Rob Hales winner of July’s Game Changer of the Month award
Lancashire Cricket is delighted to announce that the winner of The Game Changer of the Month Award for July, is Rob Hales
The monthly initiative aims to recognise and reward the outstanding contributions made by individuals working in cricket across Lancashire every month, with a Game Changer of the Year to be named at Lancashire Cricket’s annual End of Season Awards.
Rob is Chair of the Lancashire Association of Cricket Officials (ACO) which demands a large amount of volunteer time to develop the skills of umpires and officials, make umpiring appointments for matches across the county, and also the training of new umpires.
He has recently undertaken a review of the ACO to put a focus into Leagues’ & Club’s, Women’s & Girls’, Young Officials and Scorers. Combined with this are the extensive training courses which Rob administers, alongside his hard-working committee.
Recent developments in this area, has seen Rob train up 25 new female Umpires via the Level 1 and Level 2 Courses which he co-ordinates and runs himself. Rob also umpires throughout the cricket season, giving up his weekends to support league cricket.
Along with his ACO commitments, he is a member of Mawdesley Cricket Club in Chorley and was recently awarded life membership for his hardwork, commitment, and effort.
Rob was presented with a cheque for £150, to purchase something which will assist with his ongoing voluntary work, by Lancashire’s wicket-keeper batsman George Lavelle.
He also received a trophy to mark his achievement and a complimentary stay at Emirates Old Trafford’s on-site Hilton Garden Inn for a domestic matchday.
Upon receiving the Game Changer of the Month Award, Rob Hales said: “It is a huge honour to receive this award and recognition from Lancashire Cricket.
“Really, the award is for all of the members of the Lancashire ACO because they put in one hell of an effort to make sure that recreational cricket is played in Lancashire and at the best level possible.
“The whole game would fall apart without volunteers; throughout the county we have got hundreds of volunteers in all sorts of roles. Without them, the recreational game would not exist.”
The Game Changer recognition programme affirms Lancashire Cricket’s involvement and commitment to recreational and grassroots cricket in the North West, with Red Rose players awarding winners at their clubs.
Lancashire Cricket wicket-keeper George Lavelle added: “Rob putting the time and effort he does into recreational cricket is a massive job and I know that everybody really appreciates the volunteering work that Rob, and many others, do.
“I know from my time playing for Ormskirk CC the amount of work that goes into getting the game on and allowing so many of us to go out there and do what we enjoy doing.”