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Spring 2008 will see New York’s Public Schools Athletic League launch its inaugural program for cricket.
The pilot program will see the participation of sixteen schools, up significantly from the seven schools that had expressed interested when the program was initially conceived.
Boys and girls will play 20-over matches, Lorna Austin, PSAL Cricket Coordinator announced.
PSAL Schools also conducted tryouts for the Boys and Girls cricket teams as of February 29, 2008. A coaching clinic was held on February 11th and 12th, 2008 at the Aviation High School. Assisting the PSAL Cricket Program with the coaching clinic were Carlyle Miller, a former USA cricket administrator who played for Guyana and Colin Jackman.
A scene from 2007 USA U-17 tournament. If PSAL’s program is successful, New York boys will create waves here.
The participating schools are split into North East and South West. North East Division includes Aviation, Dewitt Clinton, John Adams, Newcomers, Queens High School of Teaching, Richmond Hill and Long Island City schools. Their matches begin on April 1, 2008 at Cunningham, Flushing Meadow, Van Cortlandt, and Baisley Park cricket grounds.
The South West Division comprises Herbert H Lehman, Medgar Evers College Preparatory School, Prospect Heights Campus High School, Samuel J Tilden, Stuyvesant, William E Grady, and Franklin D Roosevelt schools. These matches will also commence on April 1, 2008. Venues are Van Cortlandt, Erskine Field, and Marine Park.
It was reported that some of the schools received $2500 in grants to buy equipment. The money, officials said, was allotted from Department of Education funds received through the city's licensing agreement with Snapple Beverage Corp.
Donald Douglas, the PSAL executive director, told the media last year that he expects cricket to broaden the reach of the PSAL. "The interest is already there," Douglas reportedly said. "Many of these kids who are interested are not playing other sports, and this is a new opportunity for them. The more sports we offer - the more kids we have participating - the better."
The schools in the program have student populations who are well versed in cricket. For instance, 10% of the students at John Adams were born in cricket playing countries with 7.2% reporting Guyana as their place of birth. Another 2.9% were born in Trinidad and Tobago, another cricketing nation.
A similar pattern is seen at Richmond Hill with 7.6% from cricketing nations. Queens has a sizable number of students whose birthplace was India or Pakistan whereas the FDR has students who were born in Pakistan and Bangladesh. If you include the first generation Americans, the tilt towards cricket becomes more pronounced.
New York is already home to a large number of former first class and international cricketers. With the introduction of cricket in schools, a new era for cricket is about to be ushered in.
For schedules and results, please visit www.psal.org
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