Parkes’ Greg Morrissey, has been named on the Queen’s Birthday Honours List to receive an OAM (Medal of the Order of Australia) as part of this year’s Australia Day celebrations.
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The 67-year-old has been recognised for his years of service to Parkes, Western and NSW cricket as well as the Parkes community.
Morrissey isn't exactly sure who nominated him for the honour, although he might have an inkling as to who it may have been.
“I couldn't believe it really, it’s a big honour and I was pretty overwhelmed,” he said.
“I had to keep it quiet though, but very thankful for whoever nominated me.”
Morrissey has held many roles within the sport of cricket and the Parkes community, including; secretary of Parkes Junior cricket since 1977 and life member since 1984; volunteer for Parkes and District Cricket (still ongoing); Secretary and treasurer of the Lachlan Cricket Council since 2000; member of the NSW Cricket Umpires and Scorers Association since 1993; Life member of the Lachlan Primary School Sports Association in 2010; Coach/convener of Western PSSA boys cricket teams for 28 years, life membership in 1999; Manager of NSW PSSA team at School Sport Australia Championships in 1995, 1996 and 1997; assistant principal of Parkes East Public School from 2003-2010 and teacher from 1975; gate keeper for Parkes rugby league for the last 30 years, while also helping out with the trots, rugby and AFL from time to time.
Morrissey was born in Orange, and after becoming qualified, his first teaching assignment was at Wilcannia in 1971-72.
He then moved to Nyngan and was there from 1973-74, before coming to Parkes in 1975, where he has remained to this day.
When asked when his love for the game of cricket started, Morrissey looked back to the famous tied-test in Brisbane during the 1960-61 summer between Australia and the West Indies when he was only 10-years-old as the moment he became ‘cricket mad’.
“I wasn't a good player at all, I was a scrubber, but I love the game and I’ve met some wonderful people through it,” he said.
Describing the highlights of his time involved with cricket, coaching the Western Boys Primary School Team to the state title in Barooga in 2005 were right at the top of the list.
“It was pretty special that year, we had a great team, and to win the state carnival was pretty special,” he said.
Seeing the Parkes representative teams dominating the Lachlan Junior Cricket Competition in past years, as well as the success of the Parkes senior teams are also highlights.
“Watching the Parkes senior teams dominate over the past decade, especially with most of those players coming through Parkes junior cricket has been very rewarding,” he said.
Morrissey has also played a big role in the upgrading of the sporting facilities in Parkes, entering submissions for upgrades, as well as being involved in the building of the Duncan MacDonald cricket nets at Keast Park.
Morrissey also ran the district primary school sports in Parkes for 26 years, which involved not just cricket, but covered every aspect of sport.
“I’ve had a lot of fun doing it all, it’s been a lot of hard work, but a lot of fun, very rewarding and a lot of satisfaction,” he said.
“Parkes as a town itself is a great place to live in, and we’re very lucky we’ve got the great facilities here that we have.”