ACS Journalism Scholarship
Our ACS Journalism Scholarship is run with the support of Holmesglen TAFE, courtesy of Simone Wearne. A short bio of Simone is included below. Also on this page find past Scholar’s experiences and links to all our Scholar’s published articles.
Simone Wearne is the Course Leader for Sports Degrees at Holmesglen Institute. From a baseball background, Simone represented Australia for a decade on the Women’s Australian Baseball Team, whilst going on to Manage the team for three World Cup events (including a bronze medal in Japan, 2014).
Simone was the co-MVP at the 2002 Women’s World Series tournament in Florida, named All-World pitcher at the 2006 Women’s Baseball World Cup in Taiwan, and twice was awarded Australian Women’s Baseball Player of the Year by Baseball Australia (2007 & 2008). She was the youngest and first female inducted into the Australian Baseball Hall of Fame in 2012.
Simone has a Master of Business Administration and is currently undertaking further post-graduate study in teaching and learning. Her passion lies in community grassroots sport, with long time involvement in various voluntary positions since her teenage years.
Past ACS Journalism Scholar’s Experiences:
Our inaugural scholar (2021), Donal Wilson said:
“To be the inaugural recipient of the Australian Cricket Society (ACS) Journalism Scholarship was a very proud honour.
To learn about writing from has been a big step forward in my journalism career. I’ve thoroughly enjoyed the ACS dinners and luncheons getting the opportunity to meet former international cricketers, and fellow ACS members.
However, it’s been interviewing the players and writing their stories that I’ve enjoyed the most.
Overall, I’m very grateful for the opportunity I’ve had to be part of the ACS community and meet so many nice people.”
Our 2022 scholar Sam Coulson said:
“My time in the ACS has been wonderful. I have not only improved my writing ability but have been consumed by many great stories from legends of the game. Thanks to Ken for working one-on-one with me and helping me immensely and thanks to everyone else within the society also.”
From our 2023 scholar, Kobe Jacobs:
“Being able to write for the Australian Cricket Society was a very enjoyable experience. Writing during a year when the Australian Men’s team had the Ashes, World Test Championship and ODI World Cup all at stake, made writing each piece much more stimulating. Getting to work under John Harms, who was a great mentor throughout my time writing for the ACS was advantageous. No doubt has my ability to write improved due to John. I’d like to thank everyone at the Society for making me feel so welcome, I’m grateful to have gotten to this opportunity.”
For more information or to apply for future scholarships, contact us at info@australiancricketsociety.com.au
Inaugral Scholar Donal Wilson with Ken Piesse, noted Author, Sports Journalist and former ACS President.
Our ACS Journalism Scholar Written Articles
DONAL WILSON’S PROFILES: Jeff Scotland
From the peanut farm to Power House; that’s the motivating story of Jeff Scotland, one of the ACS’s champion south of the Yarra allrounders. The quaintly-named ‘peanut farm’ is the home base for St Kilda City, Jeff’s first junior club, which is adjacent to Luna Park,...
ROGERS ANSWERS 11TH HOUR CALL
BY DONAL WILSON Victoria has a young cricketer in its squad capable of playing 100 Tests, according to head coach Chris Rogers. Speaking at the 53rd Australian Cricket Society annual dinner, Rogers spoke glowingly of Will Pucovski and others on Victoria’s...
Sweet Seventeen
By DONAL WILSON At just 17, Ella Hayward is impressing everywhere she plays, at the Melbourne Renegades and for Victoria in the Women’s National Cricket League. Winner of the Australian Cricket Society Steve Mason Young Female Cricketer of the Year award for 2021,...
1100 GAMES UP & STILL COUNTING
How many games of cricket have you played? Two hundred? Five hundred? Lost count? Eane Whitton’s present record stands at 1100-plus over six decades – and with more to come, he tells DONAL WILSON. A 19-time premiership player, his experience stretches Australia-wide,...