Started with the Club in the 1983/84 season as co-coach/manager of the 12E team. He also joined the Club’s Management Committee as the Publicity Officer. In the same year he made a comeback to playing having played some years previously in the Georges River/Penshurst Association. Between 1983/84 and 1996/97 he coached junior and senior teams, the most successful year being 1997 when he took the 16B team to a final.
Most of his time with the Club he led the way as a Left Hand opening bat and in 1986/87 won the Sutherland Shire Cricket Association (SSCA) batting award for the best batsman in C3 grade. He played and captained for the club anywhere from C3 to B2 Grades but favoured lower grades bringing young cricketers through who were new to senior cricket. In partnership with Peter Clothier they became the first coaches to win back-to-back awards as coaches of the Most Improved Team in 1984/85 and 1985/86.
Russ was one of the first club members to be accredited as a NSW Level 1 Coach and an official umpire. As a member of the Sutherland Shire Cricket Umpire’s Association he served three years on the Association Executive as Treasurer. In 1997 he was asked to take up the role of Secretary/Public Officer for the Sutherland Shire Junior Cricket Association (SSJCA). After four years in that position he moved to Vice President (Development) where he initiated special coaching days for young players involving members of the Sutherland District Cricket (Grade) Club.
Russ served the Club for 11 years in total as President. First from 1986 to 1989 and then returned in 1994 serving until 2002. One of his most significant contributions to the Management of the Club was to initiate work on having the Club incorporated. Russ is the first to credit Adrian Vannan for achieving the desired result as Adrian steered this project through to finality. In the 1986/87 Year Book Russ first introduced publicising the criteria used in determining awards, a practice which continues today. In 1997 he, as President, introduced the re-designed Year Book (from A5 to A4 size) and modernised the layout. He was the producer and editor of the Year Book for a number of years.
Russ was named Club Sportsman of the Year in 1985/86 and made a Life Member in 1996. As a batsman his name is commemorated on the Intermediate Division Champion Batsman Trophy. In the year 2000 he received three awards for community work for services to cricket. In the 2000 Year Australian Honours to sportsmen he received an Australian Sports Medal. At the local level he received a Hughes Award from the local Federal member and, from the Sutherland Shire Council, a Mayoral Volunteer Award.
His sons Geoff and Paul have both played for the Club. Geoff played seniors for three seasons from 1984/85 to 1986/87 until his work in Information Technology took him overseas. Paul started off in the 12E team and still plays for the Club.
This resume would not be complete without mention of his performance as Master of Ceremonies (M.C.). He first M.C’d our Annual Presentation night in 1987/88 as part of a duo act with Peter Clothier. They did a repeat performance he following year and while Peter left for pastures greener Russ went on to M.C. a total of 21 Junior Presentation nights plus quite a few Senior ones.
In 2006/07 to mark the 50th Anniversary of the SSJCA Russ was asked to write its history. His book, “History of the Sutherland Shire Junior Cricket Association 1957 – 2007 – It’s more than a game” reflects much of Russ’s philosophy on the game and how it should be played. He also acted as Project Manager in organising the Association’s 50th Anniversary dinner at Doltone House Sylvania Waters.
