Most cricketers around the region have likely been umpired by Parkes' Glenn Pepper at least once, and now he has received recognition for his work.
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Pepper was nominated for NSW Community Match Official of the Year due to his contributions to umpiring throughout the Western region and was awarded the honour earlier this month.
Cricket NSW's Matt Ellis explained that Pepper finished in the top two of all officials in the country.
"The Awards help recognise the valuable that volunteers make to ensure that cricket is a game that's loved by everyone that's taking part so Glenn was nominated in the category of Community Match Official of the Year and was the NSW winner and he went into a pool of nominations from around Australia and ended up finishing second," he said.
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Pepper who umpires regularly in Dubbo travels up to 500kms per weekend was a more than deserving runner-up in Ellis' eyes.
"Wonderful recognition for a passionate cricket person in far west NSW based out of Parkes often travelling multiple kilometres over the weekend to umpire games, he's involved in cricket in schools as well," he said.
"He is the Western PSSA girls team coveigner and he's a cricket school ambassador in the primary schools in the region so he is often advocating for opportunities for kids to play cricket in their school settings as well.
"(He is) A really worthy nomination and thrilled to see him acknowledged and take second place."
Internally each cricket region puts forward nominations for the NSW awards and Ellis said Pepper is one of many volunteers in the region who deserve recognition.
"There's so many people that contribute so much to cricket so nominating for these awards is always tricky, you feel like you could nominate any number of people for their contributions because so many people make great contributions week in and week out for the sport.
"I think the crossover of the different sphere's Glenn is involved in both the schools and he does the club cricket, the rep cricket.
"He is involved in boys cricket, girls cricket, senior cricket, junior cricket and travels a long way to do it all so a very worthy nomination."
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