TO SAY that Frank Marklew is passionate about the Jung Tigers and helping to develop junior cricketers would be putting it mildly.
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“I’m probably the only one still playing that is originally from Jung,” Marklew said.
“I’ve started playing out at Jung when I was about eight years old and I’m 56 now.
“If they were short of players they would ask me to go out and field; it was just an honour to be even be out on the ground with guys like the Rushs and the McCraes.
They are legends of Jung and I learnt a lot from those guys.”
As well as spending nearly 50 years playing for Jung, Marklew has filled various roles at the club wherever he can help out.
“It’s always especially good to help out the young players that come through,” he said.
“I will do anything to help out the club off the field because it’s a passion.
“While playing cricket you meet plenty of people and make great friendships – its great to turn up each year to play with and against the same guys for years and years and years.”
“I’m probably the oldest person playing at the club now and I’m playing in the same games as up and coming players,” he said.
“There was a cricket grand final a few years ago and we were at the hotel after the game for a few drinks.
“I looked around and thought how young all the kids were and the next minute this young feller comes up, hits me on the shoulder and goes ‘Frank, you legend. I remember you teaching me at Milo Cricket.’
“That would have been nearly twenty years prior and I was now watching him on the dance floor.”
The Milo Cricket program that runs at Jung has been in Marklew’s reliable hands for more than 20 years.
He said if you teach juniors the right way from the start then you just watch them continue to improve.
“You might have kids that turn up with no idea how to hold a ball or bat but our role is to teach them how to have fun playing cricket,” he said.
“That’s where it all starts, they progress through Milo, then junior cricket, and then on to seniors.
“It’s about having that pathway.”
It is the satisfaction and enjoyment he gets from watching young players improve that keeps Marklew involved in the program.
“I started with it when my son was only five,” he said.
“I saw him and his teammates come through to play in the highest grade they could.
“That happens with a lot of the juniors and I get a thrill out of it.
“It’s also just seeing the smiles on faces when they make runs or take wickets.”
Jung president Nigel Binny said Marklew was a stalwart of the club that just loves being involved.
“He is really passionate about developing the juniors,” he said.
“For him it’s not just about developing their skills, it’s also about trying to make sure they enjoy the sport.
“You can also see he gets a lot of enjoyment out of it as well.”
Marklew said he was always happy to put his hand up to help.
“I got involved as a parent because you do what you can for your kids,” he said.
“I just think people need to be encouraged to get out there and help there kids because all of a sudden they’ve gone from being little to all grown up.”