Warrnambool's Tim Wells talks premiership highlights, cricket mergers

AT A GLANCE

Born: Shepparton on December 10, 1982.

Children: Jaiden.

Parents: Linda and Alan. Sibling: Michelle.

Education: Mooroopna Primary School before going to Brauer College Warrnambool.

Sporting highlight: Would have to be playing in the same side as my son Jaiden when we won the 2022-23 cricket premiership for Spring Creek Cricket Club in division three. Another highlight has to be helping out with the merger of Mailors Flat and Woolsthorpe cricket clubs to form the Spring Creek Cricket Club.

Tim, I note you were born in Shepparton and had your early education at Mooroopna Primary School before moving to Warrnambool to attend Brauer College. What was the reason for the shift to Warrnambool?

It can get very hot up around the Shepparton area in the summer months. Mum prefers a cooler climate so we ended up moving down this way. It was a great move to come down to the coast.

How old were you when your family made the move?

I was 14 years old. A couple of my school mates were playing footy with North Warrnambool and they asked if I was interested in playing there.

I would have to say one of my highlights was playing in the night series for North Warrnambool when we defeated Koroit to win the under 16 flag.

Lindsey Cottee was our coach in the under 16 flag side for North Warrnambool. Liam Ryan and Josh Parkinson were teammates of mine in the premiership side.

Koroit had some very good players in its under 16 side including Ben Goodall and Simon O'Keefe.

The game was played at the Reid Oval under lights and we ended up winning the flag by a few points. I ended up playing in the under 18s at North Warrnambool under Neil Porter and Daryl Mahoney but my career came to an abrupt end as I never had much ability and I wanted to concentrate on my schooling and I was also studying commerce at Deakin University for four years.

What was your goal when you were studying commerce at Deakin University?

I wanted to work in real estate. My first job in the profession was with L.J. Hooker in 2004. I worked for PFD Jens Gaunt from 2006 until 2016 and changed to Homeseeka Real Estate in 2016 and I'm still there today.

How's the real estate market in Warrnambool?

Despite 12 rate rises before two months without rises, the market in Warrnambool is still quite good. Undoubtedly, the negative national press about the rates rises impacts on people wanting to buy a property.

Working in real estate is like so many other jobs it has its ups and downs but overall I can't complain about the industry. I love working at Homeseeka Real Estate.

There's a great bunch of people who work at Homeseeka Real Estate and I've been very lucky to have met some great people, whether that's through selling their properties or people purchasing property through our office.

Working in real estate offers a flexible lifestyle but it can be demanding on your personal time.

Let's go back to your sporting highlight which relates to cricket. Where did your cricket career begin?

I played juniors with Mooroopna. My dad played cricket for the club so I suppose it was only natural that I would follow in his footsteps.

When we made the move to live in Warrnambool, a school friend of mine was playing cricket for Mailors Flat and he encouraged me to play out there.

I played in the juniors with Mailors Flat before playing seniors in the B grade competition for a couple of years but I walked away for six years while I was studying at Deakin University.

I came back and played in the Sunday cricket competition in 2012 for Mailors Flat. We made the grand final but lost it to Hawkesdale.

I stayed playing cricket for Mailors Flat in the old Grassmere Cricket Association. It was in October 2020 that there were talks the association may fold. I joined the merger committee for Mailors Flat Cricket Club in June 2021.

We started discussions with our close neighbours, Woolsthorpe Cricket Club. There were a lot of issues to be talked about including assets, ground management, financial matters and players before a formal merger could be put in place.

All parties agreed the new identity should be called Spring Creek Cricket Club as the creek flows through properties in both towns. I was elected president of the newly-formed Spring Creek Cricket Club for the 2021-22 season.

I would say members of Mailors Flat and Woolsthorpe cricket clubs were well aware if we never merged there would be no cricket in that corridor of this area which could have had a big impact on local cricket.

There would have been more than 100 years of cricket tradition gone if both clubs never merged.

It's often difficult when there is a merge of two clubs because people have vastly different views but I must congratulate members and players from the old Mailors Flat and Woolsthorpe cricket clubs - they have worked hard to ensure the merger was a success.

Personally, it was a great thrill to be part of Spring Creek's division three premiership side for the 2022-23 season.

My son Jaiden was part of the team and that made the victory extra special for both of us.

I barely batted last season but got a couple of wickets. I was only there to help out our younger players.

We've got Daniel Buck as our senior coach and he's doing a great job.

What sides does Spring Creek Cricket Club have in place for the 2023-24 season?

We've added a division two side for this season, plus division three and four. The club has more than 50 players taking part in our junior program and that by itself is a wonderful result. When we played in the old Grassmere Cricket Association there were no junior teams.

The juniors are the lifeblood of any sporting club. It's incredible to see so many young children wanting to take part in our cricket program.

Do you still take a keen interest in how North Warrnambool is going in the Hampden Football Netball League?

I check out their scores regularly as I've still got a lot of good friends at North. My footy interest is really focused on Warrnambool as my son Jaiden plays there.

Warrnambool has been in a building phase this year under coach Daniel O'Keefe. The club has some really good young players coming through the ranks which should see them be very competitive next year.

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