Para Districts Cricket Association 2011/12

[Lightning McQueen]

I'll leave this thread open for the week so those that wish to reflect on the times they shared with John can be expressed and then it will be an apt way to close a thread off so we know where to go when we wish to have some reflection time in the future.

[whufc]

Well said Lightning,

He was probably the most positive person i have met in sport. He was a true believer every single person at your cricket club was a potential A Grader and given the right tutorlidge and role in a side could play up to any standard. He saw the C Grade as just as important side as the A Grade and loved nothing more than watching a young lad come through the grades to play A's.

We would talk about the problems we had at the club and occasionally i would drop the line maybe the club doesnt need a player/person like that representing it. He would never hear that as to him a person was only one chat one slight change in attitude from becoming the role model cricketer.

The last A Grade premiership won by Eastern Park in 2010/2011 had 11 players. 10 of those players had been coached by John at some stage in their junior career.

I feel for the young lads at EP, it has been a real tough year or two for them. Club legend Bradley Banks's dad past away after a long battle with illness, They also tragicially lost a best mate who took his own life just prior to the season starting. Then Ray Smiths mother suddenly passed away leaving the lads mourning again. And now they have lost one their biggest influences in life. These lads would not have played a single season of cricket at EP without John around.

While we all hurt now unfortunatly i think we are going to hurt again when come september/october the mats get rolled out, the stumps get knocked in and the sound of read leather on willow surrounds Eastern Park...........and just something isnt quite right, something in us all is missing, it just wont feel the same.

[Lightning McQueen]

Yes, the amount of times I heard "I'm going to have a chat with ......, or I had a chat with ......." He always believed he could get the best out of anyone, and he could.
I know him and Knoxy have stuck around through the tough times and when most would've given up, they would just front up again each season with a renewed vigour, having Joffa around lightened his workload and it was good to see a young fella stepping up and getting behind John.

[DemonGirl]

I was chatting to my old boy about John over the weekend and Dad just remembers when he was involved in cricket, John would always say "Im having a year off this year" and it never happened. He always had to be involved somehow. Dad hasn't been around the club for a long time but John was always asking how he was going, and quite often would drop me off home so he could have a chat with the old man. Years go by and he always remembered his old friends..

[Masha]

Absolutely shattering news

John was all I ever knew since coming into the pdca, from my time at EPFC, to our frequent chats since moving to brahma. John was a massive influence on my cricket, because he had an outlook like no other, not just cricket but life in general. He understood priorities in life. That was the best thing about him, not only did he enjoy and thrive at cricket, but as a mentor in life. Having dealt with so much in his family and social life, John was an amazingly positive guy, and never steered away or shy'd away from a challenge. A great bloke till the end, john has touched so many and left a great legacy for the kids at EP to go on with. He always worked at getting the best out of an individual, because he believed and had faith like no other that with the right mind frame, the right goals and desire, everyone could be something and make a difference.

John certainly made a difference. RIP big fella, gone but never forgotten.

[EPFC]

The funeral of the late John Ashworth will be held on tuesday the 7th of Ausust at Fulham Funerals North Chapel, Midway road, Elizabeth East.