On most Saturdays throughout the cricket season, you can find Tony “Snow” Wells down at Brooke Moore Oval.
He wrapped up yet another season of cricket coaching earlier this year, with Rugby Union’s under 14s side.
It’s just one gig in the many roles he’s had in cricket for almost half a century.
He’s a life member of both the Bathurst District Cricket Association and Rugby Union Cricket Club but now Wells is set for his biggest honour yet.
On Monday morning, Wells will be in Canberra as he is presented with the Medal of the Order of Australia in the General Division.
“I was really quite thrilled when I find out. It’s really fantastic,” he said.
“I told me wife and the rest of my family are really thrilled. They’re all really happy for me.”
Wills was surprised to find out he was receiving the Medal of the Order of Australia.
He’s also got a few ideas on who nominated him.
“I’ll have to go see him and say thanks,” he said.
At 67-years-old, he’s still enjoying cricket even though he admitted he’s slower than what he use to be.
“The ball comes back quicker and a bit harder now,” he said.
“I’m starting to slow down now a bit. I’ve probably got about two more years in me.
“I’m coaching the Rugby under 14s at the moment. I’ll see them through juniors and then that’ll do me.”
Wells came to Bathurst in 1976, through his job with the Central Mapping Authority.
He’d already been coaching and playing in the St George Junior Cricket Association with Ramsgate RSL from 1970 to 1976.
He joined the now defunct CMA club when he came to Bathurst before it folded in 1986.
He joined Rugby Union in 1987 and has been there ever since.
“It’s been a really enjoyable club to coach with,” he said.
“The kids can play for juniors and go right through to first grade.”
Wells stopped playing cricket in 1983 but remained focused on coaching.
He’s been a coach with junior representative teams since 1978 and has held a range of executive and administrative positions on the Bathurst District Junior Cricket Association committee since 1982.
He managed the Bradman Cup under 16s side in Western Zone from 2012 to 2016 and was Mitchell Cricket Council’s regional director of coaching from 2012 to 2017.
He was also named a Living Legend in 2016 by Bathurst Regional Council.
Only this year, Wells witnessed Rugby Union claim its maiden first grade title.
“That was a relief. The boys did really well,” he said.
Wells admitted that he won’t get to use his OAM signature much, as he doesn’t write many letters.
