Awards 2023

John Gregory Tate

Nominated by Hon Natasha Fyles MLA - Chief Minister of NT 

Seconded by Brett John Walker

John arrived in the Territory in 1977, teaching in Ngukurr in the eastern Arnhem region. In 1999 he moved to Darwiin where he taught in various schools across Darwin and the rural area. It was soon after his move to Darwin, his relationship with the Nightcliff Cricket Club began, firstly as a player but also mentoring many young cricketers in the Junior Grades.

Off the field, John's voluntary contributions to the club have been second to none. He joined the Nightcliff Cricket Club Committee in 2001 and over the years, he has taken on many key committee roles including positions as President, Vice President, Secretary and Junior Co-ordinator.

Added to his Committee roles, John has also been the driving force behind securing a number of sponsorships for the Club and seeking fund-raising sources.

For the last 8 years, John has worked tirelessly on the Club's biggest annual fundraiser, sponsorship from the Darwin Symphony Orchestra in return for the cleanup of the Amphitheatre after Darwin Symphony Orchestral concerts. As part of these cleanups, John also collects all of the recyclable cans and bottles, converting these into cash for the Club.

As his cricket playing days came to an end, John turned his hands to coaching Junior Teams from the under 12s all the way through to the Under 18s. In the past three years however, John's mission has been to take on the coaching responsibility for the fledgling `womans' team' which he has been slowly building into a competitive team. In 2022, this team made the final series and is currently sitting on the top of the ladder for the 2023 season.

John is a qualified umpire who officiates for NT Cricket Association in all grade cricket as well as representative games.

He became the head Curator of the Nightcliff Oval cricket pitch in 2016 and has put in an unbelievable amount of time in an effort to make Nightcliff Oval, one of the best cricket grounds in the Territory.

And if that weren't enough, John recently undertook the expansion of the playing square to put in a 6th pitch to support Junior Cricket. John was also the driving force behind the new sheds, constructed to house the Club's curating equipment and he was a key contributor to the new canteen project, which has given Nightcliff Cricket Club and the Nightcliff Tigers Footy Club, an enviable, first class facility.

In 2013, John was inducted as a Life Member of the Nightcliff Cricket Club.

John Gregory Tate is a very committed volunteer and thoroughly deserving of a 2023 Seniors Of Excellence NT Award.