The Squamish Cricket Club is hosting a few youth programs this summer in hopes of drumming up continued interest in the sport.
The weekly program starts on Monday, July 3 and finishes on July 24. The program cost is $40 per youth and it will be split into four age groups: four to six, seven to nine, 10 to 12 and 13 to 16.
“You've got to kind of encourage sport at a youth level to maintain the sport,” said Ben Cole, one of the founders of the club.
“None of us are getting any younger,” he joked.
The program takes place at Brennan Park Recreation Centre between 4 p.m. and 7 p.m., with about an hour of play for each age group staggered throughout. The youngest start at 4 p.m., the two middle groups start at 5 p.m., and the eldest start at 6 p.m.
Cole said the four sessions are open for beginners and will progress in skills, so by the end of the four weeks, the participants will be able to play games. Additionally, the youth who join will receive a Kookaburra cricket bat upon completion, a recognizable bat brand for cricket players across the world.
This program comes on top of other outreach the club has been doing locally for children and youth.
The club has run a few programs throughout the school year at Valleycliffe Elementary and Howe Sound Secondary with plans to go to Don Ross Middle School. The club provided instruction with the help of a teacher and left the schools playing gear for future use.
Cole recalled that just a day after the group’s instructional lesson at Howe Sound Secondary, they spotted some of the students playing cricket with the gear.
“That was a big win,” said Cole.
The Squamish Cricket Club is a relatively new club to Squamish, as it was founded in 2021 but grew rather quickly to about 50 registered adult players.
Cole said it’s a really diverse team, with players from a variety of regions around the world, and hopes to add more women into the mix as they continue to grow.
This past fall, the organization hosted its first home game at Brennan Park against NorthShore Cricket Club and looks to host another friendly match this year, as the group needs to secure its own pitch before hosting competitive games with the British Columbia Mainland Cricket League.
That said, Cole explained they are liaising with the District in hopes of making a pitch in the future.
For more information about the upcoming youth program, visit squamishcricket.ca.
