Gemma Triscari: First Game of Cricket at 16, a State Debut at 17, and Leaving the Game with a WBBL Hattrick and a Teaching Degree

Playing your first game of cricket at 16, debuting for your state at 17.

It sounds unbelievable, but that was the case for Gemma Triscari, who at the age of 16 at school in Western Australia, had to play a sport that aligned with her electives. Due to timetable clashes, she “fell in” to cricket.

Gemma and some friends thought it would be fun to give cricket a go, with nothing too serious in mind.

“Bruce Yardley at the time was a Development Officer, I had no clue who he was. I learned very quickly later that he was a WA stalwart and an Australian test spinner.”

Bruce introduced Gemma to cricket, and explained that there was a female team and underage competitions to play in.

Not long after giving cricket a go for the first time, Gemma was playing under 17’s for WA. Her lack of experience wasn’t a factor when it came to leadership positions for the tournament, with Gemma saying:

“One of my funniest memories from when I was put into the U/17’s team - because I was one of the oldest in the team, they named me vice-captain, but I had no knowledge of field placements and very little tactical knowledge.

“Before the first game against Victoria, I had the salt and pepper shakers out on a circle trying to learn all the fielding positions.”

Despite this, at the age of 17, Gemma was debuting for Western Australia at the WACA against Victoria, coming up against a batting lineup that consisted of Mel Jones, Rachael Haynes, Sarah Elliott, Kelly Applebee and Jess Duffin.

“It was probably my youth in being so naive. I didn't think too much of it.

“Because my journey to playing cricket was unique, the way I just fell into it, when I debuted everything was new and everything was just about the next challenge.”

Coming into cricket with a decent age gap between herself and her teammates, Gemma was determined to gain their respect and prove to them that she belonged at the level.

In time, Gemma became a mainstay of the Western Australian bowling unit and carved out an impressive career at state level.

After playing over 100 games for WA, Gemma made the move to the Melbourne Stars for WBBL 01. Not long after the move, she took the first and only hattrick for the Stars in the WBBL.

In a match up at the Thunder’s home ground, Gemma remembers the pitch as very flat and holds fond memories of the hattrick.

“From the celebration you can see, I was a bit stunned and a bit shocked. I wasn't a massive celebrator, but I definitely enjoyed that achievement.

“I look back on it now and think, that's pretty cool. When it gets brought up, you understand how hard it is to do.

Being part of the very exclusive Melbourne Stars hattrick club, Gemma laughingly said “I sit in pretty tight company with Haris Rauf, which I don't mind.”

The early days of the WBBL was a highlight for Gemma, consistently playing at big stadiums, rubbing shoulders with some superstars of the game and learning and developing in all areas of her cricket.

“Getting caught in the lift with players like Kevin Pietersen and Glenn Maxwell, that was our first taste of real professionalism, which was a real standout.

“All of a sudden, you're staying in nicer hotels and there's more appearances, and that was really exciting. It made you want to play better and train harder in order to match what was being thrown at you.”

A favourite memory of Gemma’s was playing in a Derby; a Stars vs Renegades match-up that was the first at the MCG for the women’s teams. Gemma said there was plenty of hype around it and to play on the ‘G was an awesome experience.

For Gemma, her time in and around the Australian setup is nice to look back on.

Despite juggling studies and work, Gemma was in and around the squad for the 2013 Ashes and made some appearances for the Australia A team.

“Being in and around that high performance environment, rubbing shoulders with players who've gone on to be some of the best in the world, being able to say that you've been able to match it and play at that level is a highlight for me.”

Speaking of studies and work, Gemma has been able to make the most of the ACA’s resources and programs to help with her career off the field:

“I'm super fortunate to walk away after completing a four-year double degree without a HECS debt.

“The support that the ACA provided in making sure that we were able to have careers and pursue interests outside of cricket was massive.”

Gemma spoke highly of the ACA’s annual Health Check Days. In her line of work as a PE teacher, she highlighted the importance of looking after her health:

“I'm a PE teacher so I spend a lot of time in the sun. Knowing that once a year I’m able to have access to quality health checks to keep an eye on things is huge.”

“I’m super thankful and grateful that post cricket career, with the help of the ACA and their support in terms of education and health, I've been able to access a lot of the resources and support that they offer and have certainly benefited from it.”

Another ACA program that Gemma has been involved in is the Game Development Program, which allows members to provide coaching, knowledge and expertise through paid coaching appearances.

“It's nice that there’s a platform for players whether they're newly transitioned out of the game or retired years ago; to connect back to community cricket, and there's a relevance attached to it.

“Being able to go back to the roots and where you started, I found a lot of joy in going back to community cricket. It ignites those great memories about playing cricket as part of a team.”

Gemma’s story of studying, working and playing cricket at a high level is a fantastic example of how the ACA can support you through your career, ensuring you leave the game in a great place.