Fuelled by a love for the game and a desire to make cricket more accessible to his local community, Grant Manners has been a driving force in the growth of cricket at Otūmoetai ‘Cadets’ Cricket Club.
A Cadets stalwart for over 30 years, Manners has worn just about every hat imaginable.
His roles have included player, president, committee member, administrator, coach, PlayHQ lead and even electrician.
As club captain, he has led efforts to transform the club into a hub of cricketing activity.
“Undoubtedly the highlight of my voluntary work is to see the growth of the club at the (Ōtūmoetai) Cadets,” said Manners.
“Through a number of initiatives and the efforts of some great people, the club has gone from struggling to fill two teams to fielding 13 teams across junior and senior cricket last season.”
Noticing that many local high school cricketers were missing out on playing due to a lack of numbers, Manners helped open the club’s doors to youth players – an effort that saw eight youth teams take the field last season.
Manners also helped to introduce a Sunday League Competition, giving junior and youth cricketers another avenue to play and develop their skills.
A couple of seasons back, Manners returned to the playing field himself.
He now turns out for the Ōtūmoetai 5th XI, captaining and mentoring the younger players.
Beyond the club, Manners has contributed over three decades to Bay of Plenty Cricket both on and off-field.
His résumé includes 79 Hawke Cup appearances and a decade of service across the Bay of Plenty and Western Bay of Plenty boards.
According to Manners, being involved in cricket has benefitted him as much as it has his club.
“Playing cricket again has been a huge boost to my fitness and mental health,”
“The camaraderie, the team spirit, and seeing others return to the game has made it all the more enjoyable,” he explained.
“The pride in seeing how far our club has come, and hearing from parents about the impact it's had on their kids, makes all the effort worthwhile,”
“I'm grateful for the many memories I’ve enjoyed both on and off the pitch.”
