Hi, I'm Mitch Harte, a 15-year-old indoor cricket athlete from Queensland. Ever since I can remember, I’ve been passionate about cricket. From growing up following my dad around various SEQ indoor cricket centres to playing my first outdoor club cricket game in the U12’s (as a 9 year old) or making my senior level indoor cricket debut as a 12 year old, cricket (or more specifically, indoor cricket) has been in my DNA.

While still young, my journey in indoor cricket has been filled with incredible highs and challenging lows. From my first junior indoor games as a novice 8 year old to most recently proudly representing my country in the green & gold bringing home a Junior World Cup Title in Dubai last October, I have dedicated countless hours to training, pushing my limits, and striving to be the best I can be.

Unfortunately, Covid prevented participation in my first State Team (Qld Under 13 Boys Team in 2021), however since then I have continued to develop my skills with the highly successful Qld U16 boys side. 2024 marks my 3rd consecutive year as a member of this side which has been successful winning back-to-back national titles at the National Junior Indoor Cricket Championships. In 2022, I was named as part of the Australian Merit and following being awarded Player of the Tournament from the 2023 National Junior Indoor Cricket Championships, I was honoured to be selected in the Australian Under 16s Boys Indoor Cricket Team to travel to Dubai in September/October last year. This year I have been awarded captain for this year’s upcoming Nationals Tournament in Casey, Victoria.

In the Green & Gold in Dubai, I not only proudly represented my country, but this team also went through undefeated to win the Under 16s Boys Junior Indoor Cricket World Cup and in the process, I top scored in the Grand Final and took a spectacular catch in the final over to help secure victory.

From an indoor cricket perspective, my ultimate goal is to continue to proudly represent both my State & Country through the Junior ranks and continue through to Opens. If I was to achieve similar opportunities through my outdoor cricket, that would also be a fantastic achievement as I continue my cricket journey.

Achieving any opportunity to represent my State or my Country is a huge honour and one which I always cherish. To have a chance to representing my country and stand alongside my teammates, in front of friends and family in World Cup Final on the other side of the world, performing at the highest level of my sport, is definitely something I aspire to again. 

Following my successful stint in the ‘green & gold’, I’ve continued to train hard and develop and earlier this year from a club perspective, I was fortunate to be given an opportunity to make my (senior) A Grade debut for the revered Wynnum Seagulls in the ICFQ Major League competition. Not a bad effort for a 15-year-old.

Thanks to the support from previous donations during previous fund raising efforts, I have been able to achieve some fantastic milestones already in my career. There’s not too many that can lay claim to multiple National Titles, Player of Nationals Tournament Medal as well as a World Cup Medal all before I turn 16. For this I am truly grateful for all that have assisted on my journey thus far.

All contributions will not only help me achieve my personal goals but also help me inspire fellow teammates to similar exploits. Being able to represent both my state and country (and this year become a role model as captain of the Qld U16 Boys side), is definitely an honour that is greatly appreciated.

Following on from that, I'm now thrilled to be part of the Aussie Athlete Fund's Million Dollar Challenge powered by Ampol. This initiative pairs 100 Aussie athletes with businesses to raise $10,000 each, aiming for a collective $1 million to support our sporting dreams.

Competing internationally is incredibly challenging, both physically and financially. Many of us rely on fundraising to represent Australia on the global stage. The $1 Million Challenge, driven by 5-time Olympian Nat Cook OAM and powered by Ampol, is helping us overcome these hurdles.

Through this challenge, I will be paired with an Australian business that will help fundraise, network, mentor, and support me. This business will become an integral part of my team, and I am eagerly looking forward to announcing my partner soon. Together, we will work to raise the necessary funds to cover my training, travel, and competition costs.

For more information, click here to read about the Million Dollar Challenge or watch this short video from Nat.

Supporting my journey means more than just aiding an athlete; it’s about fostering the spirit of perseverance and ambition. Together, we can create a ripple effect that motivates and encourages others to pursue their dreams, no matter the obstacles.

Please join me on this exciting journey by making a donation. Every dollar brings me one step closer to achieving my goals and in doing so, helps turn my dreams into reality. Thank you for your support!