Football and AFLW great Michelle Cowan, WA Cricket great and Female Cricket Council Chair Angele Gray, Tennis West CEO Olivia Birkett, star WA allrounder Amy Edgar, WA Men’s Head Coach Adam Voges, WA Cricket CEO John Stephenson and Chair Gail McGowan PSM, among other esteemed guests.
Topics covered throughout the day ranged from Shaping Change for Women and Girls and Shaping Change for Future Generations through to practical workshops on Modern Volunteering, Conflict Resolution in Sport and Building Your Club’s Local Identity.
WA Cricket General Manager – Community Cricket, Jo Davies, said the forum reflected WA Cricket’s commitment to ensuring clubs feel supported and connected.
“Community cricket is built on the passion and dedication of volunteers, and this forum was about recognising that commitment while also providing tools to help clubs thrive into the future,” Davies said.
She added that bringing together voices from across sport created a powerful platform for learning and collaboration.
“We wanted to inspire new thinking by connecting our clubs with leaders who have driven change in their own fields. Hearing from people like Michelle Cowan and Olivia Birkett really reinforced that, while each sport has its own challenges, we all share the same goal of creating safe, welcoming and sustainable places for people to play.”
Davies said she was particularly encouraged by the engagement of attendees throughout the day.
“The enthusiasm in the room was fantastic – people were willing to ask questions, challenge ideas and share their own experiences. That’s exactly the type of collaboration we need if cricket is to continue to grow and adapt to the changing needs of players, families and communities.”
WA Cricket will now work with clubs to embed key learnings from the forum into practical initiatives ahead of the 2025-26 season.