Mt Cameron Pre-season Camp Report

In the remote north-east corner of Tasmania, sitting below the granite peaks of Mt.Cameron in dry sclerophyll forest is the Scottsdale High Field Study Centre. This was the setting for the LCC pre-season camp held on the 16^th, 17^th and 18^th of September 2011. The weekend had in store plenty of problem solving challenges and those in the first group that left Launceston mid afternoon, got one straight up – How do you fit 9 blokes, all their gear and three days’ supplies of food and beer for 18 people in two car? Mmmm… Sam ‘what are we having for dinner’ Briggs will tell you the ride up was just a little bit squeezy. The second group left in a convoy of three cars a couple of hours later at 5pm. Between them, and within only a few kilometres of the centre, managed to lose an exhaust pipe, hit a wombat and take a wrong turn between them. This served to double the usual 1.5hr journey time and they arrived a tad frazzled at 8pm. Good start!

After dinner (what was it again Briggsy?), we were divided up into groups and given very trendy team headbands that we had to wear for the rest of the weekend. Then we donned our head torches and headed to the nearby obstacle course for few activities. Along with some wall climbing and cable traversing, was a great challenge where we had to get everyone through a giant spider web made of rope.  Here was the brief: 17 holes, one for each of us. All different sizes and shapes, some low down, some four or five feet high. Didn’t seem like a tough assignment, until our caretaker and guide Craig ‘Bear’ Searle explained we needed to do it without making contact with the rope.  Working as gracefully as swans we managed to get 15 of us through without a hitch. Spirits were high - Only two to go! At this point Craig told us in the 30 years he’s worked there, a group this big has never got through without touching the rope. There was a real buzz about the group at this stage – a mixture of nerves and excitement, all of us daring to wish that we might be about to make history. The two left were Rowan ‘Warrior’ Smith and James ‘no arse’ Kingston. We were all confident – Rocket is good at these kinds of things and Kingo’s built like a coat hanger. Plus, we made sure the last two holes were the easiest to get through. Rowan took a run up and executed a perfect diving forward roll through his hole. Always classy under pressure. 1 to go. “Come on Kingo!” the 16 blokes on the other side shouted out, “Piece of piece mate, you’ve got it covered!” Kingo stared down at the hole. Yeah this should be easy, he thought to himself. “Maybe he could do something cool like Rocket too?” he wondered. “No, not the time for antics with so much responsibility resting on my shoulders,” he wisely concluded. After taking a big deep breath, he stepped closer to the hole. Everyone went quiet and watched on. Kingo decided to tackle it crab style, bent over and took a sideways step through the hole. Next thing he knew, everyone’s got their hands their heads going “NOOOOOO KINGOOOO NOOOOOO!” Kingo’s arse, which until then no one knew existed, had brushed up against the rope! Mission failed. Aspirations squashed. Record safe for another day.

The next morning we set out on a bushwalk that took us to the summit of Mount Cameron. On route younger ones partook in an uphill sprint with George Pykecroft taking the honours. We also stopped by an interesting cluster of tall, tightly knit granite boulders, known as ‘The Maze’. Despite recent form, we managed not to lose anyone in it. Atop the peak we were challenged by strong winds but also rewarded with amazing views of the north east including Musselroe Bay and further on to the Furneaux islands. After lunch we were back in our groups and set the challenge of making bush stretchers that had to be strong enough to withstand the weight of one team member for more than 30 seconds. All teams worked brilliantly and passed the test, even Wombat and Co with a stretcher which initially looked as useful as an ashtray on a motorbike.

After walking back to base camp, we had a quick break, ate Brew’s delicious zero calorie scones and then set off for nearby rock face to do some abseiling. This was one of the highlights of the trip for most of the group – and easily the most challenging for Kingo who got a particularly sensitive part of his pelvic area trapped beneath his harness whilst making his descent. Risty, a first time abseiler, went from tentative, nervous shuffles on his first attempt to practically jumping from the top to the bottom in one go by the last. What an athlete! What a competitor! You know what I’m saying??  

Abseiling was followed by some more activities in the obstable course this time involving lots of climbing and swinging on ropes. Ryan Lees stole the show by setting a new record time on the rope and tyre challenge.

Stand outs for the day included group motivator Car Sick Stu (Jonesy’s deep south pan pipe playing alter ego), Pykey  for showing us how to knock over a pile of rocks twenty metres away and Woodsy for taking pretty much all the hits nature had to offer us on the day.

After dinner, we jumped back into cricket mode and had a fantastic, hugely productive group discussion about our goals for the upcoming season. We covered a huge amount of ground during the three hour session. This included establishing KPIs for training sessions & match days and discussing the roles and aspirations of every player present at the camp.  I think everyone walked away from it feeling even more motivated and crystal clear on what we are about heading into a new phase of the club’s history.

To cap off a fantastic weekend, the next morning Craig treated us to a go on the flying fox. It was originally the longest one in Tasmania until Hollybank Treetop Adventures opened up, stretching almost 100 metres across a steep gully. Everyone had a crack and Shachie even did the extra fast ‘cannonball’ manoeuvre which thankfully didn’t result in him having to be peeled from the anchoring tree on the receiving end.

The main premise for the pre-season camp to Mt Cameron was to get older players together with the young up and comers and give them an opportunity to hang out and get to know each other a bit better. As a result, strong foundations have been set not just for this summer but also for the future of the club.

A huge thanks must go to Rocket and Bunts who organised the weekend and also to Craig Searle who was a generous, engaging and knowledgeable host. All the players who attended would agree, the camp was greatly rewarding as well as a lot of fun.

Pre-season 2011-12 dates announced

With winter well and truly upon us, it means that football is in full swing and a new cricket season is dawning. Please find attached a schedule for Pre-season training for Launceston Cricket Club. There has been plenty going on since that last ball was bowled in March and we must now start to prepare ourselves for the challenges of season 2011/12.

Pre-season training is open to all senior players, male & female, and to any junior cricketer wanting to play u/17's or senior cricket this coming season. Most importantly, your attendance is required at a meeting on Monday July 25th at the clubrooms to outline the pre-season expectations, coaching structure, and it will also provide an opportunity to meet new players. We encourage all players & supporters to attend this meeting as well as anyone who you think would like to play for the Lions this coming season. 

If you have any questions regarding the schedule, then please contact myself on 0418 998233 or Anthony Rist 0418441974 to discuss.

Thanks,

    Adam Drinkwell   &     Anthony Rist

Last updated Monday 29th September

2010-11 Weymouth Pre-season Camp

The Launceston Cricket Club recently held a very successful pre-season camp recently at Weymouth.  Senior and up-coming players were invited for a series on team building and individual challenges. The challenges often required critical thinking and decision making, working cohesively as a team and also built upon fitness developed over the pre-season. The challenges were co-ordinated by coach Anthony Rist, Captain Paul Bunton and head of cricket operations Rod Smith who all did a fantastic job setting the challenges and making sure things ran smoothly.

It was superb to see promising juniors James Whitley and James Bowen come along and they would have got so much out of it. James Bowen was quoted as saying ‘I got so much out of it’. The pair will no doubt have formed great relations with the senior players and this will hold them in good stead for the coming season.

Some of the challenges included a triathlon, taken out by Rowan Smith after fast kayak and run legs. Paul Bunton was brilliant on the bike. James Kingston enjoyed his breakfast cereal so much he decided to try it again on the run leg. Other challenges included tug of war, 3-way tug of war, tyre drag racing (smashed by Ross and Paul), tyre rolling, balance puzzles, star gazing, mind games, board skis, golf (James Bowen assures us he won that) and more. There are plenty of photos of the challenges. Overall Paul Bunton took home the title of Australia’s Greatest Athlete.

There was also plenty of down time to watch the footy semi finals and play cards. There was also plenty of time to get Kingo with ‘the old pick up the footy and get sprayed by the hose through the fence trick’, always a highlight of a players trip. All in all it was a super weekend and on that can be built upon next year. It will hold us in good stead during the year when times get tough.