Advantage Cricket Coaching Director Announced As New President of St Andrew's

Darryl Fry, Director and Coach at Advantage Cricket Coaching, was featured recently in a Hamilton Spectator article about new presidents in the Hamilton District Cricket Association.

Darryl was interviewed by Spectator photojournalist Blair Burns.

Here’s the full interview that helped Blair write the article:

Blair Burns: First of all, congratulations and how are you feeling about the role?

Darryl Fry: “I’m feeling grateful and honoured to be given the opportunity to serve St Andrew’s Cricket Club as its President.”

BB: It must be pleasing to get the opportunity to make a big contribution to the club?

DF: “I feel privileged to be able to contribute to the club in any way I can. St Andrew’s has played an important role in my life and the lives of so many other people throughout its rich history. I’m happy to be able to give something back.”

BB: For those that don’t know, when did you come back to the Drews and was that always a plan to come back?

DF: “I initially returned to St Andrew’s when I moved back to Hamilton in May 2019. Soon after, I was appointed as the club’s Director of Coaching and Leadership and was persuaded to come out of a long retirement to play again in St Andrew’s A Grade side. Unfortunately, I had difficulty finding full-time work that appealed to me in Hamilton. When I landed what seemed like a dream job at the start of November 2019, working for Tennis Queensland in Cairns, I left Hamilton again. However, my Queensland dream soon became a nightmare. The job, the climate and Cairns itself weren’t a good fit for me. Two months later I returned to Hamilton with my tail between my legs. Fortunately St Andrew’s welcomed me back and work and business opportunities in Hamilton opened up. My life now is as good, if not better, than it ever has been.

In the lead up to May 2019, I had been increasingly keen to move back to the country. I had been living and working in Melbourne for more than 20 years and I was longing for a country lifestyle for myself and my family at the time. However, that idea was temporarily forgotten when my 10 year marriage ended in December 2016. The following two years were incredibly turbulent and took a significant toll on my mental health. A big factor in my recovery from that very dark time was finally deciding to leave Melbourne and moving back to Hamilton in 2019. Hamilton is a place where I have the love and support of my parents and a community where I am known, connected and respected.”

BB: Was being president of the club something that you had as a bit of a goal or something to tick off?

“I was happy to serve St Andrew’s in any way that was appropriate. The club understands that I have experience, skills and knowledge that can be of benefit. How St Andrew’s wanted to utilise my qualities was up to the committee.”

BB: How did it all come about, the new role and when, obviously Heath Pither filled the role previously?

DF: “The club’s outgoing President, Heath Pither, asked me earlier this year if I was interested in taking over the role, because he was planning to step away from it and was looking for a successor. I was happy to be St Andrew’s President if no one else wanted it and the committee thought I was the right person for the job. I’m thankful for Heath’s nomination to succeed him as President and I’m also thankful for the St Andrew’s committee endorsing my appointment at last month’s Annual General Meeting.”

BB: Is there any particular focus you have for the role or anything you want to work on in particular?

DF: “My aim as President is to help St Andrew’s to maintain and continue to develop its positive and successful culture on and off the field.

St Andrew’s committee is laden with extremely competent people who have a diverse range of skills that help to make the club great. Their actions are driven not only by what is in the best interests of St Andrew’s, but also by what is in the best interests of the game of cricket.

I am very fortunate to be working with such a dynamic and talented group of people, who put the club and the game ahead of themselves.”

BB: Is there anything else you’d like to add that I haven’t covered or you feel necessary to mention in the article?

DF: “St Andrew’s has already been very active during this off-season. The club has secured the services of a number of new players and coaches and has been running an Emerging Players Training Program at Monivae College’s Western Country Regional Cricket Hub. This program has been incredibly well supported by our senior playing group, junior coaches, players and parents. We have had more than 30 junior players attend each session.”