Shepparton Youth Club United import Sophie Ullah chronicles trailblazing paths for female cricket

It’s one which possesses plenty of merit, though, and you occasionally come across someone who embodies the adage in their professional endeavours.

So, then, did Shepparton Youth Club United, which took the unprecedented step of appointing an import to its women’s cricket side.

When 25-year-old all-rounder Sophie Ullah took on the offer to come all the way from England, in following the lead of so many male imports across the region, the club’s higher-ups likely had a sense of the calibre they were recruiting.

The full account of what Ullah has accomplished, however, is all the more remarkable as she dons the blue top of the combine this summer.

She’s become familiar with firsts, often having applied to join clubs which had never before entertained female interest.

It all started with the simple ambition just to play — whatever form that would take.

“I just used to play with my dad and we’d go to the local grounds just to play in the middle and watch a bit,” Ullah said.

“Mainly, my dad and grandparents had an interest in it, but nobody in my family ever played.

“When I was 15, they brought me to my first club, but they rejected me because I was a female.

“Rochdale was the second men’s club we went to and they were dead keen, so I stuck there until I was 18.

“I got more into it and, in 2020, we were able to set up a women’s team at Ramsbottom.”

Ramsbottom Cricket Club, in a sense, will become known as perhaps Ullah’s magnum opus.

The rapid influx of participation among women and girls at the club she’s called home for several years is testament to her drive.

“It’s grown there ever since then,” Ullah said.

“We’ve gone from a single team to a full junior and senior set-up, from under-10 girls up to senior women.

“It was inspiration to see that with girls having somewhere to go and play.”

Her mission didn’t end there.

Participation on the pitch from a women’s and girls’ perspective is rapidly gaining steam around the world in many sports and Ullah’s work in fostering that environment back home was no doubt pioneering.

That said, Ullah would turn her focus to supporting women’s progression into off-field roles.

“I got sent on a coaching course to inspire women to come to our club,” Ullah said.

“It’s nice giving back to the team at Ramsbottom and being able to say you can start playing cricket, but you can also make it as a coach.

“Every club I’ve been to, I’ve been the first female to play with the men there, so it’s been nice to lay some of the groundwork so that they have a path to follow.”

Now, after all that effort, she just happens to find herself on the polar opposite side of the world playing at Princess Park.

The good news from a foundational perspective for Ullah, of course, is that this team was pre-existing in Goulburn Murray Cricket.

However, more than that she feels the respect and genuine synergy hailing from the men’s and women’s divisions of the club.

It’s this aspect, she says, which truly drives her in this next phase as an import.

“I talked with Sam Nash and had some FaceTime conversations with him and Mel Saunders,” Ullah said.

“I put in my background about growing a side as well as my coaching qualifications. When I got here, I ended up being put up in a house with Mel, which is super.

“It’s nice to be the first female to come over here, but the men’s side has been so supportive and invested.

“It’s so good to see that it’s not just a separation.”

So far, Ullah has appeared in all four women’s games to date as well as popping up in the men’s SJ Perry Shield for a Saturday outing, where she would be anything but unfamiliar.

Having been instrumental in running some junior clinics during the weeks between games, she likes what she sees on the enthusiasm front among her largely youthful teammates as well.

“It’s nice to see we have a few young girls who are so keen to learn and take advice,” Ullah said.

“Playing for 10 years, you learn the game and some things to pick up that others might not have had the guidance through.

“The main thing we’re trying to instil is just the enjoyment of the game. Many of the girls don’t have too much experience, so it’s been a whole focus on growing understanding of the game.

“We’ll have a bit of a joke on the pitch and you might make a mistake now and again, but it’s about learning from them.

“A lot of the time, it’s just about taking those points on board for the next game and doing the best you can for your team.”