WELCOME TO THE 2026/27 SEASON

PRE SEASON UPDATE

Firstly, apologies for the length of this correspondence, but there is a lot to communicate in the lead up to the pre-season. With the 2026/27 cricket pre-season now just a month away, I wanted to reconnect with our Marist Cricket community and share some exciting updates ahead of another great season.

Thank you to everyone who contributed to the success of last season. MCCCC continues to grow as one of the ACT’s leading community cricket clubs, built on participation, development, teamwork, respect and a genuine love of the game. Our greatest strength remains our people — the players, parents, coaches, managers and volunteers who create a great cricket experience for our boys.

Planning for the new season is well underway, and we look forward to welcoming everyone back to cricket. While we await Cricket ACT’s final competition schedule, we expect the season to commence following the Term 3 school holidays, typically in mid-October. Dates will be confirmed once available.

Registrations for the 2026/27 season are now open. To register, click here.

We encourage families to register early to assist the Club with planning teams, coaches and training arrangements. This will help ensure a smooth start to the season.

For players wishing to trial, players must be registered prior to attending trials.

Current trial information:

·         Stage 1: Sunday, 16 August 2026 (PM) – Marist College Canberra

·         Stage 2: Sunday, 23 August 2026 (PM) – Marist College Canberra

·         Stage 3 and Colts 3rds and 4ths: Sunday, 30 August 2026 (PM) – Marist College Canberra

·         Colts 1st XI and 2nd XI: Sunday, 16 August and Sunday, 23 August 2026 (PM) – Radford College Indoor Centre.

·         Colts (all of Club) - Wednesday, 9 September 2026 (PM, after school) – Marist College Canberra

Further details regarding trials and pre-season Colts programs will be communicated through additional Club communications.

MCCCC Winter Clinic – Celebrating 20 Years

Our popular Winter Clinic returns in 2026 as we celebrate 20 years of preparing Marist cricketers for the season ahead.  Over the past two decades, the clinic has welcomed more than 820 players and continues to provide a great opportunity to develop skills, reconnect with teammates and enjoy quality cricket in a positive environment. Led by former First XI Coach Gary Goodman, alongside Club volunteers and senior cricketers, the clinic brings together experienced members of our cricket community.

The 2026 Winter Clinic details:

·         Dates: 9, 16, 23 and 30 August

·         Time: 9:30am–12:00pm

·         Location: Marist College Canberra Junior Nets

·         Cost: $135

·         Registrations close: 1 August

·         To register for the Winter Clinic, click here.

Senior College Cricket Program – Building for the Future

One of our key off-season priorities has been reviewing and strengthening our senior cricket pathway, particularly our Colts program and the transition of players into senior cricket.  I am delighted with the outcome of this work and excited about the leadership and opportunities this will create across our senior program in 2026/27.

Michael Gunn will continue as First XI Coach, joined by Lavalla House Dean, Mr Peter O’Callaghan as Senior Squad Coach. Together, Michael and Peter will provide strong leadership across our senior teams and further strengthen the connection between Colts, senior cricket and the College pathway.

Investing in Our Coaches

A key priority for MCCCC continues to be investing in our coaches. I am pleased to confirm that MCCCC has been accepted into Cricket ACT’s inaugural Junior Club Coach Developer Grant Program for the 2026/27 season, with the Committee nominating Phil Marchant as our Junior Club Coach Developer. Phil brings his extensive coaching experience and passion for supporting and developing others.

Through this program, Phil will work with our coaching community throughout the season to share knowledge, provide support and build greater consistency across our coaching approach. This is an important investment in our volunteers and will help strengthen the experience we provide for every player across the Club.

If interested in coaching please make sure it is communicated during you’re the registration process.

Facilities and Club Improvements

The Club continues to focus on improving the environment we provide for our players and families, with ongoing investment in facilities, equipment and resources.  As part of this commitment, the senior nets will undergo redevelopment during the Christmas break. The current facilities require an upgrade, and this project reflects the shared commitment of MCCCC and the College to continue improving facilities for our players.

New Coloured Pants for 2026/27

As we transition towards coloured clothing across junior competitions, all players will be required to wear the new coloured Marist cricket pants for the 2026/27 season. This is a Cricket ACT directive as they continue to extend the adoption of white-ball cricket across the competition.

A huge thank you to everyone who supported last season’s fundraising efforts. Those efforts have enabled the Club to secure a discount on pants for all registered players this season. When completing registration, please ensure you select the relevant discount code to access this saving.

Coloured pants are now available through the College uniform shop.

Season Launch

Following the success of last season’s Season Launch, we are pleased to confirm it will return for 2026/27. The event provides a great opportunity for players, families, coaches and volunteers to come together ahead of the season. The Season Launch will be held mid-late September (date to be confirmed).

Your Committee and How You Can Help

This season sees a new MCCCC Committee and many members taking on new roles. We appreciate your patience as everyone settles in and I want to thank our Committee members for their time, energy and commitment to the Club. We are all committed to maintaining the respectful and supportive culture that makes MCCCC such a great club. I personally ask that the same respect and understanding is extended to all our volunteers, who give their time freely to support our players and families.

Like all community clubs, we rely on volunteers and always welcome more people getting involved. Whether through coaches, managers, weekend team volunteers, events, sponsorship, fundraising or helping behind the scenes, every contribution makes a difference. We are always looking for additional volunteers and still have open positions on the Committee, please reach out of you are interested in contributing.

Staying Connected

Through the season my intent is to continue to provide regular updates known as the ‘President’s Pavilion’, sharing key Club news, progress updates and information to keep our community connected.

We are continuing to improve how we communicate with our cricket community. The Club’s new general email address is:  info@maristcricket.com.au

The Club website remains the central source of information, including registrations, timelines, , policies and player updates. WhatsApp and social media channels will continue to provide timely updates and keep our cricket community connected.

Looking Forward

It is a privilege to serve as President of MCCCC, and I am excited about the season ahead. We have a strong foundation, a committed community and a shared ambition to continue providing a great cricket experience for all our players. Thank you to all our players, families, coaches, managers and volunteers for everything you do to make MCCCC such a special club. I look forward to welcoming everyone back for the 2026/27 season in the coming weeks.

Regards,

Scott Foley

President

Marist College Canberra Cricket Club

PDF signed copy of Presidents Pavilion Letter