By Vinodh Deenadayalan for MiYCA
The Michigan Youth Cricket Association (MiYCA) recently joined hands with the City of Detroit in a promotional cricket event at the Detroit City Laski Recreation Center to cover an introduction to the basic cricket skills for youth.
MiYCA is a non-profit organization with its motto – Coach, Play and Promote Cricket among youths aged 6 to 19 in Michigan, USA. It is hoped that this after-school initiative is expanded to include indoor winter sessions.
Recently, MiYCA also had the privilege of offering its cricket service programming to youths in Detroit City. Although the city’s indoor facility experienced a power outage minutes before the session started due to heavy wind, several people still showed up.
The Detroit City folk were impressed with the way MiYCA engaged the kids and how they allowed it to enter their minds and bodies. MiYCA was asked to do the same every week in the Detroit West region, introducing the sport to area kids to play and participate in other sports.
It was such a pleasure to watch those in attendance embrace and enjoy something they had never seen or experienced before. It was surprising to hear that some never even played baseball. The coaches were able to go to the level of some interested attendees, make cricket basics enticing, and not bore them with too many technicalities.
MiYCA was honored to have Jatin Patel, renowned multi-sport coach and Cricket Hall of Famer, as part of the promotional event at the Detroit City Laski Recreation Center. His experience and knowledge on how to make cricket interesting, fun, and engaging for kids who have never played or seen cricket was impeccable. He follows, practices, and preaches that sports should be fun, relaxing, and loving.