Especially for one keen young Kyabramite.
Georgia Leonard has found a clever way to improvise and refine her game as the climate cools and ovals are flooded with footballers.
She’s bloody good at it, too.
The keen teen went down an alternate route, travelling to Melbourne to trial for the Victorian under-16 girls indoor cricket side in March.
A month later, she was selected in the team.
And in July, she’ll be on a plane to Western Australia.
Leonard will head to the 2025 Indoor Cricket National Championships at Joondalup’s Bouncer Stadium, continuing her cricketing crusade throughout winter when most sport-mad girls her age are on the netball court or soccer field.
Kyabram Cricket Club vice-president Andrew Porch, who has coached Leonard for the past few seasons, spoke about the up-and-comer’s rise to state recognition.
“She’s an all-rounder, she works really hard on her game and she’s very dedicated to her sport and that’s probably why she is doing as well is she is. She just loves it,” Porch said.
“She’s really coachable, so that probably helps her a lot and she really is keen to learn, listen and improve her game.”
Leonard played a stack of cricket during the 2024-25 season, suiting up for junior, senior and representative duties over the summer.
She pulled triple duty in Kyabram colours, playing for the club’s senior women’s side and under-14 mixed team, in addition to a couple of cameos for the E-grade open contingent.
Leonard then caught the eye of selectors, making the grade for Northern Rivers’ under-15s and Cricket Shepparton under-14s.
The all-rounder had a breakout season with bat and ball, notching 157 runs with a high score of 31 while taking 17 scalps.
She doubled her wickets and runs from the prior season, showing her stock is rising no matter the environment she plunges herself into.
“To come into a club or a sport that is really male dominated and play in the boys teams and the men’s teams, she’s done really well in that regard too,” Porch said.
“She just takes to it like a duck to water, she’s not intimidated by it.
“Full credit to her — she was actually co-captain of our under-14 boys team. (Her) leadership skills and the respect she gets from her teammates really shines through.”
Porch said Leonard was also ferrying to and fro to Melbourne to work with Essendon Cricket Club, lining up a spot in the Bombers’ under-age girls squad.
So whether it’s indoor, outdoor, metro or country, one thing’s for certain: the cricket doesn’t stop when Leonard’s around.
“The cricket club is proud of her and is right behind her, but she also should be proud of herself,” Porch said.
“She’s doing a lot of travel, but a lot of hard work on her cricket. We just wish her all the best.”
17°C