Annita Hancock's memory lives on
ANNITA Hancock didn't have as much as a presence in the Clarence Valley as she did in the Northern Rivers, but there's no doubt the Valley was touched by her influence.
Hancock was well-known in the Northern Rivers for her big part in giving girls a way to enjoy the game they loved.
She was known to have played both indoor and outdoor variants of the game, something which gained her a lot of respect when she moved into administration roles later in life.
When Hancock lost her battle to cancer last year, husband Mal and Casino Cavaliers teammate Michael Wood decided to name the inaugural under-14 girls cricket carnival in her honour.
"She did a lot for all forms of cricket in the area," Wood said.
"I played with Mal at Casino for a number of years and Annita did heaps behind the scenes to keep the team going."
Casino is the most successful team in the Far North Coast Premier League's 18-year history.
The Hancocks have been part of most, if not all, of the 12 premierships during that time.
While Mal lead the club as president and as a player, Annita gave her time as secretary.
Perhaps one of her greatest achievements came about three to four years ago when she played a major role in setting up a girls' cricket team in Casino.
Fuelled by her passion for cricket, as well as that of her daughters, Hancock formed the teams to give young girls a chance to play in the boy-dominated sport.
"It's a massive loss for cricket in Casino," Wood said.
"Her input into girls cricket in the region will be remembered and hopefully live on through this cricket carnival."
