Three World Cup titles, an Australian captaincy and a place in the Australian Cricket Hall of Fame. Sharon Tredrea’s contribution to cricket would be worth celebrating even if her story stopped there. But at Apollo Bay Cricket Club, the Victorian great is still adding chapters – coaching women and girls, lending a hand behind […]
Three World Cup titles, an Australian captaincy and a place in the Australian Cricket Hall of Fame. Sharon Tredrea's contribution to cricket would be worth celebrating even if her story stopped there.
But at Apollo Bay Cricket Club, the Victorian great is still adding chapters – coaching women and girls, lending a hand behind the scenes and helping others discover their own love of the game.
This Women & Girls Week, Cricket Victoria is celebrating Tredrea's lasting impact, from representing Victoria and Australia to strengthening cricket in her coastal community.
Apollo Bay Club Secretary Alex Baird said her influence had been extraordinary since she first became involved with the club's junior girls almost five years ago.
"Sharon's contribution to Apollo Bay's women's program and the club on a wider scale has been nothing short of remarkable since she first helped our junior girls almost five years ago," Baird said.
"Sharon has since captained our inaugural women's team, taken out the club champion award and is now coach of both our junior girls and women's teams, with the club pinching itself Australian cricketing royalty does so much for us."
Her return to cricket began with some persistent encouragement from club stalwarts Gavin Clissold and Toby Caddy, who recognised the opportunity to involve a former Australian captain in their emerging girls' program.
What started as helping junior training, grew into a return to playing, leadership of the club's inaugural women's side and an enduring commitment to the Sharks.
Reflecting on that return in an earlier interview, Tredrea admitted playing again had been far from her thoughts.
"Playing again didn't even enter my stratosphere," she said.
"But as it went along it just got more enjoyable."
That enjoyment has translated into a contribution extending well beyond the boundary.
"Off the field, Sharon has been just as instrumental," Baird said.
"She has jumped on the committee, painted the lines, helped work on our upgraded nets, fundraise, introduce new and fun merchandise and additions to the club rooms, and that's only just scratching the surface."
For Apollo Bay's players, it means having an experienced coach and a committed club person in their corner, someone willing to help improve the facilities as she is to share advice at training.
Tredrea's own journey began at Preston Cricket Club, where a recruitment poster prompted her to join with two school friends. From there, she progressed to representing Victoria and Australia, becoming one of the outstanding fast bowlers of her era.
With an international career spanning 15 years from 1973 to 1988, Tredrea played 10 Tests and 31 One Day Internationals, taking 62 wickets. She was part of Australia's World Cup-winning teams in 1978, 1982 and 1988, and was inducted into the Australian Cricket Hall of Fame in 2020. Her standing in Victorian cricket is also recognised through the Sharon Tredrea Award, presented annually to the Victorian Women's Team Player of the Year.
Now, she is passing that experience on to players beginning their own cricket journeys.
The supportive environment at Apollo Bay was something Tredrea highlighted when previously discussing the women's program.
"If anyone has any success at anything it's celebrated," she said.
"They're just a group of people that are happy they're playing cricket together."
It is a fitting continuation of a remarkable cricket story. From the international stage to junior training and working bees, Tredrea continues to give back to the game and help make Apollo Bay a place where more women and girls can belong, improve and enjoy their cricket.
