History of Sport in Three Springs
Cricket
The first Cricket Club match was played against Arrino in 1907. Neither Three Springs nor Arrino had a Cricket Club. Three Springs practiced with a bat fashioned out of a piece of York Gum Tree, and the bats, wickets and other equipment for the match were borrowed from the Mingenew Cricket Club.
Tennis
Tennis was first played in 1911 when the Three Springs Tennis Club was formed. The court was of natural clay that had been smoothed off. Later, two courts were laid down in the corner on the recreation ground nearest to the hospital. These courts consisted of ant hills and sand mixed together. The present synthetic courts were developed in 1999.
Golf
Golf was first introduced to Three Springs in 1930 when a nine-hole golf course was laid down on private property owned by Mr PL Millard. Several years later the club purchased the present 100 acre site for £150. The nine-hole course was extended to an eighteen-hole course in 1955.
Bowls
A Bowling Club was formed in 1958 and play commenced on the green at the start of the 1959 – 60 season. CE Maley was the President and W Williams the Secretary. J Lynch won the first singles championships to be played with the Club.
Races
The first Race Club meeting was held in 1911 in Hebitons paddock near the Hall and Shire Office. Races are no longer held in Three Springs.
Football
The Three Springs Football Club was formed in 1909. The first game was played against Mingenew. Three Springs colours were then blue with white hoops.
The club went into recess during World War 1 (1914 – 1918) but was formed again in 1919. This was the year when Arrino presented their first team. In 1920, social matches were played, but in 1921 the Football Association was formed. Teams in the Association were Three Springs, Arrino, Carnamah, Yandanooka and Mingenew. Yandanooka won the first Premiership with Arrino winning the next four (4) or five (5).
Three Springs won their first Premiership in 1929 with Mick Coffey as their Captain. Horseback was the major means of transport to Carnamah, Yandanooka and Arrino. Matches were played on Friday’s in Mingenew to fit in with the running of the mail train.