FORMER local Brendan Lyon returned to Young last week to host the town’s first Lyon Cricket clinic, and he was pleasantly surprised at the response.
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Thirty-two junior cricketers from Young, Temora, Boorowa and Canberra attended the clinic held at Keith Cullen Oval on Wednesday.
Lyon said it was the biggest response the clinic had received all week, outdoing that of Canberra, Wagga Wagga, Tamworth and Coffs Harbour.
“I was pleasantly surprised at the level of ability, and it was the most we’ve had at any regional area we’ve been,” he said.
And it’s not just boys who got in on the action, with up and coming female cricketer Bridie Turner also keen to expand her skills.
“There was some real excellence on show,” Lyon said.
“There were obviously some very talented rep players, but even people who were beginning were quite impressive in some of the skills they were showcasing.”
The clinic mainly focused on teaching juniors batting and bowling techniques, as well as game awareness.
Lyon, more than anyone, knows the importance of bringing clinics to regional areas in order to give country kids equivalent opportunity to those in metropolitan areas.
He recalled his younger days playing junior cricket in the morning, followed by senior cricket in the afternoon with the Young Hotel Dragons.
“I was 12, and Nathan was about 12 when he started First Grade in Young as well,” Lyon said.
“We learnt off some amazing players in that time and had some really excellent mentors.”
His achievements included captaining the Lachlan and Western Zones, making NSW Country, winning the O’Farrell Cup and on winning several competitions with the Young Hotel Dragons.
He said his parents, grandparents and local cricketers all played a role in the early stages of his sporting career.
“[My influences were] Michael Slater and Shane Warne, and on a local level Peter Hamblin, and I also looked up to a fella called Michael McAnespie,” Lyon said.
“And more recent times I’ve had a mentor by the name of Peter Bowler in WA who’s been an amazing influence on my career.”
And now as a mentor himself, Lyon has some simple advice to junior cricketers coming through the ranks.
“Just enjoy the ride, take on all information that you can and be able to select what part of that you’d like to use,” he said.
“And I guess never stop chasing that dream - my little brother Nathan is the perfect example of what can be achieved if you really want something bad enough.”
