Sunshine and blue skies arrived in Perth just in time for this year’s Autism in Cricket Come and Try Session, as individuals of all ages and their families joined us to give cricket a go.
We were thrilled to welcome over 200 children – including cricket enthusiasts and those trying out the sport for the first time – to the WACA Ground last Saturday for an action-packed morning of cricketing activities. It was fantastic to see some familiar faces returning for another session, and plenty of new faces we hope to see again next year!
Heading through the ground gates, participants were encouraged to warm up and enjoy some free play on the field, supported by WA Cricket and Autism Association staff. This gave newer cricketers time to familiarise themselves with the venue and practice their batting, bowling and catching skills before activities began.
A welcome from Autism in Cricket Program Ambassador, Adam Gilchrist, and an overview of the session schedule were next on the agenda. After that, the only thing left to do was get the day underway.
Younger participants had a ball building their skills with Derby Cones, Rob the Nest, Rapid Fire Batting and Scorcher Ball games; while our older cricketers prepped for and played an ICL Game to put their previous and newfound abilities into practice.
Parents were able to relax with a coffee while the kids were busy on the pitch, talking to members of our Endorsed Clubs. A big thank you goes out to Applecross Cricket Club, Joondalup Kinross Cricket Club, Kardinya Cricket Club and Wembley Districts Cricket Club for joining us to support budding batters and bowlers to register for the 2025-2026 season.
Throughout the cricket season, our Endorsed Clubs are provided with free specialist training on Autism and inclusion plus access to resources developed to meet the specific needs of individuals. We look forward to welcoming more existing, new and potential Endorsed Clubs to the Program.
Thank you to each child, their families, and all the volunteers who made the session such a success, and thank you to WA Cricket and the WA Cricket Foundation for making this highly anticipated event possible.
If you couldn’t make it to the 2025 Come and Try Session but would like to find the best community cricket club for your family – or if you just want to find out more about the Autism in Cricket Program, now in its 7th season – please email us at AutismInCricket@autism.org.au.
Check out some snapshots from the day below and join our online Autism in Cricket community to see the full gallery!
