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Andrew Cooper - Pilsley Cricket Club

Andrew Cooper is a full-time training centre manager and a local councillor, but on top of these commitments he also spends up to 15 hours a week during the summer doing voluntary work for Pilsley Cricket Club.

Andrew is club secretary, cricket development officer, junior coach and team manager and still finds time to play the game he loves!

The 45-year-old has an association with the club that goes back more than 30 years, and he now spends much of his time coaching local young people and driving the club forward by building links with local schools and acquiring funding for club-house and ground and facility improvements.

“I’ve had so much enjoyment out of cricket that I want to give back as much as I possibly can to as many kids as possible,” said Andrew.

“I started doing the scoring at age 11 and used to take my kit with me every week in the hope I would get a game. I’ve played full-time since I was 12 so cricket has been in my blood for a long time!”

During his cricketing career Andrew captained the first team for six years, and now plays mainly for the second team, with the odd game for the first team.

He has been secretary of the club for 14 years, and as a Level Two coach has moved into coaching over the past few years.

With his help the club has grown to include two U11 Kwik cricket teams, an U12 and an U13 team, and he now helps to coach more than 40 young people every week.

He has also encouraged others to volunteer, including his wife Sharon, who also plays a big part in supporting the club.

He said: “I have lived in Pilsley all of my life and I want to do my best for people in the village and particularly young people.

“I do it because I enjoy it and I have a lot of pride in the cricket club. It gives kids in the village a chance to have a go at sport and enjoy it.

“I know it’s a cliché but It’s not about the winning it’s about taking part, playing in the right spirit and kids growing up to respect their team mates and their opponents and teaching them the responsibility of their actions not just at school or at home but in a sporting environment.”

It is this commitment to his work as a volunteer that earned Andrew the Service to Sport award at the Chesterfield/North East Derbyshire Sports Awards and a runner-up spot at the Derbyshire Sports Awards last year.

But despite making great strides at the club within the last few years, he is determined to build on its success.

He said: “We want all kids to take part. And at the other end of the scale we want to find the kids with ability and give them the chance to get into the district and county squads.”

He also paid tribute to the clubs other volunteers, coaches, junior team managers and officials at the club, who all help to drive the club forward through their own volunteering efforts.