As a passionate member of the local cricket community in the Eastern Suburbs, I have seen firsthand how our young players are being disadvantaged.

The South Eastern Junior Cricket Association (SEJCA) has on three separate occasions in the past two seasons included players who have not participated in local club competitions in representative cricket teams. On two of these occasions, the players in question did not even participate in open trials.

Given that local club players fund SEJCA operations through their club registration fees it is completely inappropriate for outside players to be parachuted into representative teams.

Our junior cricketers dedicate countless hours to training and participating in club competitions with the hope of being selected for representative teams.

This unfair practice has cost local players once-in-a-lifetime opportunities to represent their community and further their sporting careers.

SEJCA Representative Coordinators must act in the best interests of our local competition players rather than gifting opportunities to players who have never participated in local competitions.

We are calling upon the SEJCA Executive Committee:

• Dean O'Hara, President
• Chris Flintoft, Vice President and Representative Coordinator
• Vic Ferrara , Treasurer
• Daniel Wise, Secretary and Representative Coordinator
• Paul Tait, General Committee Member

To disavow the practice of seeking dispensations for players who have not previously participated in local club competitions.

 

Further we call upon local club leadership:

• Dean O'Hara, Sydney Coastal President  
• Vic Ferrara , Randwick Juniors President
• Paul Frampton, ESCC Juniors Coordinator

To ensure that their club’s SEJCA Executive Committee delegates act in the interests of local players.

 

And finally we call on Dean O’Hara, SEJCA President, to issue a formal apology on behalf of the SEJCA Executive Committee to the players who participated in the:

• 2022 U14 Open Trials
• 2022 U15 Open Trials
• 2023 U15 Open Trials

As these players were unfairly disadvantaged by decisions taken by the Representative Coordinators.

Please sign this petition to support our local junior cricketers!