THE SAFE MATES SHIELD

We are extremely proud of the impact we are having in cricket communities.

The Safe Mates Shield initiative is a proactive road safety program aimed at fostering safe and responsible cultures within sporting clubs. Initially focused on cricket communities, the project will be expanded to other sports, emphasising the importance of maintaining road safety mindsets for the benefit of the whole club community.

The initiative encourages collaboration between rival clubs to reinforce the message that creating a safe environment is a shared responsibility. By urging players, coaches, staff, and supporters to watch out for each other's wellbeing and decision making before, during, and after games and practices, the Safe Mates Shield aims to ensure that everyone gets home safe to their loved ones.

Our President Darren Davis has coached cricket for many years, he believes that road users should use many skills on the road that are used on the field of play “As coaches, leaders and players, we are expecting cricketers to remain focused, look at the big picture, obey the rules, strive to constantly improve, work on their game, do what’s best for their team, look after their teammates and respect the opposition.

We should be encouraging all road users to use the same skills and mindsets on the road.

If we can create a safer ethos amongst our sporting communities, then we will make a big difference to our road toll. We know that there are major issues around, for example, drink driving after games. We want our senior players to be positive role models at their clubs so that the junior players grow up with a safe and responsible attitude on the road.

We first delivered our road safety messages to Glenelg Cricket Club in 2019 and I must say that the whole clubroom was silent as our program Ambassador Eli Murn spoke about his bright future as an Olympic hopeful that was dashed by his self-confessed stupidity behind the wheel.”

Eli stated, “If I had taken as much pride in my driving as I did on the volleyball court I would be ok today. It’s too late for me but not for these players.”

Eli now suffers from a debilitating life-long brain injury because of his crash in the Adelaide foothills in 2004. “I wish I had this program available to me when I was playing sports.”

Former AFL player Stephen Patterson MP supported the the Foundation's launch into sport and gave a rousing speech in Parliament congratulating the Get Home Safe Foundation for such a powerful, and much needed initiative.

The long-term aim is for the Get Home Safe Foundation to raise funds to take this initiative to clubs of all codes.