Snehal Tayade: Mom, Professional Engineer, Cricketer
During Women’s History Month, the Northern California Cricket Association (NCCA) highlights, celebrates, and honors the many NCCA women and girls who’ve taken its newly formed women’s program to the next level. Here is Snehal story.
Snehal Tayade is a Senior QA Engineer, mother, and wife from Pleasanton, California. Since its inception, Snehal has been an active member of the NCCA Women’s Program. She is a fantastic fielder and growing in her batting and bowling talent. She looks up to Virat Kholi as her favorite cricketer and enjoys watching movies with her husband and daughter in her free time.
“Mom, you’re going to play bat and ball tomorrow. Please be careful, don’t hurt your knee; take some rest!” Can you imagine things like that coming from a three-year-old? But that’s what my daughter says to me. She’s the sweetest thing on earth! It was a bit challenging adjusting to daily life in the U.S. after leaving my large family four years ago in India. It was lonely at times, but my daughter really holds me, cheers me up, and gives me a love I’ve never gotten anywhere else.
I have been a sports person since I was four years old. A little older than my daughter is now. I played every Indian childhood sport or game that you got to play – like marbles, and then there is lagori, where you stack all the round plates and chase the person with the ball. Kho-kho was my favorite one! I used to play it every day, and those are some of the memories that I still cherish. So my love for sports started during my early childhood.
We stayed in a small farming village called Kaulkhed with very few facilities. So my parents decided to send us to live with relatives in Akola for schooling and further studies. Being the eldest child in a family with two younger sisters and a girl, it used to be very tough on me – specifically, emotionally challenging – but I tried to be very strong throughout that time to take care of my sisters.
But in my school, I found one cricket team, and it quickly became my go-to thing. When I was in the field, I couldn’t remember any of the challenges I was facing at home – like, I had nothing to worry about. It would free me completely! I would play in all my free time, but there were complaints to my parents: “She wants to play on the ground, even on weekends. Why does she have to go out and play? Why does she have to stay out such a long time after school?’ They would say, “This isn’t a game for girls.” Many people would say that. But I remember my dad would come directly to my school from work, find me at break time, and say, “Don’t worry about them, I’m here. You go for it! Whatever you need, just give me a call. I’m just a phone call away.” And he’s always been like that. That’s why my dad is my backbone. He has always supported me: in cricket, in my computer engineering degree, and even in my interstate marriage.
I took a break from playing cricket when I pursued my Master’s degree. Since early 2012, I haven’t played. Then in late 2017, I got married and moved to the U.S. My husband and I would go for a walk and see people playing here in the United States, and I would think, I’m never going to get this chance again because, you know, I found it hard to ask those playing, “Can I have a chance to play?” It’s very tough, especially when you’re new to the area and especially when it’s all men. So we would be walking, and I would stop and just watch the game thinking I’d never get a chance here to play again. Then my husband, who has always supported my career and my interest in sports, saw a post from NCCA last December and pushed me to join their new women’s team.
On my first day of practice, as I was walking toward the net, I felt a lot nervous. It was almost a 10-year gap since I’d last played. And this was a different country altogether with other people, and it was the first time I was socializing with folks here like that. But I knew that it would somehow reflect if I had it in my bones.
When I met coach Dashrath Sankhe that first day, there was that instant connection, maybe due to the language – we both speak Marathi – and maybe due to the person he is. Like, he’s so experienced, knows so much, and knows that you don’t know anything and can still work off of that. That is a skill and the quality of greatness. I feel it’s a human tendency to see a beginner and say, “Oh my god, she doesn’t know anything,” right? But if you have that quality of greatness in you, you can see the potential in others. And he has that quality. In my case, those first few sessions with coach Dashrath helped me a lot. When I learned the steps of each skill from him, I saw a difference in the way the ball was connecting, and I got that right amount of speed, and that’s when I felt confident.
So joining the NCCA Women’s team was a crazy experience for me. All of the girls are so dedicated, mature, and welcoming. I feel they’re such accommodating and adjustable players and welcomed me to play with them. I found that overwhelming, and I’m just grateful for that. To play on the field with such incredible players, like, Sindhu – she is the captain of the USA women’s national team – and all the other girls, I’m so grateful. I had a knee injury recently, but when I’m out on the field playing with this team, I feel zero pain; it’s therapy for me. And those are the weekends that I look forward to when I get to spend that amount of time with my teammates.
Finding a cricket platform for women is very tough, especially one like NCCA, which welcomes you and facilitates you with all the requirements, like all the equipment and the coaching. I want to thank Audrey Moore, who has been key to creating that platform: from the first day I met her, she had such a friendly nature and welcomed me wholeheartedly. When you meet her, she gives that complete warmth and comfort to you as a person, and it’s incredible! She has been the primary person to trigger this program. And the amount of comfort you get from being around her and all the NCCA women. I don’t know that you could that it anywhere else. I feel lucky that I could have a chance again in my life to play cricket along with performing my professional and family responsibilities.
So to all the other moms, women, and girls who are beginners, I say just give it a try. Taking that first step is very important. Even if you’re a non-cricketer or haven’t played, I’m sure there are many women around who want to give it a try, so just try it out. Even if you find the slightest possibilities, try. You may see similar people like you, struggling and who you can learn together with. Take the opportunity: the NCCA Women’s Program is that opportunity.
To support players like Snehal, consider making a donation today via our Women’s History Month Fundraiser: https://www.facebook.com/donate/634791814284546/
