Photo Credit: Sydney Thunder
Celebrating 10 years of incredible support from our Members, the Heart of the Thunder Nation
Members: The Stubbs Family – Jo, Jason, Oscar, 20, and Harry, 17
Suburb: Glenwood
The Stubbs Family have been Members of the Thunder Nation family since the very beginning. We caught up with Jo and her sons Oscar and Harry to find out why they love being part of the Thunder Nation.
Oscar is one of the star performers for the NSW Blind cricket team, coached by his Dad, and awarded Player of the Final in last year’s National Championships Final. Oscar has less than 10% vision in each eye.
He is also an accomplished para-swimmer and all-round athlete winning the past two NSW doubles’ title playing vision impaired tennis.
When did you first join as Members?
Jo: We all joined as Thunder Members in the very first season. Oscar was 11 and Harry was 8.
With three other families, we all go together to all home games. We tried to build a big group because that’s what cricket’s about.
Because we go with such a huge group of people that we really care about, it’s summer, so for us summer means Thunder.
This year has been a bit tough with COVID, but it’s about embracing the game, being around the people you care about and knowing there’s going to be a really great show on.
Favourite Sydney Thunder moment?
Oscar: We went to the WBBL and BBL Grand Final in 2016 and got to watch both teams lift the trophy for the first time, that was pretty cool.
Jo: We organised a four-wheel drive full of boys to go down to Melbourne and all the Mums stayed in Sydney and watched from here. It was a boys’ trip.
Harry: That one is hard to beat, but I think getting the record BBL score (against the Sixers at the Adelaide Oval this week), in all of the 10 years, I think that was pretty good. Obviously, I would have said the Grand Final wins, as Oscar said, but I don’t want to say the same thing!
Oscar: I think I can say Dad’s as well, when he caught a six in the stands at a Thunder game against the Hobart Hurricanes in BBL|09 at Sydney Showground Stadium. I can’t remember exactly who hit it.
Jo: It was a massive, massive hit into the crowd, and he cupped his hands, and all the commentators were talking about it.
What keeps you renewing year on year?
Jo: It’s a whole gamut of things really. The players have watched my kids grow up; they’re all interested in what they’ve been doing.
Chris Green sent a video message to the NSW Blind cricket team before they went down to win third consecutive national championship in Geelong, last season.
It’s more than just an extended family, the club looks after you.
How does it feel for you Oscar to receive such support from elite level players?
Oscar: It’s pretty cool to be honest. Jay Lenton, who played for Thunder last season, we saw him before one of the games last season and he said to Dad and I: “We watched your game when you were in Melbourne”.
You wouldn’t think a top-level cricketer would be watching us play our version of cricket when they could be going and doing their own thing. It’s quite amazing that could happen.
Jo: Not only that, but there is also a game – we haven’t had it this year due to COVID – Thunder themselves actually come out and play against the NSW Blind cricket team and they put on the glasses to varying degrees of blindness, and they get in and have a go at a game.
Oscar: We’ve done it in the past few years.
Jo: I think the way they’ve embraced disability and inclusion, not just blindness. It was amazing to see them realise what the Blind, Deaf and Intellectually Disabled athletes go through on a daily basis.
Oscar was recently involved in a Sixers versus Thunder Blind match, and he was captain of the Thunder team that won.
Favourite all-time Sydney Thunder player?
Oscar: I really loved watching Fawad Ahmed bowl for Sydney Thunder.
Harry: There’s quite a few I could think of, but I think I would have to go with Shane Watson because he was fantastic not only playing the game, but I just remember at every Captain’s Club he would always come in, get involved and talk to us as if we were part of the team.
Jo: Mine is Chris Green and not for the obvious reasons. I appreciate the way Chris represents himself and Thunder and I think he is the ultimate role model for kids.
He is so polite, he’s so engaging, and he’s genuinely interested in what you have to say.
I appreciate that as a Mum of two boys who need role models in sport. He’s always the last person off the ground signing autographs.
Jo: Jason’s favourite player is Mike Hussey. He was very humbled when he met Mike.
Why is the Stubbs family so passionate about the Thunder Nation?
Oscar: Even when you’re at a game, and Thunder lose, you don’t really see anyone with their heads down or anyone in a bad mood. Everyone is in good spirits, nothing changes, no matter the outcome of the match.
That’s definitely one thing that keeps me part of the Thunder Nation.
