By Kirra Livingstone
SUNSHINE Coast Scorchers and Glasshouse Cricket Club player, Malakai Pearce, has embarked on a unique apprenticeship at Cooper Cricket in Batmaking.
Malakai started the apprenticeship in January this year, and has been working alongside Brisbane Heat star, Josh Brown during his experience.
He also gets to meet a number of Queensland Cricket icons who visit the renowned cricket repair shop, but Malakai enjoys the craft itself too.
“I’ve learnt how bats and cricket gear itself is made, how its produced and how to interact with customers from the retail aspect and things like that,” he said.
“It’s really cool that I don’t just learn one thing, I’m learning different aspects of how life works.
“Meeting the high profile players that I get to meet is really cool like some people who walk through the door is really awesome to meet them and see how they act and how humble they are as well.”
His mum, Naomi, originally tried to organise a bat making experience for Malakai after starting a side hustle in bat repairs for his friends.
Now, Malakai hopes to move into a more permanent role in his apprenticeship next year, and complete his four to five year qualification.
“I’m currently working at Cooper Cricket about 22 hours a week over three days, but I’m hoping to go full time in 2024,” he said.
“I will always want to play cricket at some sort of level, I hope to play at a very high level and always be involved in the sport.
“But I will always try to stay intact with my roots and make sure that I give back to the people who have given to me.”
To make this professional cricket dream a reality, Malakai is already making strides in the Sunshine Coast cricket scene to further his athletic career.
“This is the first time I’ve been picked to play for Queensland, I’ll be playing in the under 15s schoolboys team later next year,” he said.
“I wasn’t sure if I’d done enough to be picked, so I was very excited when I got presented with a baggy maroon.”