Launceston Cricket Club has come a long way since Louise Joyce first arrived more than 20 years ago. With her son Cody about to start his cricketing career, Joyce made the decision to roll up her sleeves and give her free time to a community that has since had an indelible impact on her life. Though far from alone in her efforts, Joyce has become crucial to the Lions' operation, not least for her chicken burgers which never fail to hit the spot. Even with her son taking a break from cricket this season, Joyce can still be found in the canteen every Saturday. While her commitment to the club has never changed throughout the two decades, Joyce has witnessed an evolution within the Lions and the broader cricket community that she said has brought her immense pride. The introduction and growth of women's cricket. "They're an inspiration to be honest. I mean, I couldn't play cricket, but to watch these girls get out there and play I think it's fantastic," she said. "They should really be proud of themselves and we're all really proud of them." In a boost to helping Launceston increase its support of women's cricket and as reward for the club's hard-working volunteers like Joyce, they have benefited from a financial grant worth $15,000 that was delivered in partnership by Cricket Australia and NRMA Insurance. Alongside the new scoreboard at NTCA 1, the funds will be allocated towards developing and improving their women's program as they aim to reach the level of Cricket North league-leaders South Launceston, according to Joyce. "It'll highlight women's cricket in the sense that it'll help bring in new players and support them and with the scoreboard it's fantastic, because now we can actually see everybody's game. It's not just limited to first and second grade who've got scorers, so the new system is fantastic," she said. Joyce suggested that the grant was well-deserved. "We have such a welcoming community and we put in a lot of hard work," she said. "The club is fantastic. With the history of Launceston and the history of my family and other families that have been in the club, we've all tended to hang around for 20-30 years and I think that brings around the family vibe that we do have and that love of the game, basically." The grant has since entered its next round of applications, which is open to all community cricket clubs. To apply for the NRMA Insurance Community Cricket Club Grants Program, use the link provided.
